Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
As an administrator, you may be getting feedback from families that they’d like more extracurricular opportunities for their children. You may be wondering how to maximize teacher involvement in your campus activities and clubs. Or you might be so overwhelmed that you’re not quite in the planning headspace for “extras”!
Sarah Besand, a teacher and Possip Reporter, shares how one elementary school motivates teachers to lead in extracurricular activities for their students.
Learn From the Pros
When thinking about achievement, I strive to live by this motto: It’s our best bet to learn from the pros. For extracurriculars, there’s an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee that seems to have found the special sauce. Presenting: Waverly-Belmont Elementary School.
I first heard about this school’s unique approach to clubs from a previous colleague of mine. Then I heard about it again from a teacher at my own school. And then from a parent raving about their student’s extended after-care. I decided if it had this much traction in the area, other districts and schools should know about their strategies!
Offered 13 after school clubs this fall Monday through Friday
Over half of teachers were club sponsors (18 of 31 total teachers)
Outside organizations rent spaces to host clubs as well
276 students involved (475 students, 51% minority enrollment)
PTO funded 15 scholarships for students to attend clubs for free
How Do They Do It?
To find out how Waverly-Belmont’s program works, I connected with Courtney Petree. Courtney, a veteran fourth grade teacher at Waverly-Belmont, leads two fantastic clubs: the book club and Minecraft club. She is passionate about the action steps her school takes to ensure teacher participation and excitement about extracurricular activities for students. I asked Courtney to walk me through the reasons she thinks Waverly-Belmont’s extracurricular program is so successful.
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
I found this tip from Waverly-Belmont incredibly interesting! In the public school setting specifically, I am more accustomed to using grant or district-allocated funds. But Courtney’s school found an alternative way to pay their club leaders. “Some parents from my school have set up an LLC, so we are able to easily pay teachers for this so they have that payment incentive.”
Because Waverly-Belmont was able to pivot in terms of compensation, teachers are able to take home a larger check. Thus, they were even more interested in participating in hosting clubs for students. They used skills they were naturally good at, picked the days they could work, AND took home more $$$–that’s a win!
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
Ways to Increase Teacher Involvement in Extracurriculars
Amplify Teacher Choice
Courtney emphasized that her school was consistently thriving in teacher participation in clubs and extracurriculars. She believes the secret is to focus on teacher input in what clubs are offered. This way, administration is able to match clubs that parents and students value with what teachers feel comfortable with as well. She shares, “We offer different clubs–some are community/organization-based where outside professionals come into the school in the afternoons to work with students and some of them are teacher-based. The teacher-based clubs are completely teacher-chosen. That choice really helps to pull teachers in, because they get to decide what club they are going to do. They set how many students they are going to have and the price per semester. Then parents have all of these options Monday through Friday.”
By giving the power of choice to teachers, they are more excited about their clubs and in turn are more effective as well.
Embrace Teacher Interests
Courtney also shared club examples so that other schools could get some ideas: “There’s the Maker’s Club and book clubs. There’s games and gadgets clubs. There is a cheerleading club, a film club, a nature club, a songwriting, Minecraft, sports, coding and editing club.” The options are truly endless when you lean in to where teachers’ passions lie.
I did a little research and found the fall 2023 list of club offerings:
Acting Up
LEGO Club
Girls on the Run
Spanish
Science Club
Ukulele Club
Yoga Club
Turnip Sprouts
Bulldog Book Club
Games and Gadgets
Sports Club K-2
Sports Club 3rd-5th
STEAM Club
Snack Club
Cheer Club
Film Club
Nature Club
Maker’s Club
Minecraft Club
Art Club
Coding and Clips
Lean Into Alternative Payment Resources
I found this tip from Waverly-Belmont incredibly interesting! In the public school setting specifically, I am more accustomed to using grant or district-allocated funds. But Courtney’s school found an alternative way to pay their club leaders. “Some parents from my school have set up an LLC, so we are able to easily pay teachers for this so they have that payment incentive.”
Because Waverly-Belmont was able to pivot in terms of compensation, teachers are able to take home a larger check. Thus, they were even more interested in participating in hosting clubs for students. They used skills they were naturally good at, picked the days they could work, AND took home more $$$–that’s a win!
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
Ways to Increase Teacher Involvement in Extracurriculars
Amplify Teacher Choice
Courtney emphasized that her school was consistently thriving in teacher participation in clubs and extracurriculars. She believes the secret is to focus on teacher input in what clubs are offered. This way, administration is able to match clubs that parents and students value with what teachers feel comfortable with as well. She shares, “We offer different clubs–some are community/organization-based where outside professionals come into the school in the afternoons to work with students and some of them are teacher-based. The teacher-based clubs are completely teacher-chosen. That choice really helps to pull teachers in, because they get to decide what club they are going to do. They set how many students they are going to have and the price per semester. Then parents have all of these options Monday through Friday.”
By giving the power of choice to teachers, they are more excited about their clubs and in turn are more effective as well.
Embrace Teacher Interests
Courtney also shared club examples so that other schools could get some ideas: “There’s the Maker’s Club and book clubs. There’s games and gadgets clubs. There is a cheerleading club, a film club, a nature club, a songwriting, Minecraft, sports, coding and editing club.” The options are truly endless when you lean in to where teachers’ passions lie.
I did a little research and found the fall 2023 list of club offerings:
Acting Up
LEGO Club
Girls on the Run
Spanish
Science Club
Ukulele Club
Yoga Club
Turnip Sprouts
Bulldog Book Club
Games and Gadgets
Sports Club K-2
Sports Club 3rd-5th
STEAM Club
Snack Club
Cheer Club
Film Club
Nature Club
Maker’s Club
Minecraft Club
Art Club
Coding and Clips
Lean Into Alternative Payment Resources
I found this tip from Waverly-Belmont incredibly interesting! In the public school setting specifically, I am more accustomed to using grant or district-allocated funds. But Courtney’s school found an alternative way to pay their club leaders. “Some parents from my school have set up an LLC, so we are able to easily pay teachers for this so they have that payment incentive.”
Because Waverly-Belmont was able to pivot in terms of compensation, teachers are able to take home a larger check. Thus, they were even more interested in participating in hosting clubs for students. They used skills they were naturally good at, picked the days they could work, AND took home more $$$–that’s a win!
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
As an administrator, you may be getting feedback from families that they’d like more extracurricular opportunities for their children. You may be wondering how to maximize teacher involvement in your campus activities and clubs. Or you might be so overwhelmed that you’re not quite in the planning headspace for “extras”!
Sarah Besand, a teacher and Possip Reporter, shares how one elementary school motivates teachers to lead in extracurricular activities for their students.
Learn From the Pros
When thinking about achievement, I strive to live by this motto: It’s our best bet to learn from the pros. For extracurriculars, there’s an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee that seems to have found the special sauce. Presenting: Waverly-Belmont Elementary School.
I first heard about this school’s unique approach to clubs from a previous colleague of mine. Then I heard about it again from a teacher at my own school. And then from a parent raving about their student’s extended after-care. I decided if it had this much traction in the area, other districts and schools should know about their strategies!
Offered 13 after school clubs this fall Monday through Friday
Over half of teachers were club sponsors (18 of 31 total teachers)
Outside organizations rent spaces to host clubs as well
276 students involved (475 students, 51% minority enrollment)
PTO funded 15 scholarships for students to attend clubs for free
How Do They Do It?
To find out how Waverly-Belmont’s program works, I connected with Courtney Petree. Courtney, a veteran fourth grade teacher at Waverly-Belmont, leads two fantastic clubs: the book club and Minecraft club. She is passionate about the action steps her school takes to ensure teacher participation and excitement about extracurricular activities for students. I asked Courtney to walk me through the reasons she thinks Waverly-Belmont’s extracurricular program is so successful.
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
I found this tip from Waverly-Belmont incredibly interesting! In the public school setting specifically, I am more accustomed to using grant or district-allocated funds. But Courtney’s school found an alternative way to pay their club leaders. “Some parents from my school have set up an LLC, so we are able to easily pay teachers for this so they have that payment incentive.”
Because Waverly-Belmont was able to pivot in terms of compensation, teachers are able to take home a larger check. Thus, they were even more interested in participating in hosting clubs for students. They used skills they were naturally good at, picked the days they could work, AND took home more $$$–that’s a win!
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
Ways to Increase Teacher Involvement in Extracurriculars
Amplify Teacher Choice
Courtney emphasized that her school was consistently thriving in teacher participation in clubs and extracurriculars. She believes the secret is to focus on teacher input in what clubs are offered. This way, administration is able to match clubs that parents and students value with what teachers feel comfortable with as well. She shares, “We offer different clubs–some are community/organization-based where outside professionals come into the school in the afternoons to work with students and some of them are teacher-based. The teacher-based clubs are completely teacher-chosen. That choice really helps to pull teachers in, because they get to decide what club they are going to do. They set how many students they are going to have and the price per semester. Then parents have all of these options Monday through Friday.”
By giving the power of choice to teachers, they are more excited about their clubs and in turn are more effective as well.
Embrace Teacher Interests
Courtney also shared club examples so that other schools could get some ideas: “There’s the Maker’s Club and book clubs. There’s games and gadgets clubs. There is a cheerleading club, a film club, a nature club, a songwriting, Minecraft, sports, coding and editing club.” The options are truly endless when you lean in to where teachers’ passions lie.
I did a little research and found the fall 2023 list of club offerings:
Acting Up
LEGO Club
Girls on the Run
Spanish
Science Club
Ukulele Club
Yoga Club
Turnip Sprouts
Bulldog Book Club
Games and Gadgets
Sports Club K-2
Sports Club 3rd-5th
STEAM Club
Snack Club
Cheer Club
Film Club
Nature Club
Maker’s Club
Minecraft Club
Art Club
Coding and Clips
Lean Into Alternative Payment Resources
I found this tip from Waverly-Belmont incredibly interesting! In the public school setting specifically, I am more accustomed to using grant or district-allocated funds. But Courtney’s school found an alternative way to pay their club leaders. “Some parents from my school have set up an LLC, so we are able to easily pay teachers for this so they have that payment incentive.”
Because Waverly-Belmont was able to pivot in terms of compensation, teachers are able to take home a larger check. Thus, they were even more interested in participating in hosting clubs for students. They used skills they were naturally good at, picked the days they could work, AND took home more $$$–that’s a win!
Our Tip: Utilize a Possip Pulse Check for Families
As schools prepare for club offerings in a new year or semester, we recommend utilizing a Possip Pulse Check to garner family and student interests regarding clubs. After reviewing this data, administration can work together with staff to determine how student and teacher interests line up and streamline offerings from there!
We hope this example at Waverly-Belmont helps to inspire you as you imagine the extracurricular programs at your school with maximum teacher involvement. Implementing one small step at a time can be a big help and can make lasting changes.
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