If there’s anything that Sidwell students love, it’s competition. But this year, rather than comparing grades or facing off against each other on the sports field, the student body will have the opportunity to engage in healthy competition through the new House System. Designed to foster relationships between students, this system will also help increase attendance on Mental Health Days, EJC Days, and Quaker Days.
Competition is the foundation of this system. With the possibility of prizes, glory and power, students now have a concrete reason to attend Quaker Days that is not simply “personal development” or the threat of a LOP. If students can win points for their team by simply attending and engaging in non-academic activities, we will undoubtedly see an increase in attendance. With a tangible goal ahead of them, Sidwell students of all grades have a reason to show up not just for themselves but for their team. Even if students only attend these days for the prospect of winning the end-of-year prize, they will certainly learn something valuable in the process.
The House System will also increase accountability, which in turn will increase attendance on non-academic days. Before the implementation of houses, missing a Quaker Day would result in an individual punishment such as a LOP or an unexcused absence. Now, failure to attend community days results in your team not gaining as many points. A whole team suffers, rather than just an individual student, and nobody wants to be subject to the anger of their teammates for hindering their team’s path to victory. Victory through the House System depends on accountability. While teaching an essential lesson to students, this dependence on accountability will surely increase attendance as students discover the consequences of not showing up for their teams.
Finally, the House System can potentially increase school spirit, which will, in turn, encourage participation in community days. From promoting inter-grade relationships to giving students something to root for other than a sports team, being part of a house unlocks a new aspect of school spirit: friendly competition within Sidwell. Rather than being randomly assigned to maroon or gray before each community day, students can form real bonds with their fellow house members, giving them another reason to attend these events.
The use of house systems to increase spirit is a proven method. From boarding schools in the United Kingdom to the middle school team system, students rally around their houses. To this day, one can hear Upper School students in different grades asking each other what team they were on in middle school, a question often met with an excited response.
Overall, the Upper School must inject this pride and spirit into the student body. The competitive spirit of these houses lend motivation to the student body, which will increase attendance at Mental Health Days, EJC Days and Quaker Days.
