Challenge Success

updated: March 24, 2021

About Challenge Success

Why Challenge Success?

One of PUSD’s goals is to create a positive learning environment that will allow our students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We want to help our kids master components of a successful life – to be independent, adaptable, ethical, and motivated critical thinkers. We work with Challenge Success to embrace a broad definition of success and to implement research-based strategies that promote student well-being and engagement with learning.

PHS/MHS Challenge Success survey and PHS/MHS Healthy Kids Survey data reveal students’ feelings about academic challenges, teacher and parent support, homework, stress, and sleep. Based on these results and other data we have collected about the social-emotional health of our students, we are looking at the school climate around student stress and seeing what we can do to support our kids.

Our Mission

We seek to engage the whole student in meaningful learning, balancing academic rigor with social-emotional development, celebrating individual strengths, recognizing failures as opportunities for growth, and respecting and supporting all our students.

Key Initiatives

Student Club for students to be an integral part of the planning and development process
Bell Schedule adjusted to allow later start for more sleep
School Calendar adjustment to end semester before winter break so students have a true break
Class schedule planner to help plan healthy course load
Effort to improve teacher/student connections like lawn chair lunches
Therapy Dogs/Treat giveaways to help relieve stress during finals week
Ongoing faculty discussions about student stress, meaningful homework, building connections with kids, and identifying and reaching out to kids that are not making connections with adults on campus