Hello MS 447 Community,
The DOE’s RESPECT FOR ALL initiative is scheduled to take place next week, February 10-14. Interestingly, this comes on the heels of our Peace and Diversity Conference. The Respect for All initiative, The Peace & Diversity Conference, and other events and lessons we have implemented throughout the year all work towards a common goal: To reassert our commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all. What makes MS 447 particularly impressive is our work to promote an environment that is free of harassment, intimidation, and bullying.
Our intention is to support and educate our students and staff to embrace all differences – race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, weight, and ability and learning styles. By gaining knowledge of others, we see more likeness than one can imagine. By having empathy towards others, we become a stronger and more inclusive community.
Foundational to our work around diversity and acceptance is social and emotional development of our students. After visiting our school a few weeks ago, Chancellor Fariña wrote that she was “particularly impressed by the social and emotional development that your school encourages.” She further commented that it is particularly “important for students in city as diverse as ours to respect one another, no matter their background, religion, or native language.”
The Respect for All initiative provides us another opportunity to explore and nurture our diverse community. We are excited about the activities that our students will participate in. They are listed below.
VOTE THE QUOTE – results will be shared. Poster paper will be made available with each quote on it for students to respond with their own words, thoughts, ideas, pictures. This will serve as a ‘temporary’ ramp mural.
VOICES OF THE PAST – our student government will honor past peaceful leaders by reading short bios over the course of the week. Among those honored: Martin Luther King Jr., Anne Frank, Harvey Milk, Daniel Pearl, among others. Student Government was inspired, in part, by an Anti-Defammation League video, ‘IMAGINE’. It can be viewed on you-tube. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3KyvlMJefR4
FRIENDSHIP BRACELET ACTIVITY – embroidery thread and directions will be made available every lunch period. Students can make a bracelet for someone else and/or for themselves.
CANDY-GRAMS – will be made available for students to fill out a note of appreciation and friendship to someone they know and respect. The notes will be distributed along with a sweet on Friday. Candy Grams can be given to students or staff.
ADVISORY – Each grade advisory is continuing the work on Diversity and Respect. The 6th grade will specifically focus on difference in ability. The 7th grade will continue to work on their UP – Stander project. And, the 8th will continue their work around the impact of different social identifiers, such as race, religion, and socio-economic status and the use (or should we say abuse) of certain offensive language.