Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Mission in Action

I had so much fun visiting Mix It Up Day at Essex and Memorial on Tuesday!  Both elementary schools joined thousands of other schools around  the country by mixing up student seating during lunch time.  It was great to see the kids interact with new friends and community members.  The goal of this national event is to encourage students to reach beyond their comfort zones, to meet new people, and to expand their social boundaries.  Even in our small schools it is important to encourage students to "mix it up" and spend time with students from different classrooms and peer groups, which helps break down barriers and promotes positive social relationships.  Our efforts don't end at the elementary level.  The MERMHS Diversity Alliance is currently sponsoring ALLY Week as part of a national Anti-bullying Awareness Month.  The objective of ALLY Week is to make school a safe, supportive place for ALL students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. 

I am proud of our students for their participation and of our staff for organizing such important events.  Each
of these efforts serves to promote our whole child philosophy, which focuses not only on academic achievement but also on supporting the development of a child/adolescent/young adult who is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged.