Fostering Community through the House System at Most Holy Trinity Catholic School

Abstract

Most Holy Trinity Catholic School in Phoenix, Arizona, has experienced a decrease in student enrollment over the last decade, resulting in a reduction to a single class per grade across the PreK-8 community. Recent concerns have surfaced regarding student and teacher isolation, marginalization, and their effects on the broader relationships within the school community. To address these issues, school leaders implemented a house system in an effort to foster stronger communal relationships. This action research project used a survey design to gather quantitative and qualitative data to examine changes in stakeholder perceptions of community and Catholic identity after implementing the intervention. Results indicated that the implementation of the house system led to significant positive changes in stake-holders' perceptions of school community and Catholic identity.