Many recognized at Bain's first attendance awards party

The Cranston Herald ·

On Thursday afternoon just after 1 p.m. more than 100 students were hanging out at Tate Field, bouncing in a bounce house, eating Italian Ice and enjoying some cotton candy. The occasion was Bain’s first quarter attendance reward and Student of the Month recognition party, honoring approximately 140 of their population of over 600 total students.

Securing a spot at the celebratory event was no easy task.

“Today we are recognizing all of the students who have had perfect attendance during the first quarter,” said Principal Jeffrey Taylor. “That includes no early dismissals and no tardies, too. In addition to that, each month every team nominates a Student of the Month, so today we are recognizing all of the September and October Students of the Month.”

The event was organized by the PBIS team at the school, of which faculty member Deb Turilli is the facilitator. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and is a program utilized in the Cranston Public Schools that strives to improve social-emotional and academic outcomes for all students.

“Bain also supported us with funding and with connections for the bounce house,” said Taylor.

According to Bain coordinator Caitlin Blankenship, many of the program’s extended day students were present at the event as well, which supports recent data that says that extended day programs are another thing that motivates students to come to school.

“Too often we are recognizing the things that aren’t good that [are] going on in schools,” said Taylor. “Today we wanted to recognize the good. Our new Dean of Students is out here serving up cotton candy, and during the days a lot of his time is spent connecting with students who are not making good decisions. This is time that he can spend connect with kids who have made good decisions.”

Although attendance is very important to Hugh B. Bain Middle School, it’s also very important district-wide.

“The district is really focusing on attendance this year and this is something that also promotes the district goals,” said Taylor.

The school hopes that the positive trend for attendance will continue, and the event organizers are already thinking about future rewards events, which during the winter months will most likely be indoors and could be something such as a showing a movie and having popcorn, for example.