The Other People Mindset in Action at King's Corner School

This article was written by Randy Stumpfhauser, Principal of The King’s Corner School, a private Christian school in Sanger, California, where he is in his fourth year leading the school. Randy came to the role after more than fifteen years in education, including work with students at risk of dropping out and time at an independent study charter school serving homeschooling families. King’s Corner School is a ministry of King’s Corner Ministries and serves students from kindergarten through high school.

One of the things I love about The Positivity Project (P2) is the focus on the Other People Mindset (OPM). OPM asks students to pay attention to the people around them and look for the good in them. That is already what we teach here at The King’s Corner School. We are a Christian school built around the teachings of Jesus, and Jesus teaches us to love others and to think of others above ourselves.

So the program fit from the start. It gave us shared language for something our staff and families were already trying to do, and focusing on others always brings a positive energy to our campus.

You see this more than you measure it. It shows up in what is happening around campus, in smiling faces, in comments from staff and families, and in the way our students’ character grows. A few moments from this year stand out.

Gratitude Letters to Our Staff

When we were focused on the character strength gratitude, we had students write a short anonymous letter to a staff member, telling them how much they appreciate them and why. We gave students time to do this during one of our chapel times, and the notes were delivered to each staff member. The students were blessed to have a chance to show appreciation, and our staff was blessed to receive a reminder that they are making a difference.

Because the letters were anonymous, staff members had no way to know who wrote to them. They just knew a student had taken the time to write out a nice thought, which is what really matters.

Baking for the People Who Serve Our Town

That same thinking goes beyond our campus. Recently, our 9th grade students baked cookies and treats in our kitchen to take to the Police Department, Fire Department, House of Hope, and Chamber of Commerce. They spread positivity and cheer and learned a bit about baking along the way, which helped them build skills and confidence. We love giving our students the chance to build skills and bless others at the same time.

Those same students were learning to cook pozole on another day and wanted to bless the staff with the gift of lunch. They made enough for everyone, and it was delicious.

Recognizing Students Who Think of Others

We look for this same character when we choose our Student of the Month. Nominations come from any staff member, along with the reasons that student should win, and many of those reasons focus on character that honors Jesus by thinking of others. Because any staff member can nominate, a student might be recognized by an adult who does not teach them at all.

We reinforce this daily through positive praise and our Lion Heart Buck program, where students earn bucks they can spend later in the month. We love catching students thinking of others.

A First Grader Steps In at Recess

The best example I have from this year happened at recess. A kindergarten student got hurt and was having a hard time explaining to a staff member where it hurt, because he mostly speaks Spanish. The staff member who could translate was not there at the time.

One of our first-grade students is bilingual and was standing right there. He jumped in and began translating for the staff member. He did a fantastic job of translating and helping the student who was hurt. No adult asked him to do it. He saw what was happening and stepped in.

Being positive like that is contagious, and our students and staff take ownership of creating a place where thinking of others is a priority. P2 is a great way to help focus our thoughts on what is important every day, at school, home, and beyond.