JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – A Region 8 school district is working to tap in to every student’s potential, no matter what their background might be.

The Jonesboro Public School District has made an effort to improve their student’s way of thinking with a new idea called the “Growth Mindset.”

Instead of a student being fixated in a negative thought process, school staff will help their students focus on new ways to grow.

District School Improvement Specialist Misty Doyle said she hoped that through a change of mindset, students will learn how to persevere and overcome challenges.

“If they don’t believe in themselves and know how to tackle a task or overcome a situation, then no matter what we say it’s not going to matter,” Doyle said. “They need to know the power of themselves.”

School Improvement Specialist at the MicroSociety Magnet School Rob Donner said he hoped the mindset will be implemented in to all area magnet schools.

“Whether it’s instruction or relationships with our kids, with our families or with our parents,” Donner said. “Here at school there’s always room for improvement. We want to try to stay in that growth mindset.”

The idea for the mindset was developed by MicroSociety Magnet School Principle Amanda Turner.

The program has already shown success.

“I can think of two kids right off the bat whose reading inventory improved,” Donner said. “One child from August to last week, he had a 573 point game. When I talked to him and asked why? Why did you have that gain? His answer was well, I tried this time.”

School leaders said they hope to see even more success, especially after receiving the latest state school report cards.

MicroSociety was the lowest ranking magnet school in the district, receiving a 59 rating out of 100.

“If we can get the kids in that growth mindset,” Donner said. “Where they know if they try, they may not be successful the first time, but effort is going to give them the success.”

In addition to the growth mindset, the district has also developed an initiative that focuses on goal-setting and the “Capturing Kids” heart program.