HOLDINGFORD - This week in our "Your Town Tuesday" series, it's all about Holdingford.

The Holdingford school graduated 68 students this past school year. Superintendent Eric Williams says enrollment in the district has remained very steady for several years, with about 70 kids in each grade.

Williams says the district settled a contract with their teachers in April.  He says he's also excited to finally be getting natural gas in the community, which will help the district financially.

Meanwhile, Elementary Principal Jim Stang says they were excited to introduce their new P.B.I.S. initiative this past year, "Positive Behavior Reinforcements. Our teachers did a really nice job of really trying to catch kids being good and reinforcing that. Instead of hearing the negative about the 20 percent of the the kids that make some bad choices, catching them being good and saying this is what we want you to be consistently".

And Stang says they plan to expand the idea this fall with "Bus Busters and Bullies", "We're not asking them to fight the battle to stop bullying. We're asking them to be partners in at least making those influences smaller by knowing and recognizing at-risk behavior and not tolerating it".

Our teachers did a really nice job of really trying to catch kids being good and reinforcing that.

Stang says they have nearly 150 kids enrolled in their summer school program. He says, "We identify kids that maybe need a little bit more help. Sometimes it's behavioral structure, sometimes it's academic structure, and sometimes it's just an opportunity to work with a family".

Stang says the entire program, including busing services, is paid for through a grant.  The school also hosts several athletic camps this summer.

 

Next week our "Your Town Tuesday" series will take us to the community of Avon.

 

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