The Hawk Way

When Teagan Monfils stopped during the WIAA Division 1 sectional cross-country meet to help a fallen runner two weeks ago, she ran afoul of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association rules and was disqualified.

Shawano School District officials, however, wish all their students showed the caring and kindness that Monfils exhibited when she helped D.C. Everest’s Jordan Ostrowski in the final stretch of the race.

In honor of Monfils’ kindness, district officials last week presented her with the inaugural Hawk Way award.

“The Hawk Way started in the elementary schools as part of our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program, but it was strictly working with behavior,” said Gary Cumberland, district superintendent. “In my second year here as superintendent, I wanted to try and create something as a district that we could have a focus on.”

Cumberland said all the schools had behavior recognition programs, but they varied at each building. He wanted something that was not only seamless going from one school to the next, but also addressed excellence in academics in addition to good citizenship.

“I wanted it to be about just being a good person,” Cumberland said.

Developing the districtwide program also provided an opportunity to brand the district. A logo with a hawk and a large S was created and is being placed in various locations at the schools. The logo features the slogan “Learning, Living, Leading the Hawk Way.”

“To me, the Hawk Way is a vision. We’re a wannabe. We’re not there,” Cumberland said.

To get there, Cumberland wants to create a positive atmosphere in the schools. When students and staff focus on the negative, it keeps them from moving forward with learning, he said, and he hopes the positive energy will spill out of the schools and into the community.

Cumberland also sees the Hawk Way as a way to help staff members understand the district’s goals. He noted that he used to go into buildings and ask them about the district’s mission statement, and some knew it while others did not.

As part of the program, the district plans to each month honor a student or staff member who exemplifies living in a positive way. The award was still in the planning stages when Monfils gained national attention with her sportsmanship, and it was decided she should get the first award.

“She definitely went above and beyond what would be the expectations,” said Cumberland, who presented Monfils with the award Nov. 3 in front of the Shawano School Board. “Maybe it’s telling me we’re on the right path. She shows the ultimate in sportsmanship.”

Cumberland also said the award will help spread positive news about what’s happening the schools. Much of the publicity that schools get is negative, he said.

“Bad things have happened here in the schools, but at the end of the day, if nine good things happened and one bad thing, the focus always goes to the one bad thing,” Cumberland said. “We’ve got to get out more about the nine good things.”
story created on Thursday 11/6/2014 at 8:11:59 am by Lee Pulaski