Principal Suzanne Hess, right, cuts the ribbon on the new book vending machine Oct. 12 at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School as past PTA president Arvita Cohen and students look on. Janet Barnett
Students at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School celebrated Oct. 12 as Principal Suzanne Hess unveiled a new book vending machine courtesy of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association.
“We are excited to celebrate bringing a book vending machine to Naomi L. Brooks,” said PTA president Maya Mahoney. “This was a huge endeavor of our past PTA president, Arvita Cohen, and we just wanted to have another way to reward children and to share the love of reading.”
Naomi L. Brooks ES participates in the Alexandria City Public Schools’ PBIS program, or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. PBIS is a process for developing safer and more effective schools.
“Naomi Brooks has a PBIS program,” said Cohen following the ribbon cutting on the new book vending machine. “It is a positive behavior incentive where students receive Bee Bucks throughout the year.”
The school mascot is the Bee, hence the term Bee Bucks,
“Students earn Bee Bucks if they are kind, supportive, and helpful to other students,” Cohen said. “Teachers can also give students tokens on the spot and for their birthday. They can then use those Bee Bucks to purchase reward items including using them in the vending machine.”
Hess added that there will be opportunities for all children to receive a book through the vending machine by the end of the scholastic year.
“This is a remarkable addition to our school,” Hess said. “It’s a creative way to encourage our students to do well in their classes and get rewarded for their hard work by earning a new book.”