You may have seen the above logo on banners, buttons, stickers and posters
throughout our school this month. The message is clear as to the behavioral
interactions we place a priority on here at our school. While respect is often
the “go to” theme for school-wide expectations, our staff feels that kindness is
indeed a step up in this area as it reaches a deeper emotional level.
We specifically teach and recognize kindness whenever we can. Kindness
lessons can be found specifically in teacher’s lesson plans at the beginning of
each semester. Having all students, staff and families utilize positive responses
to respectfully resolve conflict has long been a staple our schools Strategic
Plan. Kindness is promoted in all interactions.
Multiple researchers have shown that students who learn kindness and
empathy are more likely to acquire the fundamental skills to build the strong
relationships that are one of the most vital and durable sources of well-being.
When these relationships are built between teacher and student the perfect
environment blooms for teaching and learning.