Elementary school to switch from ringing bells to musical interludes

Now that she's tried music instead of bells at the start of her summer school mornings, Scott City Elementary School principal Courtney Kern isn't going back.

She plans to start using music next year in place of beginning bells.

"It's not a nice way to start the day," Kern said, referring to the bell's ringing sound. "Kids know by the end of the song ... they have to be in their classroom. You'll see kids in their seat dancing. It puts a smile on the kids' faces."

As part of summer school, the first minute and 33 seconds of "Good Morning" by Mandisa is played first thing to prompt kids to get to class. The afternoon tune to get students to switch to project hour is "Brave" by Sara Bareilles.

The music for project hour, where kids switch classes at the end of the day to take part in everything from sewing to construction, was chosen by fifth-grader Trent Pruden. The morning music was selected for its upbeat title, Kern said in a text message.

Kern said the school is auditioning using music this summer to see how it works. Once the school year starts, she's thinking about using music that changes with the seasons. "There's some classical music, too," Kern said.

"There are lots of ways we can get some cultural things in there ..." she added.

Superintendent Diann Ulmer said the decision to change from bells to music is made at the building level.

Some schools will use chimes or horns for periods changing, but the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education doesn't collect statistics on that, DESE communications coordinator Sarah Potter said in an email to the Southeast Missourian.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

Scott City, Mo.