Challenge Cup!

In year #2 of our Focus Class Competition, there will be eight challenges and 4 Bonus Challenges per semester for a total 16 Challenges and 8 Bonus Challenges for the year. The Challenge cup will start on Mon. September 9 and end on Fri. May 30. A few of the challenges will have a holiday break in them.

The purpose of the Challenge Cup is to improve school culture, create teamwork opportunities, strengthen relationships in Focus classes, create a tradition, increase desired behaviors and to have FUN!

Each week Focus teachers will be sent an email that has the information on the current challenge, the points standings, and any pertinent information that you may need for your class. 

Expect candy and praise.

Challenge Winners (based on points) earn Marty the Mustang head and will keep it in their Focus classroom until the next challenge winner is determined. Students in the winning Focus will also receive certificates for that challenge and a prize (snack) out of the bin.

Challenge Cup Winner (Focus class who has won the most points by May 30th) will receive a certificate, Focus class engraving on a plaque and prize (ex. Lunch ordered)  of their choosing.

Focus classes will be given regular updates on the Challenge Cup AND results will be displayed on the bulletin board outside of the staff workroom.

The Challenge Cup began in the 2023/24 school year in an effort to bring back a Focus Challenge format that encourages community. The first year consisted of seven, 2 week challenges and three Bonus Challenges and ran from Feb. 12 to May 24. Sophia, a new teacher to Community School, and her Focus Class won the first Challenge called “The Legend of XXXX” which had two parts; name our mustang mascot and write a backstory of the mustang. Coincidently they also won the last challenge “Period Attendance” as well as the overall Challenge Cup with 1,060 points and will always be the inaugural winner of the Challenge Cup! They had their Focus Class added to the Challenge Cup plaque that is housed in the main lobby of the school. Who will be next?

The Legend of Marty

Steve Jobs owned 365 cow farms. One day, Marty, a beautiful mustang, jumped over the cow’s fence to one of his farms and got mixed into the cow's butchering section where his head got brutally chopped off far too early. FATALITY! His body got mixed in with the burgers sent off to be eaten for lunch at Merlo Station High School. 

Steve Jobs was worried, “How do I cover up this mistake so I don’t get fined?!” He asked his wife, Shirley. She told him, “I think you should just tell the truth, Steve.”

WRONG ANSWER. He went mad with fear and chopped her head off, too; he didn’t want anyone to know of the crime he had committed, so he threw her body into the furnace. He thought of a devious plan. “I know what I’ll do! I’ll cover the horse's head in silver and sell it on eBay as a trophy; no one will ever know.” 

He grabbed the head and some tongs and dipped the head into the “big booty burner,” his favorite bin of plating solution. Once it cooled, he took a sick selfie with his creation, put a price of $250 on it, and uploaded it to eBay, where it caught the eye of Jon Sanchez. 

“This is a steal for silver! People will think it’s plastic because of how cheap it is, luckily I am brilliant!” Jon said when he found his new prized possession. He then asked his son, Isaac, if he wanted it for his birthday, and Isaac, who was weirded out, said, “No, but if you really want it, instead of giving it to me, you should turn it into your school mascot and give it as a trophy.” “Brilliant!” Jon replied. 

Marty’s spirit was still alive inside the trophy; when Jon received his package, he learned that the mustang head could talk. At first, he was afraid that the head was possessed and that was why it was so cheap, but Marty was a great motivational speaker, he helped Jon overcome many obstacles to become the principal he is today. Marty quickly became Jon’s best friend and the person he went to when he was lonely. In fact, if you pass by Jon and see him talking to himself, he is really talking to Marty and getting help with his disciplinary decisions. Marty always wants the best for the Merlo student body and he is excited to be a prize to a focus class this year so he can see the action of the classroom. 

And that is the story of how the Merlo Mustangs got their head.

***Created by the wonderful people in Sophia’s Focus class and voted as best legend by other Focus classes! February 2024***

WINNER: Brian's Focus

Challenge 1 (Sept. 9 - 20) - ON TIME

1. Hannah and Erin will do two or more period checks each day. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who was present on time earns a point for their Focus class. 
3. There will be a plan to equitably visit an equal amount of classes across grades.
4. Points are one to one for being on time at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. Marty the Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

WINNER: Kendall's Focus

Challenge 2 (Sept. 23 - Oct. 4) - PLANNERS

1. Hannah and Erin will do one period check each day for filled in planners. Must be up to date for that period check. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who is present in class with a filled in planner for that day/week earns a point for their Focus class.
3. Points are one to one for having a planner at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. Marty the Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

WINNER: Bob's Focus

Challenge 3 (Oct. 7 - 18) - FOCUS BRANDING

1. Create a name for your Focus Class. In a paragraph explain why you picked the name and how it represents your focus? (minimum for 100 points, turned in on time)
2. Bonus points and a winner will be awarded for completing additional elements such as (selecting a logo, incorporating your symbol from day 1, mascot, color (s), motto, quote, making a song, create a display/poster for outside of the Focus classroom, making a class flag, etc. (additional points will be awarded up to 100 points)

WINNER: Bob's Focus

Challenge 7 (Dec. 10 - 20) - CS RECRUITMENT

1. Create a campaign to recruit new students to Community School. Choose whether your intended audience is incoming Freshman or older students wanting to make a change.
2. Decide what you will make; social media campaign, podcast, commercial, poster, something else? (the finished product needs to be shareable)
3. Include a minimum of 3 reasons why Community School would be a good fit for the chosen audience.
4. 100 points will be awarded based on meeting above requirements and having it completed and shared with Erin/Hannah by the end of 12/18. 50 extra points if we can share on our website/social media pages.
5. Students/staff will then vote on the best product and a winner will be determined by 12/20.
6. Consider starting this challenge the week prior to allow for more time. 

WINNER: Brian's Focus

Challenge 4 (Oct. 21 - Nov. 1) - PERIOD ATTENDANCE

1. Base percentage of Attendance is calculated from the previous 2 weeks. 
2. The Focus class that improves their attendance percentage the most at the end of the time period the most wins the challenge.
3. Every Focus class that improves their overall attendance percentage will also earn points. 
4. Focus classes will be given updates throughout the challenge about their progress.
5. Points are based on percentage of overall improvement.

WINNER: Brian's Focus

Challenge 5 (Nov. 4 - 15) - CHROMEBOOKS

1. Hannah and Erin will do two or more period checks each day for Chromebooks. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who is present with a Chromebook in class earns a point for their Focus class.
3. Points are one to one for having a Chromebook at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. The Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

WINNER: Kellie's Focus

Challenge 6 (Nov. 18 - Dec. 6) - ON TIME (see Challenge 1)

WINNER: Ratatioulle Renegades (Jillian's Focus)

Challenge 8 (Jan. 6 - 17) - PERIOD ATTENDANCE (see Challenge 4)

WINNERS (the first tie) Sophia's Focus and Team Freshman!

Challenge 9 (Feb. 3 - 14) - ON TIME

1. Hannah and Erin will do two or more period checks each day. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who was present on time earns a point for their Focus class. 
3. There will be a plan to equitably visit an equal amount of classes across grades.
4. Points are one to one for being on time at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. Marty the Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

WINNER: Kendall's Focus!

Challenge 10 (Feb. 17 - 28) - PLANNERS

1. Hannah and Erin will do one period check each day for filled in planners. Must be up to date for that period check. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who is present in class with a filled in planner for that day/week earns a point for their Focus class.
3. Points are one to one for having a planner at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. Marty the Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

Challenge 11 (Mar. 3 - 14) - FOCUS GOAL

1. Focus class will be given a goal worksheet to be filled out by 3/5 AND posted outside of classroom.
2. The goal could be either school related or not. The class will select one goal that the class will work on for the remainder of the challenge (two weeks).
3. Write the Focus class goal in a SMART like format (Specific, measurable, action steps, realistic and can show improvement in the time frame) 
4. Track goal visibly outside classroom (could have own rubric for completion)
5. Reflection paragraph emailed to Hannah/Erin on or by 3/14.
6. Points will be given for selecting the goal and writing in SMART Format, posting outside of room, visual tracking of the goal, participation, meeting the goal, and reflection on the experience. (250 points max)
7. Consider starting this challenge the week prior to allow for more time. 

Ideas for reflection: How was this process for you? What kinds of goals would you like to set for yourself? Would your class like to set another goal? What can make attaining goals challenging? Why can it be helpful to set a goal?

Challenge 12 (Mar. 17 - Apr. 4) -  PERIOD ATTENDANCE

1. Base percentage of Attendance is calculated from the previous 2 weeks. 
2. The Focus class that improves their attendance percentage the most at the end of the time period the most wins the challenge.
3. Every Focus class that improves their overall attendance percentage will also earn points. 
4. Focus classes will be given updates throughout the challenge about their progress.
5. Points are based on percentage of overall improvement.

Challenge 13 (Apr. 7 - 18) - CHROMEBOOKS

1. Hannah and Erin will do two or more period checks each day for Chromebooks. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who is present with a Chromebook in class earns a point for their Focus class.
3. Points are one to one for having a Chromebook at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. The Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

Challenge 14 (Apr. 21 - May 2) - MERLO IMPROVEMENT PLAN

1. Each Focus class will create a Merlo Improvement Plan (MIP) that meets the following criteria:
   1. The MIP has to be in one of three categories (school culture/image, school rules/management, or building/facility)
   2. Clearly state what the plan is aiming to improve.
   3. Plan has to include the following:
      1. The need/problem it is addressing 
      2. The pros/cons, challenges that may arise
      3. What the proposal/improvement would require (ex: cost, staffing, supplies needed, etc)
   4. Typed and emailed to Hannah and Erin by the end of the day on 5/2. 
2. Points are based on meeting requirements, bonus points for any proposal admin chooses to move forward for consideration. Only one proposal will be accepted. We are looking for details and specifics.
3. Teamwork and creativity are highly encouraged.
4. Partial points will be awarded if not all requirements are met.

Challenge 15 (May 5 - 16) - ON TIME

1. Hannah and Erin will do two or more period checks each day. Students will not have advanced notice of which periods have been selected.
2. During a selected period each student who was present on time earns a point for their Focus class. 
3. There will be a plan to equitably visit an equal amount of classes across grades.
4. Points are one to one for being on time at pre-selected periods. Bonus points to the Focus class that has the highest number of points. Marty the Mustang Head will go to the winner of the challenge.

Challenge 16 (May 19 - 30) - MAY MADNESS

1. A list of tasks will be provided to the Focus Class.
2. The Focus Class will have two weeks to complete as many of the tasks as they want and earn the points associated. 
3. A photo or other proof of each task is necessary.
4. All tasks must be completed during Focus class.
5. The Focus Teacher must sign off on each completed task.
6. Focus classes will earn as many points as they would like to.