Cowden Elementary secures international RCA award for second consecutive year
Cowden Elementary has secured the Rêveur International House of the Year from the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) for the second consecutive year. This award acknowledges Cowden’s commitment to the RCA House System and celebrates how it has transformed the campus through service, mentorship, culture-building tradition and more, setting a new standard for excellence.
The award means RCA believes Cowden’s Rêveur house had the most spirit and exemplified the RCA system the best across the entire world during the last school year. Cowden Principal Cherie Norman’s application for the award highlighted the ways in which Cowden students honor one another.
“Not only have students grown academically, but they also lift each other up and hold each other accountable,” said Norman.
RCA is a nonprofit school in Atlanta, Georgia known for its research-based teaching model rooted in relationships, engagement and belonging. RCA with its founder Ron Clark has developed a specialized house system, which Cowden first began implementing in 2019.While Cowden continues to teach the Springfield Public Schools curriculum, the RCA house system impacts how the educators go about teaching that information. RCA is about how one teaches, not what one is teaching.
At the beginning of school, Cowden students spin a wheel to be sorted into one of four houses: Rêveur, Isibindi, Amistad or Altruismo. Each house holds a guiding principle that students adopt during their time in school: Rêveur is the house of dreamers, Isibindi is the house of courage, Amistad is the house of friendship and Altruismo is the house of givers. Overall, the house system is meant to help students build character, empower academic excellence, foster school spirit, enhance relationships and promote a culture of belonging.
“There’s never been a time I or the teachers at Cowden have enjoyed our job more,” said Norman about their time using the RCA house system.
Each house at Cowden has a Royal Court made up of students who exhibit top tier leadership, with special positions such as Head of House, Spirit Leader and Ambassadors. Each Friday, the school has House Day to end their school week on a high note. The goal is for students to love coming to school and ending the week on a high note makes them all the more excited to come back on Monday.
“When they want to come to school, what’s not to love?” said Norman.
By winning the International House of the Year award, Cowden has been placed in high regard with schools across the world who utilize RCA methods. Norman often connects with schools all over the country to work with one another for the betterment of their students and community.