This article was written by Tina Grabarczyk, School Counselor at Maplewood Elementary in Sylvania Schools in Sylvania, Ohio. Tina has spent 26 years in the district — 15 teaching fifth grade, two teaching third, and the past nine as Maplewood's school counselor — and holds a bachelor's in education from Bowling Green State University and a master's in school counseling from the University of Toledo. Maplewood serves roughly 541 students in grades PreK–5 and is one of seven elementary schools in Sylvania Schools.
At Maplewood Elementary, we’ve encouraged the creation of a positive, supportive environment for our students and families. However, we noticed a need to help our students continue to be Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to learn. When we began implementing The Positivity Project into our morning meetings, it created meaningful relationships and communication with our students.
This article was written by Tina Grabarczyk, School Counselor at Maplewood Elementary in Sylvania Schools in Sylvania, Ohio. Tina has spent 26 years in the district — 15 teaching fifth grade, two teaching third, and the past nine as Maplewood's school counselor — and holds a bachelor's in education from Bowling Green State University and a master's in school counseling from the University of Toledo. Maplewood serves roughly 541 students in grades PreK–5 and is one of seven elementary schools in Sylvania Schools.
One of the most powerful aspects of The Positivity Project is its consistency. When we began The Positivity Project four years ago, most teachers started with a few lessons a week. Now it has become a daily source of positive lessons, with 100% support from our teachers. Every day, students engage in short, meaningful lessons that explore one of the 24 character strengths. Through stories, videos, and discussions, students learn to recognize these strengths in themselves and others.
Teachers love that the lessons are easy to integrate into the day, and students look forward to them. Some lessons are short conversations about the character strength for the week. Other lessons and discussions are longer and can even become quite emotional and sincere.
The students at Maplewood have become more aware of how their actions affect others and are more willing to lend a helping hand. When conflicts arise, the students now have the tools and language to talk things through. They understand that mistakes are opportunities for growth and that everyone has unique strengths to contribute.
When walking down the hallways of Maplewood Elementary, you can see positive behaviors and actions throughout each day. These positive behaviors are recognized by teachers and staff. We use our Book Vending Machine to reward students that are displaying character strengths throughout the week!
Morning announcements feature the week’s character strength, giving students and staff a shared focus to carry throughout the day. Bulletin boards showcase students’ reflections on strengths such as bravery and a love of learning. These visual reminders create an environment where students are reminded of positive examples throughout their day.
One of the greatest outcomes of The Positivity Project has been helping students discover their own unique strengths. By highlighting that everyone possesses all 24 character strengths to different degrees, students have learned that there’s no single definition of success or leadership. Teachers have noticed how this shift has improved classroom dynamics. Instead of focusing solely on academic performance, conversations now include recognition of perseverance, curiosity, and kindness.
At Maplewood, we make a point to celebrate our P2 journey throughout the year. During assemblies, students share how they’ve seen character strengths in action. We highlight students daily with Pounce Tickets who go above and beyond to demonstrate being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready. This recognition reinforces that living the Other People Mindset creates connections among students. At Maplewood, we’ve learned that small daily lessons really can make a big impact. The Positivity Project has transformed not just how we teach, but how we see one another.