Clarke Central High School junior Marcus Quarles plays basketball in the CCHS Competition Gym during the 2025 Spring Big Event on April 30. Like last year, CCHS Family Engagement Specialist Christian Barner and Multi-Classroom Leader Brad Williford planned this year’s first Big Event, which will take place on Dec. 3 in the CCHS Competition Gym, open to all students who have fewer than 16 unexcused absences and five tardies. “The Big Event is related to our (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) and (it) gives kids extra motivation to do the right thing and go to class and just reward those who are doing great things in Clarke Central,” CCHS Assistant Principal Terry Liggin said. Photo by Grady Dunston
To incentivize good attendance for students, CCHS will hold the Big Event: Block Party on Dec. 3 in the CCHS Competition Gym.
Clarke Central High School will hold the first Big Event: Block Party of the 2025-26 school year on Dec. 3 to encourage student attendance with food and games for students who meet attendance requirements.
This year’s Big Event will take place during Advisement and is being coordinated by CCHS Family Engagement Specialist Christian Barner and Multi-Classroom Leader Brad Williford. As a part of CCHS’ Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative, The Big Event is meant to celebrate and reward students who have fewer than 16 unexcused absences and five tardies between Aug. 6 and Nov. 21.
“(The Big Event) recognizes students who have been doing what they’re supposed to be doing, which is coming to school (and) showing up to class on time,” Barner said. “Attendance is a big issue in the district, the state (and the) nation. We’re just trying to find some ways to recognize students who are coming to school.”
“(The Big Event) is a good community-building event. (It) does focus us on the importance of being at school, but also creates a good community and a good, positive atmosphere.”
— Christian Barner,
CCHS Family Engagement Specialist
Multiple additions were made to the event when the school received a grant through their Local School Governance Team in March of 2024, which helped purchase PBIS-related equipment, including yard games, a Nintendo Switch, a cotton candy machine and a popcorn machine, which all will be operated on Dec. 3.
“(When I was in school,) there was an incentive that if you were passing your classes then you got invited to an assembly, (and) that was kind of fun, but they didn’t have games and snacks,” CCHS Assistant Principal Alexis Scott said. “Student interest wasn’t (present), (because) it wasn’t like you got to go enjoy playing games.”
Clarke Central High School students attend the 2025 Spring Big Event in the CCHS Competition Gym April 30. The Big Event was planned to encourage better attendance among CCHS students, with the next one taking place on Dec. 3. “(The Big Event) continues to help students (by) doing something different in the middle of the day, just changing (the daily schedule) up a bit,” CCHS Assistant Principal Tamika Henson said. Photos by Grady Dunston and Iliana Tejada
The Big Event: Block Party started in 2022 with past iterations taking place in the CCHS Bus Loop and allowing students to win tickets from games to trade for rewards. According to Barner, since the event’s beginning, the goal has been to improve student morale and behavior through fun and a break in the semester..
“(The Big Event) is a good community-building event. (It) does focus us on the importance of being at school, but also creates a good community and a good, positive atmosphere,” Barner said.
