Ms. Hawkins believes strongly in building a healthy school community and understands this involves not only a bonded team of educators but also includes bringing families into the school for positives. She recognizes that we can be a catalyst for this kind of outreach and works as a thought partner to make it a reality. Examples include: school-wide assembly to emphasize Playworks values and student safety, planning of an end-of-year community engagement event, and teacher trainings that emphasize team and incorporate Playworks activities. Most of all Ms. Hawkins is persistent and driven; she was transferred to a school with many students under stress that manifests in aggression and violence, teachers feeling divided and defeated, and parents who viewed school as an adversary.
“At the beginning of last year, Carver was like Ground Zero. Today, instead of hitting and punching, you see kids using rock-paper-scissors as a way to solve conflicts at recess. Kids are playing together in constructive ways and even the faculty seems more positive as well,” says Ms. Hawkins. Through it all she has kept her head up and has utilized Playworks as a partner to unify and shift the school climate for the better, never giving-up on her kids or her vision.
