Heritage Elementary School

Demographics

Percentage of students*

Why Heritage Elementary School was nominated

Heritage ES has implemented the Ron Clark House system in the last three years. The house system is designed to foster a strong sense of community and belonging among students by organizing them into diverse groups that include members from all grade levels, as well as building staff. Each house is thoughtfully structured to ensure that students are not only connected within their grades but also have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with peers and mentors across different age groups. The primary goal of the house system is to cultivate an environment where every student feels valued, supported, and part of a larger family. Through this system, students can develop camaraderie, strengthen friendships, and establish connections that bridge grade-level divides. These interactions encourage mentorship, teamwork, and collaboration, allowing students to learn from and support one another in unique and impactful ways. By fostering a family-like culture within the school, the house system aims to create a vibrant and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong. This culture helps students grow socially and emotionally, preparing them to engage positively with others both inside and outside the school environment. If you would like more information, please visit the Ron Clark Academy website: https://ronclarkacademy.com/

Student experience design

To cultivate, monitor, and advance a positive climate in our building, we focus on creating an environment of safety, belonging, and trust. This approach aligns with the principles outlined in NAESP's Leading Learning Communities: Pillars, Practices, and Priorities for Effective Principals (2020), specifically numbers I, III, and VI of the nine key area of effective school leadership. It has been proven to improve academic achievement and mitigate the negative impacts of challenges such as poverty, which affects over 65% of our student population each year. A key initiative we introduced in December 2021 is the house system, inspired by a visit to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, GA. The system fosters a strong sense of community by organizing students into four diverse houses: Isibindi, Alturismo, Amistad, and Reveur. Each house is carefully structured to ensure that students not only connect within their grade level but also build meaningful relationships across different age groups, including staff members. The core goal of the house system is to make every student feel valued, supported, and part of a larger family. This structure helps students grow socially and emotionally, preparing them to engage positively within and outside the school environment. It encourages mentorship, leadership, and collaboration. Since its implementation, the house system has become deeply embedded in the culture of our school. Teachers and students are passionately committed to the system, and it has become central to the identity of our school community. It has created a positive and inclusive climate where everyone feels they belong and has a place to thrive. The house system has truly transformed the school’s atmosphere.

Core Practices

Core Practices	Length of Use
Disaggregated Data On Student Participation	3-4 years
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics	3-4 years
Peer To Peer Support	3-4 years
Tutoring	3-4 years

All Practices

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Artifacts

"Four Houses, One Family" - How Heritage has used this to create a powerful cultural framework "House Con" Family Night Presentation Oklahoma State Testing Program year to year comparison