Jackson Primary chooses kindness

Jackson Primary School was awarded a $6,500 grant from the Choose Kindness Foundation to begin a yearlong, building-wide effort to promote and celebrate a welcoming, inclusive and caring school environment. The grant was awarded based on the K-3 school having already demonstrated results in its ability to cultivate and nurture pro-social behaviors for at least three years. Funding will be integrated into the building’s School-wide Positive Behavior Program (SWPB) to further foster “kindness so that it remains a steadfast character trait within all of our students,” said Lynne Piotrowski, a Title 1 reading specialist and SWPB building coach at the school.

The grant will be used to help support special kindness-related assemblies and events throughout the year; a Kindness Literacy Corner in the school library, which will feature books about showing appreciation, offering help, being friendly and reaching out; Creative Kindness journals for students; signs and promotional materials for the building; and other supplies for items like special “shout-outs” and “thank-yous.”

According to the Choose Kindness Foundation, it works with “recipient schools to engage all students in a consistent effort to learn and practice kind behaviors that are shown to increase academic, social, emotional and behavioral competence.”

“Students across the nation lost more than just academic learning this past year,” the nonprofit states. “For many, school closure meant the loss of their social world and their mental health suffered.”

“We will enter the new school year stronger and grateful for the opportunities to enable our school family to restore, build and maintain social and emotional health,” Piotrowski said. “Collectively, we look forward to embarking on the next year with a renewed sense of spirit and purpose in truly making kindness the bottom line at Jackson.”

“The Jackson (SWPB) team did a fabulous job writing this grant,” said Principal Theresa Montgomery. “The planning and volunteer time they put forth to enable implementation of the grant is incredible. The activities planned are very engaging, age appropriate and fit well with the school-wide positive atmosphere that is already established here at Jackson.”

Montgomery added that she and Assistant Principal Erin Brouse are excited to begin working with the faculty, staff, students and families on the initiative as the new principals of the building.
“We are so proud to be a Millionaire from Jackson Primary,” Montgomery said.