MARYSVILLE – Who says kids don’t want jobs and responsibility? Sunnyside Elementary School students thrive on it.

Even first-graders have jobs there – as greeters at the front door.

Dallas Mewbourn, a third-grader, helps her younger co-workers. She admitted some days she doesn’t feel like being friendly and smiling, but she does it anyway, “because it’s my job.”

New principal Brynn Markum said the jobs have really helped students’ self-esteem, and thereby improved behavior at the school. Because there are no sidewalks around the school, all 530 students take the bus. They are dropped off 15 minutes before school starts, which led to behavior problems for many students.

So staff there decided to give kids something to do. They came up with dozens of jobs, students looked at the job descriptions and applied. Some students were recruited for jobs. The responsibility of having jobs also has improved attendance.

“It’s meaningful work,” the principal said.

Fifth-grader Lindsay Bootsma has excelled reading with the school’s youngest kids.

“I help kids read, and they point to the pictures,” she said. “I like kids but sometimes they’re crazy.”

Markum added that Lindsay reads so much that she has 230 points, compared with most students around 80, in a school competition.

Other jobs include: holiday artist, lost and found, garbage crew, hallway monitor and lunch cart return.

Along with the jobs, the school also offers various activities to keep kids busy before school. There is a running club, homework club, computer lab, library time, food service, etc.

“It’s really powerful,” Markum said. “It makes them feel like they are a member of something.”

The afternoon before, she and many of her staff talked with the board at a work session about the jobs.

“We open the doors before school before the bell even rings, and it makes students want to be there,” Markum said.

Pride Print stickers are awarded, and there are prizes such as donuts and popcorn.

Another popular program at the school is called Watch Dogs. Markum said they are father figures for many of the students. She said surveys show kids with a man in their life are twice as likely to graduate from high school.

The dads stay at school all day, and are kept busy.

“Dads are exhausted,” by the end of the day, Markum said.

Students also are given a voice at the school, she added, such as getting to name the school mascot, which is also a job.

Teachers also have bought in to changes at the school. To try to close the achievement gap they have common planning time. About 80 percent of teachers took a CPR-First Aid class together. Using computer programs they are able to provide differentiated instruction to challenge all students. Scores have improved in math and English.

“You have the systems in place” to help students succeed,” school board president Pete Lundberg said.