Peek at the Week
November 4, 2018
Middle school students at Sterling Community School participated in a Sandy Hook initiative called Start With Hello Week. During the week of September 24–28th, 2018, hundreds of schools and youth organizations across the United States participated in Start With Hello Week to teach students, grades 2–12, the skills they need to create a culture of inclusion and connectedness, and encourage them to reach out to and include those who may be dealing with chronic social isolation. Each day of the week Sterling’s middle school students participated in different activities to promote and encourage a sense of belonging to students on their team and throughout the building in younger grades.
At the start of the week, an announcement was made encouraging staff and faculty to ask students why they were wearing name tags and what the program was about. Students were able to articulate the purpose of the program and reinforce the importance of how simply saying hello to someone in the hallway, or starting a conversation with someone sitting alone can make such a positive impact on others. On that Tuesday, students worked in cooperative groups to create visual representations empowering students in the K-8 school to not only be kind to one another, but also empathize and support peers. The third day, students created a mural filled with bright colored positive post-it notes encouraging students to not give up and to feel included, not isolated. Social isolation is the overwhelming feeling of being left out, lonely or treated like you are invisible. Young people who feel this way may pull away from society, struggle with learning and social development, or choose to hurt themselves or others. The remainder of the week students could be seen walking down the hallway socializing with peers outside their friends group. Teachers witnessed students not sitting alone at lunch. Peers seemed happier and vocalized they felt more included and welcomed. Friday ended the positive week with a Community meeting where teachers recognized students for their accomplishments both academically as well as emotionally. Students were able to share their thoughts about the week and reflect on the week. Some students chose to present their visual presentations to their peers at the Community meeting.
Sterling Community School is proud to have supported this Sandy Hook initiative. To continue this positive outlook, the middle school team is planning on implementing the program Choose Love for the remainder of the school year. The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Enrichment Program is a social and emotional learning (SEL) classroom program teaching children how to choose love in any circumstance. The program focuses on four important character values – courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion – which cultivates optimism, resilience and personal responsibility.
Children learn that Choosing Love means choosing to live a life with courage and gratitude, practicing forgiveness, and being compassionate individuals. Being able to Choose Love promotes resilience in challenging times. As a result, children learn personal responsibility and the understanding that they always have a choice in how they respond. They realize they can choose to love themselves and others, and the program teaches them how to do this.
Click on the link below to read the newspaper article!
Classroom Happenings!
Strategic Plan Update
Book Character Day fun!!
Treats for the staff!!
Congrats to the Girls' and Boys' Soccer Teams!!
Miss Riotte is making our school vibrant!
Kindergarten Family Friday
SCS Lunch Menus
Community News!
Important Dates!
Tuesday, November 6th- No School (Professional Development Day)
Wednesday, November 7th- PTO Meeting at 6:30pm
Friday, November 9th- Family Friday for Kindergarten at 8:05am
Friday, November 9th- Veteran's Day Celebration at 9am
Monday, November 12th- No School
Thursday, November 15th- Plainfield Open House at 6:00pm
Monday, November 19th- Principal's Coffee at 8:30am
Wednesday, November 21st- Early Dismissal (students dismissed at 12:40pm)
Thursday, November 22nd- No School
Friday, November 23rd- No School
Friday, November 30th- Community Meetings (K-4 at 8:45am, 5/6 at 1:20pm, 7/8 at 2pm)
About Us
Email: sternowchek@sterlingschool.org
Website: sterlingschool.org
Location: 251 Sterling Road, Sterling, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 564-2728