Start with Hello

Mon, 10/07/2019 - 8:56pm

Start with Hello

 

3/12/20

All students are invited to Be a Friend at Recess Day!  Students are encouraged to play with someone: who may need a friend, is playing alone, or someone new to mix it up and make a new friend!
 
In community circles, classes talked about how it feels to be welcome and included and ways to reach out during lunch and recess. Students were also reminded of the Start with Hello steps:
See someone alone
Reach out and help
Start with Hello
 
Be sure to ask your child about the Be a Friend at Recess Day!  Did they make a new friend?  Why is it important to include others?  How can you be a good friend?  What can you do to show that you are a kind and caring friend?
 
 Thanks for your support at home!

Start with Hello 2/13/20

All students are invited to Be a Friend at Lunch Day!  Students are encouraged to sit with someone: who may need a friend, is sitting alone, or someone new to mix it up and make a new friend!
 
In community circles, classes talked about how it feels to be welcome and included and ways to reach out during lunch and recess. Students were also reminded of the Start with Hello steps:
See someone alone
Reach out and help
Start with Hello
 
Be sure to ask your child about the Be a Friend at Lunch Day!  Did they make a new friend?  Why is it important to include others?  How can you be a good friend?  What can you do to show that you are a kind and caring friend?
 

Start with Hello 1/16/20

All students and staff are invited to participate in a Start with Hello Scavenger Hunt!  Students are encouraged to look for Start with Hello logos that are placed around the school.  In community circles, classes talked about how just like we have to go out of our way to track down the Start with Hello logos, we must also go out of our way to say hello to others to help ensure they feel included and welcome in our school.

 

Students were also reminded of the Start with Hello steps:

  1. See someone alone

  2. Reach out and help

  3. Start with Hello

We continue to share acts of kindness each week on the morning announcements.  Our Gratitude Wall of Kindness continues to grow from the health room windows down to the media center!

 

 

 Start with Hello 12/12/19

 

Students and staff have shared so many wonderful kindness messages over the morning announcements!  Our Gratitude Wall of Kindness continues to grow from the health room windows down to the media center! 

 

Students and staff are still on the look-out for acts of kindness that are happening around our school:  in the classrooms, halls, at lunch, recess, arrival, dismissal, etc. When an act of kindness is spotted, students and staff will write, illustrate, and color acts of kindness on special kindness slips.  Be sure to check out our Gratitude Wall next time you’re visiting Thunder Hill!

 

Students were also reminded of the Start with Hello steps:

  1. See someone alone

  2. Reach out and help

  3. Start with Hello

Start with Hello 11/13/19

Today is World Kindness Day, an international holiday that was formed in 1998, to promote kindness around the world.   All students and staff are invited to participate in a kindness activity where we will create a Gratitude Wall of Kindness.  Students and staff are on the look-out for acts of kindness around our school: in the classrooms, halls, lunch/recess, arrival/dismissal, etc.  When an act of kindness is spotted, students and staff will show their appreciation by writing, illustrating, and coloring acts of kindness on special gratitude slips.  Be sure to check out our Gratitude Wall of Kindness next time you’re visiting Thunder Hill. Students were also reminded of the Start with Hello steps:

 

  1.  See someone alone

  2. Reach out and help

  3. Start with hello

Start with Hello 10/10/19
 
All students and staff participated in a Start with Hello "Hey Day.”  Students and staff wore "Hello, my name is _____" name tags and were encouraged to reach out and say hello to others throughout the day in their classrooms, during lunch and recess, in the hallways, and any opportunity that arises.

 

 

During morning announcements, guest students shared how to say hello in many different languages.  Students were also reminded of the Start with Hello steps:

  • See someone alone

  • Reach out and help

  • Start with Hello

 Be sure to ask your child about the Hey Day!  Thanks for your support at home!

Start with Hello Week, 9/23-9/27.

We are partnering with Sandy Hook Promise again this year to help create a culture of inclusion and connectedness through a program called Start with Hello (SWH).  SWH raises awareness about social isolation and educates students on how to prevent it and supports our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives.  We are joining hundreds of schools nationwide in Start with Hello Week, 9/23-9/27.
 

On Monday, Mrs. Reeb, School Counselor, reviewed the skills students need to reach out and include someone.  There are 3

simple steps …

  • See someone alone

  • Reach out and help

  • Start with Hello

*We invite our youngest students to practice saying hello to friends and classmates during circle time, lunch, recess, etc. and to continue to practice using social skills while making friends.

On Tuesday, students learned about a Student Voices Contest during the morning announcements.  The theme is “How Start with Hello Builds Community and Breaks Barriers.”  For more information, please visit:

https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/studentcontest

Student Voices Award
Sandy Hook Promise is proud to recognize outstanding students for their participation and creativity in Start With Hello Week. Learn more and apply today.
www.sandyhookpromise.org

On Wednesday, students shared how to say hello in different languages over the announcements.  Ask your child to share with you!

On Thursday, students learned about ways people greet each other from around the world.  Did you know people in Zimbabwe greet each other through a clapping ritual?

On Friday, students were asked to share compliments and kindness messages and/or drawings with a classmate.  Ask how your child brightened someone else’s day!

 

We will continue with monthly activities to practice using the SWH skills throughout the year.  We encourage you to talk to your child about the Start with Hello program and ask them to share what they have learned. We appreciate you reinforcing this message at home and thank you for supporting our goal of inclusion and connectedness.  For more information, please visit:

https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/startwithhelloweek

Start With Hello Week - Sandy Hook Promise
Join thousands of schools across the country for Start With Hello Week!. Register for Start With Hello Week Want a fun and easy way to create a culture of inclusion that values each individual at your school?

www.sandyhookpromise.org