Spirit Activities
Students and staff members look forward to participating in a variety of spirit activities throughout the year. The spirit activities are connected to curriculum, character education, service learning, and philanthropy. Spirit activities may include guest speakers, themed spirit days, pep rallies, assemblies, donation drives, school walks, poster or essay contests, reading challenges, and kindness activities. Our annual spirit activities include The Week of Respect, Great Kindness Challenge, Red Ribbon Week, Read Across America, Abilities Awareness Month, Pink Day, National Writing Day, Poem in Your Pocket, and Harry Potter Day.
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Week of RespectThe Week of Respect takes place during the first week of October each year. This year's Week of Respect included the introduction of The Golden Tray to promote positive behaviors during all lunches, an activity on the qualities of a respectful classmate, reading the story of author, Sowan Bahk, and her philosophy on the importance of respecting our elders, writing a gratitude postcard to a family member or friend, creating a respect banner for each grade level atrium. In addition, students show that they are "Buzzing with Respect and Buzzing to be Bully-Free" and also participate in Kindness Bingo. Spirit days include Growing Together with Respect: We are all UNITED, Showing Respect Brings Out the Best in Us, and Showing Respect is a Team Effort.
Red Ribbon WeekRed Ribbon Week is a national event honoring Enrique “Kiki” Camerena, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who was killed in 1985 by drug traffickers. Soon after, “Camerena Clubs” were launched in high schools by hundreds of students who pledged to lead drug free lives. In 1988, Congress proclaimed the first U.S. Red Ribbon Campaign. This year, Red Ribbon Week is October 22nd-26th.
Students learn about the effects of drugs, peer pressure, making positive choices, and participate in activities that support a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The Lunch Bunch also be sponsors an optional Red Ribbon poster contest. Students who choose to participate are required to promote making positive choices towards a drug-free future. Posters are hung in the cafeteria and staff members have the opportunity to vote on their favorite for each grade level. Poster contest winners are announced and certificates and prizes are awarded to the winners. Harry Potter DayIn March, the 6th-grade literacy teachers hold a March Madness Book Competition for the entire grade level of students. During this competition, students are encouraged to vote on books {bracket style} until there is a winner. After a winning book has been established, a “day” is organized for the entire grade-level to participate in order to celebrate reading. For example, the past two years the winning book has been Harry Potter, and therefore the grade level celebrates Harry Potter Day. Each staff member dresses up as a Harry Potter Character, and students are sorted into houses. They compete in academic competitions throughout the day and dress up in their house colors. They even bring in foods that symbolize their house. This day is one that students always write down as “their favorite memory of 6th grade!"
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Great Kindness ChallengeThe Great Kindness Challenge takes place during the month of February each year. Students and staff members promote and celebrate kindness in a variety of ways throughout the Challenge by participating in random acts of kindness, creating kindness posters, writing about their kindness heroes, and participating in several spirit days throughout the week. This year,
our students also had the opportunity to participate in an interdisciplinary unit called The Potato Chip Champ: Discovering Why Kindness Counts which included the opportunity to Skype with author, Maria Dismondy. Pink DayPink Day takes place during the month of October, in coordination with National Pink Day in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Students and staff members dress to impress by wearing pink from head to toe. The grade level that wears the most pink receives a reward activity. In addition, our Jeans for a Cause program supports the Susan G. Koman Foundation by giving a donation from our staff.
Abilities Awareness MonthDuring the month of April, in coordination with Abilities Awareness Month, students and staff members at Jeffrey Clark and Samuel Mickle Schools celebrate our diverse community of learners. Our goal is to provide our school community with a variety of resources and activities that foster an environment of kindness, compassion, and acceptance for everyone within our learning community.
Each day, information is shared via the intercom and News Crew morning announcements, highlighting a specific learning style and/or disability. In addition, teachers share a variety of mentor texts with their students emphasizing the importance of what makes each of us unique. Our character education lessons for the month also focus on diversity and acceptance. Through these activities, we hope to educate and improve perceptions about different abilities and/or disabilities and eliminate stereotypes, misconceptions, and misunderstandings about individuals with disabilities. The activities are in celebration of ALL of our students and their amazing abilities. In addition, each Friday throughout the month is dedicated as an Abilities Awareness Spirit Day. Students and staff members wear the following colors to support our diverse community of learners:
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Read Across AmericaRead Across America takes place during the first week of March each year in celebration of instilling a love of reading and Dr. Seuss's birthday. Spirit Days include Color Me Hornet, Wacky Wednesday, and The Sleep Book Pajama Day. Students participate in a variety of Dr. Seuss related activities during Library class and also have guest readers visit throughout the week to share their favorite Dr. Seuss books. Students also participate in reading challenges sponsored by Six Flags Great Adventure, The Wilmington Blue Rocks, and The Philadelphia Soul. Students and staff members look forward to Read Across America each year and have even set up book donation drives to support schools in need in the past.
National Writing DayThe National Day on Writing was established by the National Council of Teachers of English and takes place on October 20th this year. In celebration of writing, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of writing activities including the Why I Write campaign. The goal is to instill a love of writing among students and staff members and to share our diverse writing pieces within the school community.
Poetry Month & Poem in Your Pocket DaysIn celebration of National Poetry Month, our students have been reading, writing, reciting and listening to poems all April-long. As a culminating activity, we invite students to visit select businesses during the last weekend in April. This weekend is known as "Poem in Your Pocket Days", and we are fortunate to have more than 20 area businesses partnering with us to help our students bring poetry to life. Students will be provided with a listing of the stores and the hours/days for their participation. During the times/days specified, Clark and Mickle students are invited to visit our community partners, share a poem, and earn a treat. Our goals for "Poem in Your Pocket Days" are to encourage a love of poetry in our students, build confidence in our students' public speaking abilities, and forge a stronger school/community bond. Children must be accompanied by an adult; families may visit as many, or as few, businesses as your schedule permits.
There is, of course, no obligation to participate. We encourage our students to represent our schools proudly and, as always, use their very best manners! Questions may be directed to either Mrs. Wordelmann or Mrs.Ligameri at: wordelmannt@eastgreenwich.k12.nj.us or ligameris@eastgreenwich.k12.nj.us |