View Ridgewood House Rally Photo Album Here
At the beginning of this year, Ridgewood Elementary opened its doors as Frenship ISD’s ninth elementary school. Principal Brandy Copeland introduced the House System to help build community among the students and staff, many of whom came from various campuses the previous year. This system encourages a sense of belonging and unity across the school.
Every Ridgewood student and staff member was sorted into one of six houses, each named in Latin, French, or Zulu to represent a specific character trait: Altruismo (Honor), Animus (Courage), Integritas (Integrity), Isibindi (Grit), Fidelitas (Loyalty), and Compassio (Compassion).
The six houses compete against each other for points throughout the year. Students can earn points for their Houses by demonstrating their House's character traits or through acts of kindness. Additionally, there are overall campus goals, and once those are reached, the entire campus earns a reward.
Copeland explained that seeing students and staff, who wouldn't normally interact, unite within their Houses has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the House System.
“It's been amazing to watch,” said Copeland. “Students and teachers of varying grade levels are building relationships that would otherwise never happen just because of logistics. That's a gamechanger.”
At Ridgewood every new enrollment or new hire immediately has a family to welcome them outside the standard structure of their classroom. Each new school year, the incoming kindergarten class will have a sorting party to discover their house.
As a part of the House System, Ridgewood has House Rallies and House Parties. The parties are just for that House where they break into smaller groups. Every staff member has a group of about 10 kids where they play games, discuss defining character traits, and get to know each other.
At the House rallies, all six Houses come together to celebrate their successes and participate in spirit and House competitions. These events build camaraderie among the students and boost school pride, encouraging students to engage actively with their Houses and the broader school community.
The first House Rally of the year was a resounding success, with students cheering for their Houses at the top of their lungs, stomping on the stands, and making the room thunder with excitement.
“It was one of the absolute highlights of my career to see it,” said Copeland. “Even more to feel the pure joy in the room and how excited all students and staff were. The kids and staff both still talk about it!”
Caslyn Jones, a fourth grader at Ridgewood representing House Altruismo, shared how her fellow students and housemates dressed in their house colors at the rally. During the rally, Jones explained that the Houses participated in a Spirit Chant Challenge with her House, Altruismo, securing the win.
“I was excited because today was the rally and we got to dress up,” said Jones. “My favorite part was the chants, my team won”
The House Systems offers leadership opportunities for students beyond the traditional Student Council. Every House will have Ambassadors that will serve as leaders within their house.
Ridgewood looks forward to maintaining this tradition for years to come. The inaugural year has set the groundwork for a strong, happy, and healthy culture among students and staff that will thrive in the future.