As part of our ongoing efforts to communicate with families about our school values, I wanted to share what we talked about at our all school assembly this morning and also provide some resources and links for anyone who is interested in continuing the conversation at home.
First, we talked about Martin Luther King Jr, who he was, and some of the big picture ideals that he stood for: love, inclusion and equity for all, regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, etc. We also acknowledged the fact that while we are having a holiday on Monday to celebrate Dr. King's life and achievements, we are ALWAYS working to build a school climate that is accepting of everyone...this means being kind and empathetic and looking out for the needs of others on a daily basis.
Here are two links to short video clips that we watched:
- Man in the Mirror video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYyjtZ_OLLs
- Kid President video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXZhXTFWnE
In addition, we are building on the ideals of Dr. King as we engage students in a new school-wide project called "Take a Walk in My Shoes". Over the next couple of weeks, students will be creating a poster that asks them to share ideas about the following:
- What am I good at?
- What am I working on?
- What is something important that I want others to know about me?
After we create the posters, we will pair students in one class with students in another class (older children with younger children) to share their posters. Our hope is that by sharing personal details about who we are, we will give students a chance to walk in someone else's shoes. If we can better understand the experiences, beliefs and traditions of others who may or may not be like us, perhaps we can be better equipped to engage in dialogue and support one another through successes and challenges.
Finally, below are some links to other resources that you might use to further engage in a conversation with your children about these ideas.
Enjoy the weekend!
Mark Nardelli
Principal
