Last week, we celebrated national anti-bullying week at our school. Loretta Lavallee, HEaRT (Healthy Empowered and Resilient Teens) mentor at Christ-King School, visited the children in their classrooms and began a conversation to start thinking about bullying and what we can do to stand up against it.
Students were encouraged to catch their peers doing something that showed kindness and respect to another and then write that person’s name down on a slip of pink paper. The pink papers were collected and at the end of the week, people with the most slips of paper were recognized for their efforts at creating a safe learning environment for all students. Everyone was encouraged to wear pink on Friday to recall the story of the boy in Nova Scotia who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Two older peers refused to stand by so they purchased quite a few pink shirts and handed them out the next day, encouraged others to wear them and showed support for the new boy. The Grade 5 and 6 class prepared skits on bullying and how to solve such incidents.
They performed them for the rest of the school on Friday afternoon during the wrap up assembly, and then everyone was recognized for doing their part in making our school a bully-free zone. We plan to continue the “Catch Them Being Good” box and the conversation.
We also celebrated the Feast Day of our namesake, Christ the King, on Friday, Nov. 20. Students participated in a buddy activity where they coloured and cut out a crown that stated what they would do for Jesus to celebrate His Kingship in their lives.
Students, parents and parishioners were invited to an amazing hot lunch at the Parish Hall of mashed potatoes, ham and strawberry shortcake after a Mass dedicated to learning more about our King.
There will be no school on Friday, Nov. 27 (day in lieu of parent-teacher interviews) or Monday, Nov. 30 (moving day). Until next week, peace and blessings to you and your family.