Thursday, March 16th, we celebrate MARCH KINDNESS DAY!

Kindness Theme:  I’M LUCKY BECAUSE…

Building a foundation of GRATITUDE in our classrooms has proven to help impact the prevention of Bullying and Cyber-Bullying. Each of us can help bring happiness to our children and students. GRATITUDE has transformed many lives. It is true that our focus can stimulate growth. If each of us can focus on the good and what we are grateful for, more comes into my life and our students will follow our example. Conversely, if our children/students listen to us complain and focus on the negative, more of that is drawn into each of our lives. We find that the fruit of the focus on GRATITUDE will be HAPPINESS.

PRINCIPALS and SCHOOL COUNSELORS: Please remind your student throughout this week to WEAR THEIR KINDNESS T-SHIRTS ON THURSDAY!  We recommend reminding your parents in your monthly school newsletter. Please encourage your staff to also wear their Kindness T-Shirts. The Kindness T-Shirt is such a valuable visual learning tool that each student has. The message and constant reminder can truly help make a difference in the lives of your students.

TEACHERS: Please take the first 10-15 minutes of your school day on Thursday and dedicate it to our Kindness Theme. If you have the time throughout that day or throughout the week to do a Kindness Day Activity,  it is available below. It’s import to invest education time in helping educate the hearts of our children. Your example and investment will make a difference. Below is a GRATITUDE YouTube Video that you can share on your smart boards on Kindness Day morning to jump-start your GRATEFUL DAY, the message is “EVERYTHING IS A GIFT”.‘

Students Gratitude Journal Writing

Gratitude seems to work like a muscle, and the physical action of writing a gratitude list helps develop “gratitude muscles.” A recent study by  Professor Philip Watkins from Eastern Washington University, published in School Psychology Review, showed that those who are the least grateful seem to gain the most from making this effort.  That is good news to those us who may find it hard to start a gratitude list. Challenge the students by asking if they can be thankful for homework or chores. This challenge enables them to see what is good about homework — that it helps them learn and prepares them for school and life.

Keeping a gratitude journal on a daily basis helps students achieve the following: 

• Higher grades
• Higher goals
• More satisfaction with relationships, life, and school
• Less materialism
• More willingness to give back.

For adults, keeping a gratitude journal enables people to:

• Be more optimistic
• Experience more social satisfaction
• Exercise more often
• Have less envy and depression
• Have fewer physical complaints
• Sleep better.

KINDNESS DAY SCHOOL ACTIVITY

Below are available printable to use.