Is it the secret hand signal? Is it the chance to be a leader as an older student or the chance for a younger student to make friends with a ‘big kid’? Or is it a break in routine and the chance to work with an adult they wouldn’t otherwise know?

The answer is probably all of the above. And one thing is certain: when it’s Pack Day, students are excited, said Social Worker Melina Liontas.

Westmoor is in its third year of implementing a ‘pack’ program. A Bulldog Pack has a total of 7-10 students, with representation from each grade. Pack meetings are led by one or two adults. Virtually every staff member is involved, from the principal to the head custodian.

Pack meetings are held once a month for about 30 minutes. The core of the pack stays the same as students advance through the grades; kindergarteners, new students and new staff are welcomed in as the 5th-graders graduate to Northbrook Junior High. The structure provides an opportunity to establish lasting relationships.

“This is a great way for every student and every staff member to become connected with people they may not necessarily come into contact with throughout the day," said Ms. Liontas. 

The packs help develop a sense of belonging and promote emotional wellness for everyone in an organization, a pillar in the district’s strategic plan portrait of a learner and portrait of a staff member. It also helps build confidence and draws on the district’s values of trust and respect, empathy, communication and collaboration.

“We build community in our classrooms every morning through our morning meeting, and this is a way to build community across our school,” Principal Maria Eck said.