I cannot believe we are already on our first full week of school and I have to say I have been extremely impressed with how the students have taken ahold of the school year. I have had the pleasure of walking through every classroom every day this year and the maturity of our students here this year has been amazing. From our Kindergarten students, who presented to me some of their favorite colors, things to do, and friends, all the way to our 5th-grade students who wrote down their goals and ambitions for the school year, the year has been off to a great start!
I went into our classrooms this week and had a chance to read the book “If You Plant a Seed” by Kadir Nelson. The book talks about the choices we all make on who we want to become and how that choice starts with small decisions which over time with proper love and care will eventually blossom. In talking with the student's words such as hard worker, nice, kind, friendly, all surfaced as the seeds they want to plant for themselves this year. Social/Emotional skills are just as important as academic skills for these young learners and much like math can be taught, so can the skills of kindness, empathy, and hard work. I’ve challenged the students here to focus these first few months on planting the seeds that they want to grow and working on those seeds as we progress through the year.
As adults and mentors in the lives of these young people, we to can influence which seeds are planted by the example we set. We can help guide and steer them into planting seeds of understanding by seeking first to understand instead of seeking to blame. We can model for them how to treat others how we want to be treated and how when you make a mistake it is okay and that you just have to work harder after the fact.
I hope the year has been off to a great start for you and your child and I cannot wait to watch the seeds the student’s plant at the start of school, blossom, as the year goes on.
All the best,
Mr. Moore
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