Taylor Swift at RMP Ruby Hill?!
That's right! During their weekly enrichment block, these Elephants may not get to meet the superstar in person, but they do get to learn about her impact on the music industry.
At the start of every quarter, teachers pitch their wildest dreams for enrichment classes: dodgeball, newscasting, painting, and so on. Students cast their votes, and the most popular activities are offered for the entire quarter.
And, although reading and math are just as important, the main purpose of enrichment blocks is having FUN. Fostering student-teacher relationships is “imperative to building a successful community," says second-grade teacher and enrichment coordinator Kellie Gerhart. “If a student is not feeling success at school academically, this is an area in which they can feel success at school.”
Julian Casillas, Ruby Hill’s assistant principal of operations, said they have already seen attendance rates jump on enrichment days.
“We see the effects in the numbers," he said. "And when I see kids walk in on Wednesdays, it’s like ‘Oh, today’s a fun morning!’”
