Community Meeting Toolkit
Threshold Greetings
The Power of Hello
At Scholarship Prep, our faculty and staff recognize that social-emotional connections with students create safe spaces for growth, collaboration, and learning. This is why we begin each day with Threshold Greetings.
Consistent, Positive Encounters
Students who are undergoing the trauma of experiencing homelessness can encounter unseen challenges when it comes to arriving for the day. Through our model of innovative practice (MIP), we know that Threshold Greetings provide a dependable, emotional connection to a trusted adult when arriving at school. They ensure students start their school day with a positive interaction.
These greetings are opportunities to welcome students, build relationships, and provide connection and consistency. Every student is greeted at the door by name every day, with each teacher customizing their greeting system and options, incorporating student voice and choice.
Start Your Day in a Positive Way with Threshold Greetings
Be Consistent
Create Your Greeting
Anyone can create a Threshold Greeting! Decide on the options that work best for your grade level and space, and commit to welcoming your students each day.
High Fives
Air Hugs
Call and Response
Compliments
Personalized Handshakes
Rock-Paper-Scissors Battle
See Threshold Greetings
In Action
The Importance of Options
Voice and Choice
Students experiencing homelessness may not have autonomy about where they live, what they eat, or wear and are empowered by the threshold greeting to voice their opinion.
Students and teachers work together to identify student comfort with touch (high five vs. no high-five) and noise (loud call and response vs. quiet good morning).
Younger-grade teachers typically create a visual menu for greeting selection, while upper-grade teachers may ask verbally about the students’ daily preferences.
Threshold Greetings Provide Opportunities to
Lead with Love
Recognition and Belonging
By meeting them at the threshold, we’re acknowledging the humanity, worth, and potential of all students, especially those experiencing homelessness. These greetings may be the first positive adult interaction for the students since they were last on campus.
Redirection and Regulation
More than a fist bump or a high five, Threshold Greetings provide a chance for staff to assess where a student is at, recognizing opportunities to help with regulating emotions or redirecting negative emotions before entering the classroom and interacting with peers.
Breaking Down Barriers
Staff members are also supported through this positive interaction, especially those who may have trouble connecting with their students. Threshold Greetings break down communication barriers and provide an opportunity to connect outside of calling on a student when instruction begins.
Articles
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