Page 4 - 2019 Feb BPS news

Across Brevard Schools, Kindness is Contagious
By: Nicki Hensley, BPS News
It starts with a friendly word, a simple gesture, a smile.
One act of kindness can change the world. Across the district this February, Brevard schools are taking time to be kind.
In observance of the National No One Eats Alone Day (February 15) and Holland Elementary’s “Bee the Change” campaign, the entire school participated in a kind- ness initiative during lunchtime. Students in all grade levels (K-6), paired up with new friends and ate lunch together. Each student received one half of a heart and were paired with the student who had the other half. This event was meant to foster inclusiveness and reduce social isolation, contributing to the social-emotional health and wellness of all students.
Throughout the month, Holland students are encouraged to write compliments about their peers on purple hearts, and place them on a kindness tree positioned just outside the cafeteria. Other grade levels are promoting kindness in various ways. Kindergarten students are catching their peers being kind and documenting those acts on hearts and displaying them. Second graders wrote compliments for classmates and gave them out on Valentine’s Day. A fourth grade class wrote kind notes on hearts to the entire Holland Staff. Holland’s administration and teachers hope these caring acts will encourage the practice of kindness all year long.
At Surfside Elementary, GSP students had a chance to share the love with their fellow classmates. Each student took a turn at being in the “hot seat,” while his/her classmates wrote positive statements about them on a white board positioned behind them. When finished, the student in the hot seat read what had been written about him/her. The results were powerful; even bringing some students to tears. Some statements were simple, such as, “I like your shoes,” while others were deeper and more personal (i.e., “Thank you for helping me adjust to this school. It really made a difference.”). The process helps everyone realize their contributions and brings students together.
The Youth Leadership
Team and guidance
department at Andersen
Elementary promoted
their annual Kindness
Week (February 11-14)
with the theme, “In a
world where you can do
anything, give a cup of
Kindness.” Students wrote
down their acts of kind-
ness on paper mugs that were displayed on a bulletin board. Students, faculty, staff members, and parents also joined toge- ther to participate in the “Great Kindness Challenge,” completing themed activities each day of the week. The week was such a success, the school plans to continue doing kindness activities for the remainder of the school year.
Kindness efforts were even extended to our four-leg- ged friends. Freedom 7 Elementary conducted
a pet drive for the Space
Coast Kibble Kitchen
– a pet food pantry which
helps hundreds of less
fortunate families feed
their pets each month
through donations. Three Freedom 7 fifth graders came up with the idea in their GSP class. Under the supervision of their tea- cher, they wrote a proposal and presented their idea to Principal Kathy Lott for permission. Once granted, they created posters, collection bins, and made a video for the morning news. To promote the drive, they collected five full boxes of supplies from leashes, food, treats, bowls, toys, beds, blankets and more.
Being kind doesn’t require a special date on the calendar or week- long celebration. It’s something that comes from within and takes no special effort to impart. Everyone has the ability to be kind and couldn’t we all use a bit more kindness in our lives right now?
todian, nurse, front office or cafeteria staff to thank them for their dedication. Other classrooms participated in a “Kindness Rocks” challenge where teachers picked a painted rock with
Quest Elementary decreed that the week of February 11th be devoted to acts of kindness. The school trans- formed into a “Kindness Kingdom” and its students, “Kindness Crusa- ders.” Classrooms were given various grade-appropriate challenges such as making cards to thank the School Re- source Officer for keeping them safe, or writing letters to the school’s cus-
a kindness challenge on the back that they implemented with their students.