One thing realized from the covid-19 pandemic is the necessity of human connection and interaction in education, according to Carnegie Elementary principal Jenna Mozzocio.
“We have the unique ability to be that connection,” Mozzocio said. “Everybody has something to gain when having a close connection with school.”
In Mozzocio’s first full year as school principal, Carnegie Elementary has implemented initiatives that already have boosted school climate, morale and attendance.
Mozzocio became Carnegie’s top administrator in September 2022 after spending 17 years in the New Castle Area School District.
When she first came to Carnegie, Mozzocio met with staff and students to get a better understanding of the school’s successes and needs.
She absorbed the information and created “Character of a Cougar,” an initiative which promotes themes of commitment, positivity, helpfulness, teamwork, growth, listening, imagination and curiosity.
“We recognize (important) character traits and amplify and recognize them in our students so they can contribute to our community in a more meaningful way,” Mozzocio said.
Students who exhibit those traits are then recognized as “Carnegie Changemakers.”
“It has the whole school community looking for these traits, and then they’re called out through the Changemaker award, and they’re recognized for those successes,” Mozzocio said.
Changemaker students are recognized by a certificate displayed in a school hallway and their name being listed on the school’s website. School counselor Elle Chaffee said students work hard to be recognized as a “Changemaker.”
“It’s a great opportunity to show all their strengths.” Chaffee said. “It gives them an opportunity to shine.”
Since the initiatives began this school year, Mozzocio has seen a boost in school climate and strides in student attendance.
“It’s more than just a school initiative,” she said. “It’s getting this spilled out into the community. I’ve had parents come up to me and say, ‘My child can’t wait to wear (school colors) on Fridays’ … or how much they celebrate being a Changemaker at home.”
The “Green and Gold Fridays,” Mozzocio said, feature students and staff wearing school colors to visually promote unity and shared values.
The school also has morning meetings for students to develop connections with peers and teachers. In turn, those meetings encourage a connected learning environment, Mozzocio said.
“Those morning meetings allow for those one-to-one connections or community connections that students seek,” she said.
“(Students) want to be connected to their teachers on a deeper level. They want to know that they’re cared about and that their feelings aren’t dismissed here.”
Chaffee added: “Creating that welcoming environment, it gives the community the opportunity to feel more engaged.”
Despite the early success of the initiatives, Mozzocio acknowledges there’s still work to do. She hopes students remember the character traits promoted at Carnegie and become engaged and hardworking adults.
“If we don’t instill these values in all of our students at a young age, we’re missing the opportunity to create a better tomorrow,” she said.
