Monday Morning Musings: Choose Kindness

Principal ponderings...

I had a different post written for this week, but I can't stop thinking about Kate's presentation on Thursday. Her message was so simple, yet so incredibly important. I keep thinking about when she and Scott took that first step and purchased a Christmas tree for a complete stranger. It started with one small act and now those "All You Need is Love" cards are all over the world! They chose kind. They could have made a different choice, but thankfully, they didn't.

And now I have spent the weekend thinking of all the ways that I can spread kindness. I want to start a ripple and see how far it can spread.

I was so proud of our teachers and students on Friday afternoon when they lined the halls and front circle, enthusiastically welcoming our students back from the Special Olympics. A small, simple act, yet so incredibly important to that handful of students getting off the bus. How can we keep the kindness ripple going?

My husband came home from the grocery store today and explained about something that happened with the lady in front of him in line...her husband had left the store before she realized that there were still some items that had not been paid for. My husband ended up paying for the items and giving them to the woman. I told him...there was your act of kindness for today! A small, simple act, yet so incredibly important for that woman.

I am so glad that our students all had a chance to hear Kate's message on Thursday. Of course we need to teach students to read and comprehend a text. And they do need to learn how to understand fractions. But teaching them to be kind is just as important as teaching them academic skills.

What will you do this week to start your ripple of kindness? How will you model kindness for your students? Choose a simple act of kindness and watch it spread!

Currently reading:
Kate Middlemiss and the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation donated a bag of books to our school last week. They all have the theme of kindness. I'm very excited to give these books to our library. I know Mrs. Simeone will find a good spot where we can have a kindness book collection on display. Some of the books I have read and some I have not. One that was new for me was Two by Kathyrn Otoshi. I have read her other books, Zero and One. These are all great books about friendship and kindness.

Another great picture book about kindness that I read was The Kindness Quilt. Cute story about a classroom and the ripple effect of spreading kindness.

I loved the book The Invisible Boy! I had not heard of this one before, but this is one that we need to be reading to all of our students. It's all about a student who feels invisible until finally a new student befriends him. There are even some great discussion questions already listed in the back of the book.

Another kindness book I read was called Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed. If you are planning on talking more with your class about the idea of spreading kindness out into the world, then read this book to them. It shows how one person's good deed can spread to so many people!

Events this week:
**Welcome back Amanda!
Monday - 4th grade canoe trips
Tuesday - 4th grade canoe trips, 1st grade map presentation @ Twomey Center gym, Evaluation Committee Meeting @ Prescott, 12-3
Wednesday - Kindergarten chorus practice @ 9:30, 4th grade canoe trips, Staff Meeting in the library @ 3:30
Thursday - District half-day, 12:15 dismissal, last multi-part series meeting
Friday - 4th grade canoe rain date

Great things I noticed last week:

We received a $500 donation on Friday from the Tae Kwon Do Karate Club that uses our gym in the evenings. We are getting ready to order some new PE equipment to go along with field day so this will be put to good use!
On Monday, all of the grade levels had the chance to hear from an illustrator, John Steven Gurney, thanks to the PTA.
I had some help on Thursday from our principals for the day, Anna and Ellie. They had a busy schedule, including meeting with the Director of Technology, introducing our guest speaker, accepting book donations for the library, and reading aloud to K and 1st grade! And no, they were not the ones to plan the fire drill! :)
Kate Middlemiss, gave a fabulous presentation about her one kind act and how we can all help spread kindness.
Our students who participated in the Special Olympics on Friday were treated to an amazing welcome back by the entire school! That moment in the hallway made me so proud to be the principal of our great school community.