With the first day of the 2024-25 school year coming on Friday, the second year principal at Greene County Middle School is ready to welcome back the students.

Principal Cara Osborne highlights a partnership with a snow cone company Kona Ice will be visiting the middle school on a monthly basis as a reward for students that exhibit good behavior with the continuation of the Positive Behavior Incentive Program (PBIS). She talks about how well received Kona Ice at an end of the year party last school year.

“So we had a lot of community members last year, when we did it in May, go ahead and pay for like five extra (students), because they’re $5 (for each student). They went ahead and paid for their kid and then maybe five extras. And so that ensured that every kid in our building got one (snow cone) in May.”

Osborne tells Raccoon Valley Radio Kona Ice gives 20 percent of its sales back to the middle school that they will use to further provide reward options for PBIS. She also talks about the cell phone policy that students leave them in their lockers or an airplane mode when the school day begins at 8:05am. 

“We really want kids to be here and be connected to school, not connected to their device. And so my staff has done a really good job as well of modeling that for them. Their cell phones are not out during instruction (and) not during passing, obviously.” 

Osborne points out that parents can call the main office to reach their kid. She says another policy change is checking 7th and 8th graders eligibility for extra-curriculars every three weeks as a way to align the middle school with the high school’s policy. 

Osborne welcomes two new teachers and two support staff. She is also looking forward to implementing incentives for professional development for staff and focusing on effective teaching in every classroom, but how it relates district-wide. To hear more from Osborne, listen to today’s Jefferson A & W Family Restaurant Let’s Talk Greene County program online at raccoonvalleyradio.com.

New Hires:

Kari Sanders-5th Grade Science

Karla Dzuris-7th Grade Science

Ashley Hunter-Resource Special Education Teacher 

Tasha Weeks-Paraeducator

Nikkie Townsley-Secretary