The Ripley Central School District Board of Education learned that the district has been named a National Showcase School by Capturing Kids’ Hearts at their regular meeting this month.

District Superintendent William Caldwell said he had been contacted by the organization with the news. “The top 3% to 5% of schools doing CKH receive this designation,” he said. “For most schools, it takes three to five years. Doing it in two years is a big accomplishment.”

In September, 2023, the district initiated the Capturing Kids’ Hearts program. The program, founded by Flip Flippen, is designed to have all school personnel interact with each student every day, Caldwell said at that time.

The program’s goal is to increase the trust that children have in school personnel and to build strong relationships with the students so they will be more eager to learn, Caldwell said. “It’s all about creating and building relationships with students and colleagues,” he said.

Caldwell said that he has been contacted by other districts who wish to learn about CKH. “We hope this will encourage other districts in the area to come and see how it works,” he said.

According to the Capturing Kids’ Hearts website, a school receives the designation of National Showcase School by “Recognizing outstanding school administrators, teaching staff, and faculty for producing exemplary outcomes with the Capturing Kids’ Hearts Process.”

In other business, Ripley Principal Sara Centanni reported the students participated in Better World Week from April 28 to May 1. Some of the student-led projects in which they engaged include planting wildflowers, planting sunflowers, decorating rocks with kind messages, building bird feeders and decorating sun catchers for residents at Absolut Care.

Centanni also told board members that a group of five students who call themselves the Quack-Academics were to be taking part in the Battle of the Books on May 10. “They have been reading books like you wouldn’t believe,” she said.

The Battle of the Books, held at the Chautauqua Institution, is designed to get fifth-graders excited about reading, improve their comprehension, build vocabulary and teach teamwork and good sportsmanship.

Director of Pupil Personnel and Curriculum, Michelle Waters, reported to the board the district will be combining Eagle U and Academic Boot Camp this summer. The program will run from Tuesday, July 8 through Thursday, Aug. 14, three days a week, she said.

“This integrated summer program is designed to support students both academically and socially, while keeping them engaged in meaningful, enriching experiences,” Waters said. “We have 51 students signed up. Hopefully, we will see even greater gains in our students over the summer.”