
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 5, 1994                   TAG: 9405050090
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALLISON A. BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FALLON PARK ELEMENTARY ACCENTUATES THE POSITIVE

Second-graders Leandra Ciafardini and Ashley Cole are dressed up and smiling proudly as they eat lunch at Fallon Park Elementary School. A silk flower arrangement stands at the center of the table and personalized place mats adorn the edges.

Why the special decor? The Fabulous Falcon Incentive program.

This new program teaches children responsibility and rewards them for everyday accomplishments - completing their homework, attending class regularly, behaving themselves in class and out.

The program operates on a Fabulous Falcon Punch Card. Pupils may fill up a card per week and be eligible to pick prizes from their teacher's treasure chest. So far, jacks and yo-yos are the most popular items.

To keep kids interested, the co-founders of the program, Peggy King and Rus Ramsey, decided that additional prizes should be awarded when children complete five or more cards. For example, 10 Falcon cards earn a special lunch with a pal.

The results have been "phenomenal," said Fallon Park Principal Virginia Stuart. "Kids are taking more pride in their homework, classroom behavior and overall attendance."

Stuart and Assistant Principal Lois Trent have been plotting the growth in these areas from pupil's report cards.

Central Fidelity Bank, the elementary school's partner in the business community, helps with the incentive program. The bank provided "Fabulous Falcons" T-shirts for all 600 children at the school. The pupils wear the shirts one day a week, when Central Fidelity employees come in to operate a minibank in which the youngsters can make deposits. The bank also has paid for all of the incentive program's "treasure chest" prizes and for pizza parties.

The idea behind the Falcon program is to emphasize the positive, rather than traditional school discipline that focused on punishment for misconduct. Children were sent to the principal's office, and letters were sent to parents.

Stuart said youngsters respond better to praise than to criticism.

"Helping children gain self-esteem is extremely important in education, especially at the elementary level," she said. "By recognizing these students for daily accomplishments, we are increasing their self-esteem. The result is a stronger student."

by CNB