WINTERSVILLE — Children at Cross Creek Elementary School received the chance to play “Staff for a Day,” as part of a school fundraiser.

Pupils in preschool through fourth grade purchased a ticket for $1 and placed it into the jar of their choice. Each jar contained a photograph of either the principal, guidance counselor, secretary, school nurse, physical education teacher or custodian.

The winners were selected April 11, and included: Kindergartener Carver Smogor, principal; first-grader Ryder Hibbits, guidance counselor; third-grader McKenna Kennedy, secretary; second-grader Scarlett Hennis, school nurse; second-grader Carter Crook, physical education teacher; and first-grader Aviana Stinson, custodian.

Smogor spent time with Principal Dan Hartman, helping perform morning duties, such as safety checks and reviewing classrooms. Hibbits led lessons and morning announcements. Shank met with pupils in the counselor’s office. Kennedy assisted in the main office. Hennis helped provide temperature checks and band-aids alongside the nurse. Crook helped in the gymnasium. Stinson assisted with custodial tasks. The day included eating McDonald’s for lunch.

The school raised $1,228, with the money to be used to create pause buckets to help soothe students. Guidance Counselor Brittany Shank said the effort is part of the Leader in Me initiative, a Utah-based program that will continue over a four-year period. The goal is to create a high-trust environment, building student achievement and improving learning. The practices are based on educator Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” ranging from being proactive and setting goals to embracing teamwork and taking care of one’s physical, mental and emotional well-being.

“Every room will have a pause bucket and students will have the opportunity to self-regulate,” Shank commented. “The Leader in Me team will select items, including fidgets and coping tools to create a space between a stimulus and a student response. It helps them pause, calm down and self-regulate.”

“I had done this years ago at Wintersville Elementary with calm-down corners,” Shank stated. “I used money from the principal’s fund. A lot of teachers have calm-down corners but we wanted it to be accessible throughout the building, so now everyone has access. It is a big initiative.”

The “Staff for A Day” fundraiser has been held the last three years. Shank said the children truly enjoy it.

“It’s one of our better fundraisers,” she concluded. “We made slightly more than last year. It’s my favorite fundraiser to do and the kids love it.”