Hello, wonderful parents and students!
As we walk 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.
Students continue to learn about the Kimochis characters and “Keys to Communication'' through lessons facilitated by their classroom teachers and during assemblies. 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, Mrs. Baillargeon explained how students can show patience by practicing the ability to wait for something without getting upset! Check out this read-aloud of "A Little Spot of Patience" by Diane Alber below to continue the conversation about patience at home.
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.
At Wednesday Morning Assembly on February 5, Duclos had the wonderful privilege to welcome Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski to our school for a special guest presentation! Kasia is a two-time Olympic medalist for the Canadian Rowing team! She has inspired our students to reach for the stars!
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 honesty. 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 email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org 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!