The Madigan’s Memo, Sept 2017

For the past 10 years or so, we have heard a lot of talk about the power of a growth mindset as it relates to student learning and achievement. What a student feels about learning and their acceptance of challenges directly impacts effort and achievement. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence can be developed. Students with a growth mindset understand they can get smarter through hard work. It is contrasted with a fixed mindset: the belief that intelligence is a fixed trait that is set in stone at birth.

At Stillwater Elementary, we are tapping into this research and developing strategies to help support a positive mindset at school for our students and faculty. This past year we worked with students and staff to outline our Hawk Mindset and identify key components that promote positive student behavior and beliefs. Utilizing a “Positive Behavior and Intervention Support” model, we identified four pillars to support student success. We believe that high levels of safety, respect, responsibility and leadership are important and help us guarantee success for all students.

When students feel safe and act in a safe manner, trust levels increase as does risk taking and authentic participation. The kind of participation where students are not afraid to share their thoughts and that mistakes make us stronger in the end because we learn from them. When students respect themselves, peers, and adults in their lives, quality relationships are forged and true partnerships are formed. The acceptance of responsibility and accountability are foundational in the development of leadership. All students have the ability to lead and at Stillwater Elementary, we promote this by encouraging students to try their best and accept challenges. We lead by example.

As students demonstrate the Hawk Mindset at school, they have the opportunity to earn Hawk Feathers. These Hawk Feathers are recognition that they are making great choices and working to create a safe and respectful environment where everyone can thrive. We will have weekly drawings to reward students who earned Hawk Feathers and invite them to have lunch with the Principal on Mondays as well as different classroom incentives they brainstormed with their teachers. If you want to know more about the power of the mindset, click this link to Mindsetworks.com.

We are looking forward to a powerful year of learning and fun in our school and classrooms. Please stop in a visit, we love our volunteers and appreciate all your support. Together we can help all of our students achieve success and realize that they can do anything they put their mindset to!

Cordially,
Jack Madigan

This Inaugural Madigan Memo is dedicated to Lindsey Tolson! I did it! We did it!