
Several
students
at
Ellis
Elementary
School
are
the
proud
recipients
of
special
"golden
tickets,"
a
form
of
recognition
awarded
to
students
who
excel
in
an
academic
setting
on
a
school
assignment
or
demonstrate
an
improvement
in
classroom
behavior.
The
Golden
Ticket
program
is
an
initiative
spearheaded
by
Leigh
Allen-Hughes,
assistant
principal
at
Ellis
Elementary.
It
is
a
motivational
tool
for
teachers
to
identify
students
who
are
working
hard
toward,
and
achieving,
their
academic
goals.
Virginia
Tilitsky,
a
special
education
teacher
at
Ellis,
recently
awarded
a
golden
ticket
to
a
student
who
used
hand
gestures
to
represent
a
"ray"
on
a
geometry
quick
check.
Tilitsky
shared,
"This
student
read
the
question
and
with
each
answer
choice,
he
would
stick
out
his
arms
and
hands
and
prove
why
each
choice
was
correct
or
incorrect."
The
golden
ticket
system
works
as
a
positive
reinforcement
not
only
do
well
once,
but
to
continue
to
strive
for
academic
or
behavioral
excellence.
"Golden
tickets
are
a
great
way
to
provide
positive
immediate
feedback
to
students.
Students
remember
that
special
feeling
of
when
they
earned
the
ticket,
which
makes
them
want
to
be
the
best
version
of
themselves.
When
a
student
walks
into
the
front
office
with
their
golden
ticket,
the
world
stops.
Our
office
staff
cheer
along
with
the
students,
and
students
are
eager
to
tell
any
adult/student
walking
by
what
they
did
to
earn
the
golden
ticket.
It
has
been
a
great
way
to
open
communication
and
build
relationships
with
every
family.
I
personally
feel
like
our
golden
tickets
have
broken
the
stigma
that
school
administration
only
call
home
to
report
negative
behavior,"
explained
Tilitsky.
Several
other
teachers
have
been
distributing
golden
tickets
to
their
students
for
their
good
behavior
and
academic
achievements.
It
is
not
your
standard
run-of-the-mill
congratulations;
it
is
a
big
celebratory,
inclusive
program
that
is
on
its
way
to
becoming
an
inspirational
tool
for
teachers
and
other
school
staff.
This
program
is
open
to
all
students
in
grades
Pre-K-5
at
Ellis.
Allen-Hughes
shared
how
the
program
has
reinforced
a
positive
culture
at
the
school.
"Ellis
staff
are
working
hard
to
create
a
strong
support
system
or
network
around
the
students,
and
give
them
a
safe
space
to
grow,
challenge
themselves
to
achieve/succeed,
and
believe
in
themselves.
Once
the
golden
ticket
culture
catches
on,
it
will
take
on
a
life
of
its
own."