Embracing the Power of Kindness: February's Heartfelt Journey
Hello, wonderful parents and students!
As we walked through February, a month associated with love and warmth, we were excited to explore the heartwarming themes of Kindness and Patience. This month, we worked to spread positivity and create ripples of compassion to touch hearts both big and small.
Kimochis
Students continue to learn about the Kimochis characters and “Keys to Communication'' through lessons facilitated by their classroom teachers. We now have several “Kimochis Corner” bulletin boards up around our school. These boards help students remember the characters and the keys as well as the character kotowazas. Kotowaza means proverb in Japanese. The "Kimochi kotowaza’s" are meant to inspire students to practice meaningful actions when they have a specific feeling. Below you will find the Kotowazas that we have linked to each Kimochi character:
Bug- Put your brave in front.
Lovey Dove - Friendly faces create friendly spaces.
Huggtopus- For silly to be fun, it has to be fun for everyone.
Cloud- It is okay to be mad, it is not okay to be mean
Cat- Everyone makes mistakes, everyone deserves a redo.
Virtue of the Month: Patience
Our virtue of the month for February was patience. During Monday morning assembly students watched a video describing patience as the ability to wait in a calm way. Mrs. Rychlo and Mrs. Baillargeon explained how taking deep breaths, or distracting ourselves by thinking or doing something else can help us show patience. Check out this read-aloud of "The Very Impatient Caterpillar" by Ross Burach below to continue the conversation about patience at home.
The Very Impatient Caterpillar
Division Wellness Spotlight: Nurturing Kindness
The Division Wellness Spotlight in February was Kindness. While it is important to show kindness all year round, February provides ample opportunities to show kindness and love with the celebration of Valentine’s Day and Pink Shirt Day. On February 13 students were encouraged to wear Valentine’s day colours to earn points for their House Teams. Many classrooms also celebrated the day of love with parties and the exchanging of valentines.
On Monday, February 26, several members of the Bonnyville Pontiacs joined us at our morning assembly to facilitate an anti-bullying presentation. Their presentation brought awareness for Pink Shirt Day and encouraged students to spread kindness and stop bullying. On Wednesday, February, 28, students were encouraged to wear pink for Pink Shirt Day and classroom teachers facilitated anti-bullying or kindness lessons in their classrooms. If you would like to learn more about the national anti-bullying campaign, Pink Shirt Day check out the link below:
Resource Roundup: Nurturing Kindness
Explore these carefully selected resources for parents and students of all ages, designed to inspire and cultivate kindness:
- 31 Kindness Activities for Kids - Discover ways to initiate and experience acts of kindness firsthand.
- 11 Fun Kindness Activities for Kids for Random Acts of Kindness Day
For more resources, check out the Kindness page on the NLPS website.
Reflecting on Last Month: Your Insights Matter!
In January, we embraced a healthy lifestyle. Share your experiences: How did our previous mental health blog post impact your family? Your feedback and ideas are treasured.
Nurturing Kindness: Tips for Students
Students, let's cultivate kindness:
- Offer a smile or kind words to brighten someone's day.
- Help a classmate or teacher with schoolwork or a task.
- Create and share uplifting notes or artwork.
- Practice active listening and show empathy.
- Stand up against bullying and offer support.
Connect with Our Student Advocacy Counsellors: Reach Out for Support
Need guidance or wish to discuss well-being? Our Student Advocacy Counselors are ready to help. Reach out at janice.baillargeon@nlsd.ab.ca or stephanie.rychlo@nlsd.ab.ca or call (780) 826-3992.Let's continue our journey of kindness and positivity together.
Here's to a March filled with heartfelt gestures, shared smiles, and a tapestry of kindness. Let's make the world brighter, one act of kindness at a time!