House System

The JICMS House System is a student organizational structure designed to manage students through the establishment of vertical divisions to achieve specific academic and student leadership objectives. The system replaces the traditional horizontal groupings of school class, age, and grade level by creating smaller integrated communities of students within the student body. The House System also provides a framework for student governance allowing greater opportunity for development of meaningful leadership.

Organization: JICMS students from all grades are divided into 12 separate groups called “Houses.”  Each House contains approximately 35-40 students. Each house is overseen by 3-4 teachers/staff members.

Purposes:

• To increase peer-to-peer support for each student.
  • To ensure individual care for each student with at least two adults who will monitor and support the academic, social, moral and behavioral growth of each JICMS student.
• To multiply occasions to build strong, healthy student relationships.
• To develop leadership skills in every student.

Unique Outcomes for the JICMS House System

• Enhanced school-family spirit spanning 6th-8th grade class divisions.
  • More robust opportunities for all JICMS students to be trained as leaders through hands-on service gaining meaningful and valuable leadership experience.
• More robust leadership opportunities for all students.
• Stronger interpersonal relationship skills for each student.
• More focused support internalizing JICMS character development.  

House Activities

Each House will be expected to organize various school-wide House events such assemblies, the school carnival, food-drives, service projects, and other fundraising endeavors. Additionally, each House will develop its own traditions, customs, and historical awareness of the House’s name and its significance to JICMS history. 

House Competitions

Each year the Houses compete for the James Irwin Cup Award. This award is given to the House that accumulates the most points in various diverse competitions that accentuate academic, athletic, leadership, character and school-spirit excellence. Each quarter, Houses earn points by earning the highest cumulative grade-point averages, achieving best attendance, least school detentions, best dressed and other extraordinary achievements. Points can also be earned by student attendance at athletic events, house song competitions and other incentive opportunities offered by the JICMS administration. The goal of the James Irwin Cup is to promote healthy competition that boosts spirit and encourages student participation and interaction.

House Assignments

Students are placed into each House by the House Committee made up of teachers from all three grade levels. Placements are made randomly with the goal of developing and utilizing the talents, skills and personalities that best strengthens the positive characteristics, qualities and interpersonal strength of each House. Siblings will not be placed in the same House so that they are able to develop their own unique identities.

The 12 JICMS Houses