Student Contract Opinions: Interview with Mr. Staton and JWMS Students, by Nia S., Bell R., Tasneem K., and Rhys M.

JW has implemented a new contract earlier this month. The contract consists of points that students can  earn for following ROAR values and showing good performance, although they can lose points from doing the opposite. The points will determine whether students can participate in school activities. Students had 50 points at the start which will last for the rest of Quarter 3. In Quarter 4, they will start with 100 points until the end of the school year.

JWMS 7th Grade Contract

Today, we interviewed students on how they feel about the new contracts as well as a special interview with Mr. Staton.

Mr. Staton’s Interview:

“Why does sixth and seventh grade have the contract if we don’t have as big of celebrations as King’s Dominion?”

Mr.Staton: “Well, we’re planning Field day, the Color Run, and we’re planning a celebrate day that will be held before Spring Break, where the students can have free time. I think that it's good that the kids will have something to work towards. We made this for seventh and sixth grade because we want them to feel included and to follow rules. The contract allows us to keep track on the way of who should and shouldn’t be in the Color Run.”

Student opinions:

Anonymous 6th grader: “I guess it's okay. I feel bad if you’re tardy or something because it's kinda sad.”

Anonymous 6th grader: “Some rules are not necessary. I think that the contracts are good, but being disruptive in class makes teachers overreact, like Ms. (anonymous).”

Anonymous 7th grader: “It's not fair that we have to collect them to participate in activities.”

Anonymous 7th grader: “I don’t like it. The 8th graders got it a week before us, and we have the same deadline.”

Anonymous 8th grader: “I think it's good because some kids don’t deserve to go to the King’s Dominion trip, and I believe that the good ones should.”

Anonymous 8th grader: “It makes sense what they’re trying to do, but I don’t think it's very effective. The kids who get detention all the time might not care if they get to go to those activities.”

Anonymous 8th grader: ”I feel like they’re useful, but I feel like they only affect the people who want to go to the socials and care.”

Anonymous 8th grader: “I think the contracts are a good way to hold people accountable. I think that the downside will be that teachers won’t know where the students are coming from.”