Washington Houses: Four Houses One School Family
At Washington Elementary we use the Ron Clark Academy House System (ronclarkacademy.com), which is a dynamic, exciting, and proven way to create a positive climate and culture for students and staff. Our school Houses confidently implement processes that build character, relationships, and school spirit.
At Washington, all students, staff, and community partners spin a wheel to see which House they will be assigned to. We like to say you don’t choose your House, your House chooses you. This system creates another level of belonging at our school that encourages all of us to build strong positive relationships with each other from different grade levels and positions within the building.
We break out into Houses monthly and students get to know, and work alongside, children in all grades K-5 on various projects and activities that cultivate a school family culture. Visitors from around the community come to participate in our events and each month the Houses compete, judged by our distinguished guests, to win the school Spirit Stick. It’s a VERY big deal!
All staff also have access to the House App which we use to award points to the Houses for acts of service, positive collaboration, and to individual students that are making academic gains and good behavior choices.
Students feel a wonderful sense of pride in the fun-filled competitions and seeing their House in the lead on our school leadership board posted on our hallway TVs. Most importantly we have instilled a school spirit that reminds all of us that…
WE ARE 4 HOUSES, BUT ONE SCHOOL FAMILY!
The four Houses are:
ALTRUISMO
Name: "Altruismo" is Portuguese for "altruism", or "the givers" and that is what we are known for being!
Dragon: Altruismo is represented by the dragon a Traditional symbol of strength and mystery.
Black: The color black repr3esents prestige and an elite quality, just like our kids. We are a House filed with talent, and we like to win.
Hands: The hands represent the hand of a child in the hand of an adult together and the differ3encce in color represents diversity.
Scale: On the crest there is a scale which represents justice and fairness.
Book: All of the cre3sts have books on them. This ties all of the houses together, as we are all members of hte Washington Family.
Callback:
Leader: "Altruismooooo"
Group: "You KNOWWWW"
ISIBINDI
Name: The name "Isibindi" means courage in the language of Zulu which is spoken in South Africa.
Tree: Represents the tree of life that connects everything.
Books: Each house has books to combine us as a family.
Lion: Symbolizes a ferocious and loyal qualities of the animal.
Green: Isibindi is the green house, because green reminds us of the rich and abundant resources of Africa.
Axes: represent a group of soldiers, because there is strength in numbers. Together we can parot3ect the culture, people, and spirit of our house and school.
Callback:
Leader: "ISIBINDI"
Group: "YES BINDI YES"
REVEUR
Name: The name "Reveur" comes from the French for Dreamer or Idealist.
Books: Each house has books to combine us as a family.
Owl: Symbolizes nature's way of wisdom.
Blue: The color blue instills confidence and passion while releasing all Dreamer fears and anxiety.
Cap and Diploma: Represent our students graduating high school and going on to college.
Star: The shooting star represents dreaming, because in Reveur we dream big.
Callback:
Leader: "REVEUR"
Group: "DREAMERS"
AMISTAD
Name: The name "Amistad" is Spanish for "friendship". We are the House of Friendship.
Turret of the Castle: Represents the solid foundation of what we get at Washington.
Keys: Represent our access to knowledge and friendship.
Two Headed Eagle: Symbolizes the eternal vigilance of the Eagle. You can see the head looking both ways.
Red: Amistad is the red house, because red is the color that embodies the kindness of heart.
Books: Each house has books to combine us as a family.
Wreath: Is a curved olive branch which repr3esents peace.
Callback:
Leader: "AMIDSTAD"
Group: "AMI-AMI-AMISTAD"