The RVES Panther Families met for the first time this school year on Wednesday, September 24th. Panther Families have been a part of RVES since 2018. Originally, they took place on late-start mornings, but when the schedule no longer included late starts, meetings were moved to lunchtime so students could enjoy eating with their families.
What Are Panther Families?
Students begin each session with a whole-school assembly. During this assembly, expectations for different areas of the school are reviewed. Students watch videos highlighting positive and negative choices and then work together to complete a quiz about school expectations.
Each staff member leads a “family” that includes students from multiple grade levels. Once assigned, students stay in the same family year after year, allowing them to build lasting relationships across grades.
How Often Do They Meet?
Panther Families meet once a month throughout the school year.
Activities
Each month features a different activity, usually tied to a character trait. This month, families created a group sign to help students find their family more easily. They also participated in activities designed to help them get to know one another.
Purpose
The main goal of Panther Families is to strengthen relationships across the school, helping students and staff form connections beyond classrooms and grade levels. Younger students benefit from having role models, older students gain leadership opportunities, and all students build connections with other caring adults.
Builds a sense of belonging and community.
Helps students see familiar faces across the school.
Provides consistent connections with an adult who isn’t their classroom teacher.
Students genuinely look forward to Panther Families each month.
