Mercer County Board of Education members on Monday heard teachers and students from Mercer County Intermediate School describe a new ‘‘house system’’ intended to strengthen school culture and boost student engagement.

Assistant Principal Miss Floro and several teachers presented the program, explaining that staff adapted practices observed at the Ron Clark Academy to create four houses that give students a sense of belonging, encourage peer support and reward academic and behavioral achievements. "It's teacher led," said Ashley Roche, a fifth-grade teacher who attended RCA trainings and led the initiative, adding that staff organized a ‘‘house party’’ to build buy-in among teachers and students.

Teachers explained specific classroom practices and instructional supports that accompany the house system. Third-grade reading teacher Hope Patterson described the district’s use of the Benchmark Advance curriculum and daily close-reading practices to strengthen text-evidence skills. "Benchmark gives us clear data so we can see which skills need more practice," Patterson said. Third-grade ELA teacher Hannah Williams described using the CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) framework to help students structure responses.

Teachers and students gave concrete examples of how the house system affects day-to-day life. "They cheer each other on," Emily Johnson said, describing how students in different grades now interact and support one another during competitions and class activities. Staff also described greater parent involvement, including plans for house-themed floats in the community Christmas parade.

School leadership said the system was implemented without sacrificing instructional time and is aligned with district priorities such as culture, climate and academic proficiency. The board thanked teachers and students for the presentation and recessed briefly to allow families to depart.

The presentation was informational; the board did not take any formal action or vote related to the house system during the meeting. The district plans to continue monitoring attendance and academic indicators as the initiative continues.