Empowering Students: Capturing Kids’ Hearts at MPHS
At Mt. Pleasant High School, we believe that relationships are the foundation of learning. To foster a culture of respect, connection, and high achievement, our staff and students utilize the Capturing Kids' Hearts® (CKH) framework. This research-based approach empowers our students to become self-managing leaders while ensuring every person on our campus feels seen, heard, and valued.
The EXCEL Model
The heartbeat of our daily interactions is the EXCEL Model, a five-step communication process that helps us build "relational capacity" from the first bell to the last.
E – Engage: We start every day with a personal connection. Whether it's a greeting at the door, a handshake, or a high-five, we ensure every student is welcomed by name.
X – eXplore: We look beyond the gradebook. Through "Good Things" and daily check-ins, staff attend to the social and emotional needs of students to ensure they are ready to learn.
C – Communicate: Learning at MPHS is a dialogue. We focus on clear, compassionate communication where teachers act as facilitators, connecting classroom content to real-world success.
E – Empower: We give students the "driver’s seat." By encouraging peer-to-peer support and self-management, we help students develop the confidence to solve problems independently.
L – Launch: We end every class with purpose. Each day concludes with a positive message, an inspirational quote, or a challenge to send our students into the world with momentum.
Our Tools for Success
To maintain this positive environment, MPHS utilizes three core CKH strategies:
1. The Social Contract
Every classroom creates a Social Contract—a collaborative agreement designed by students and teachers. It answers four vital questions: How do we want to be treated by each other? How do we handle conflict? This "living document" ensures that our community standards are built on mutual respect rather than just rules.
2. The Four Questions for Redirection
When challenges arise, we move away from punitive measures and toward self-reflection. We ask:
What are you doing?
What are you supposed to be doing?
Are you doing it?
What are you going to do about it?
3. Affirmations and "Good Things"
Positive reinforcement is a staple of our culture. From sharing personal celebrations at the start of class to sending affirmation notes home, we make it a priority to catch students doing things right.