KINDNESS INITIATIVES
BE KIND
Throughout the year we will focus on different Kindness Initiatives. Below are the descriptions of different initiatives that will occur throughout the year.
Be Kind Wall/Kindness Ambassadors
The wall is back and ready for signatures! Schirra community members recognize students who do something above and beyond that is kind. After the nomination, students' sign their names to the Be Kind Wall, receive a certificate to send home and a sticker. They become kindness ambassadors and encourage others to continue our Be Kind Initiative.
September Lessons
Students learned that we all have worries on the first day through the book First Day Critter Jitters; however, we all equally have something to bring to our new classroom community to make it the best it can be.
Week of Respect - October 7th-11th
Students learned about friendship through the book Enemy Pie. This book helps students understand the importance of getting to know someone before making any decisions. Follow-up discussions and activities are completed.
School Violence Awareness Week - October 21st-25th
Students learned about including others and welcoming someone new through the book One Green Apple. This book helps students understand how being a friendly and welcoming person can make a difference. Follow-up discussions and activities are completed.
World Kindness Day - Wednesday, November 13th
Students received a bingo card with different acts of kindness. After completing their random acts of kindness, students completed a reflection sheet and had their bingo board signed by a family member. Students were excited not only by completing their acts of kindness but also by the responses they were getting from others who were on the receiving end of their kindness.
Inclusive Schools Week - December 2nd-6th
This year's theme is Every Voice Matters. To amplify that theme, students in each class created a poster with the title "I Can Use My Voice For..." as well as creating a school wide mural in art class highlighting how they can be inclusive. Community readers joined us and shared a book about how our voice matters. Our Speech Teachers provided lessons about different ways people communicate. Throughout the week students listened to songs that highlight the goal of inclusivity which will also be used during our culminating event of a Unity Walk.
The Great Kindness Challenge - January
Last year, students joined many around the world in taking part in the Great Kindness Challenge. Throughout the week, students completed random acts of kindness from a list provided by The Great Kindness Challenge. At the end of the week, students reflected on their acts, how it made them feel, how it improved our community and how they will continue in the future.
Stay tuned for this year's activities!
National Random Acts of Kindness Day - February 17th
Last year, students listened to the book Doug the Pug which tells the story of real-life dog Dug and how he spreads kindness to others. The book encourages students to continue the kindness ripple.
Stay tuned for this year's activities!
Choose to Include - March
Stay tuned for this year's activities!
SEPTA's #WeAreOne - Ongoing
Previously, students in Play Unified learned to sign "We Are One" using Adaptive American Sign Language and shared with their classmates. Schirra students had the opportunity to take part in the Community Art Project Quilt and create their own square. The district-wide display was hung in the Administration Building. Some Play Unified members shared what #WeAreOne means to them and a video was created and shared via Twitter.
We have other initiatives that we will be working on as we go through the year. Stay tuned!