Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell, Georgia

by Ruth A. Matheny

Although the "house" system has its beginnings in the British school system, it has found a happy home at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, GA.

Although the “house” system has its beginnings in the British school system, it has found a happy home at Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, GA. First proposed by Principal Frank Moore, the house system was initiated in the 2007-2008 school year to give students a greater sense of “belonging.” In that, it has exceeded expectations.

Part of the success is attributable to the fact that a full year was spent in investigating the concept and planning its implementation. Even seniors in their final year at Blessed Trinity realized that they were losing nothing but would gain much. Today they are proud to have been a part of the inaugural effort.
The student body of more than 800 is divided into eight “houses,” each named for a prominent figure in the Church. Right from the start, students were an integral part of the planning. They were invited to research and submit possible nominees and to be prepared to defend their choices. A committee of students and faculty made the final choices. The resulting house names reflect centuries of Church history: Aquinas, Dante, Goretti, Kolbe, La Salle, Seton, Vianney, and Xavier.

Students are assigned to houses randomly, though siblings both current and future are placed in the same house. Each house of about 105 students is then subdivided into five “families” of about 22 students each. Each family has a faculty/staff mentor. So great is the rapport between mentors and students that some students refer to their mentors as “Mom” or “Dad.”

Parents of Holy Trinity students support the house system wholeheartedly. Karen Morakis, mother of both a past and a present student, says, “As a parent, it is comforting to know your child is part of a smaller level of community that fosters belonging, support, and security—not to mention awesome school spirit.”
Karen Hurley, director of student activities, concurs: “The house system has increased our school spirit, provided more opportunities for students to get involved, increased attendance at school events, and fostered a healthy spirit of competition.”

Families meet for 15 minutes every Wednesday. These meetings develop a sense of community and encourage interaction among grade levels. Says Hurley, “We look at family meetings as the real heart and soul of the system.”

Students stay in the same families each year, with older students mentoring younger ones to help them feel a part of the school from the start. As graduates leave, other students take their places.

Get-acquainted activities for new members are held early in the year. Not only do the families play games and hold trivia contests, but they provide a forum for discussing school issues. This year the development of a school honor code is a topic for discussion.

Each house has its own motto, mascot, and house colors. Each even has its own specially designed t-shirt, which may be worn on Wednesdays at the family meetings. There are four house meetings a year. Houses compete with each other for points by attending athletic games and fine arts programs, achieving academic success, and participating in the spiritual life of the school. Students can showcase their talents through tournaments held periodically during the year. A “house of the month” is recognized, as is, ultimately, a “house of the year.” That honor is based solely on the number of points accumulated by each house during the year. Last year’s winner was Dante House, whose motto in Italian declares that “A great flame follows a tiny spark.” Maggie Watts, a senior, says of the honor, “This took tremendous amounts of energy, excitement, school spirit, and attendance at athletic and artistic events to claim the coveted House Cup. It was fun winning the cup, but more fun taking part in all the activities to earn it.”
Katie Seggerson, director for Dante House, adds, “I would say that there is only one thing a house must have to win House of the Year: excellent leadership. Our student leaders are dedicated, hard-working, and enthusiastic. They keep the kids motivated to stay involved and earn points for the house. The same can be said for our family mentors.”

Summarizes Principal Moore, “Our house system has generated much excitement and significantly impacted our overall school climate.”

Our thanks to Dr. Cynthia Ryan, OLS parent and associate professor of English at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, for facilitating this tribute.

Source: Today's Catholic Teacher, January/February 2009

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