This semester Morton Elementary opened a chapter of the Cool to Be Kind Club for elementary school students. Cool to Be Kind clubs are formed under the National Association of People Against Bullying. This organization was formed by Anna Mendez, the mother of a 16 year old student in California who was bullied until he committed suicide. The organization assists Cool to be Kind chapters all over the world, provides assistance and speakers for schools, and support to parents and students affected by bullying.
Blue Ribbon Week is held every year by the organization in the first week of February to honor the birthday of Daniel Mendez with kindness and anti-bullying awareness and activities.
Our chapter was organized in December of this school year and will hold itās Blue Ribbon Week February 24th-28th. Our plans include Quotes of the Day on our morning announcements, focus on kindness/anti-bullying books and videos in the class presentations given by our librarian, wearing blue ribbons to indicate our support, establishing a Welcome Committee as students enter school this week, a poster contest with winners from each grade level, a Kindness Wall with a heart shaped banner for students to post kind comments on and āfill our heartā, Blue Day when we will all wear blue (Friday), and a group pledge to stand up against bullying. We also plan to identify āUpstandersā in each classroom to support a student being bullied. These students will have a lesson in how to stand up for other students and sign a personal pledge, then wear a Morton āNo Bullying Zoneā bracelet to identify them to other students as an āUpstanderā.
A Spring activity is planned after Blue Ribbon Week for student winners of the poster contest to paint their footprints , along with uplifting quotes, along the sidewalk leading into the cafeteria.
Other activities will be planned throughout the year to keep our commitment alive.