My childhood bred a work ethic that would encourage me to jiggle the handle and then take the entire toilet apart. I have amazing memories of classmates arriving for early morning football practice after completing days worth of farm chores, including breaking ice or feeding cattle.
This work ethic inspired a culture of ownership and responsibility that cultivates a sense of commitment and loyalty. Riding for the brand includes doing your part whenever needed without request or requirement. If you find something broken, repair it like it was your property.
There aren’t many folks in Wylie ISD that work harder than Dr. Maricela Helm. She shares a deep sense of commitment and loyalty to her kids and employees. Dr. Helm asked her staff to help craft a campus behavior management plan that would make the most significant impact on growing students the Wylie Way. Together, her Bush Elementary team decided to adopt a social/emotional learning plan for students designed to develop long term behavioral skills and increase their success in the classroom.
From this, her team determined that the biggest long term benefit was to adopt a social emotional learning plan for students and teachers that helped students with strategies that would improve their behavior and success in the classroom. Dr. Helm believes that understanding that discipline is deeper focus on changing the behavior and less on punishment.
The impact of Dr. Helm’s desire to help her kids and campus is infectious. Both new and veteran teachers have worked together to reform habits and systems in their classrooms to support social/emotional learning. Even a master teacher with loads of experience to classroom learned and grew.
In Bush Elementary’s “Friday Focus,” Dr. Helm shares more than just weekly updates and upcoming events. Teachers can expect SEL-focused activities for students. She will even include teacher-centered content that promotes community-building, self-care, and techniques on dealing with uncomfortable emotions. When the focus is on the people who feel loved and heard, they give their very best each day.
If the ice needs to be broken for cattle to drink or the fence needs mending because calves are getting out, people that ride for the brand take the initiative to do it. Dr. Helm realized that something needed to be fixed and started doing it. That’s what committed people with a passion for children do. Nope, she doesn’t call the plumber, she jiggles the handle and is ready to replace the toilet. What Dr. Helm has started at Bush will be the cornerstone of our district wide plan. Dr. Maricela Helm Rides for the Brand!
