Cobb Middle School is building culture and community, house by house.

A little bit of Great Britain visited Cobb last month as students and staff were sorted — Harry Potter style — into their own houses, across grade levels.

These houses will be students’ smaller school family for the whole time they’re at Cobb — a close-knit group within the Cobb community, principal Jamie Lakey said. Houses build character, relationships and school spirit; each is a small school of its own, where kids can form stronger bonds.

“In other words, every student will have ‘a crew and a cause,’” Lakey said.

Cobb is one of the latest campuses to adopt the house system, joining Bright Academy, Elliott, Minett, Miller, Mooneyham, Pink and Robertson elementary schools; Wortham Intermediate; and Wilkinson and Vandeventer middle schools.

On campuses with a house system, administrators have reported positive outcomes such as decreased discipline referrals, better relationships between students and staff, and academic improvements. Houses are not academic in nature, but related to PBIS, or positive behavior intervention systems.

Wilkinson has had the house system in place for a year — and assistant principal Kelli Tenant says it’s been a hit.

“The staff and students really love it; they’ve taken off with it,” she said. “The beauty is the house system promotes positive school culture. Kids have a chance to connect with students and staff they wouldn’t normally connect with. It gives that family feel.”

Cobb students learned before the sorting about each of the six houses and their key traits. Although houses were randomly assigned, some kids already knew what they wanted.

At the August sorting ceremony, one seventh grader hoped to get “the red group” because of its trait: friendship.

“This is my first year here,” she said. “I like that we’re doing this; it’s cool!”

The sorting in the Cobb gym was a storm of joy, noise and activity. After students were sorted — and amid the deafening cheers — they joined their house on the bleachers and learned their house chant.

One sixth grader who wasn’t sorted into the house she wanted was still happy with where she landed. When asked if she knew anyone in her house, she grabbed the hand of the girl next to her: “I’m here with my best friend! I’m so excited!”

At Wilkinson, houses have monthly meetings that emphasize team-building, collaboration and recognition. A quarterly pep rally will celebrate houses and students leading in points, which accumulate based on PBIS referrals.

And the culture is catching. Wilkinson parents have been won over to the house system, in part thanks to special events.

“Parents are excited about the opportunity to be part of the Wilkinson community and house system,” Tenant said. “I was talking to an eighth grader yesterday and asked if he was coming to one of our events this year. He told me, ‘My mom wouldn’t let me miss it!’”