The Glenn Duffy Elementary School PAWS Program incorporates character education and positive behavior into the school community. Each month PAWS skills are chosen and discussed in classroom guidance in relation to character education.
"Honesty" is the word for this month. This is defined simply as telling the truth. Grandmother Willow from the movie "Pocahontas" tells us, "Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one."
Special guests at our assembly were Bella Vista Fire Chief Steve Sims and Kelly Dostart from the Bank of the Ozarks. Sims taught children about being honest. He mentioned how difficult it may seem when children have to decide the honest thing to do is to tell on a friend who makes bad choices that could harm someone. Sims also spoke of how important honesty is to a firefighter. Firefighters need to be able to trust each other and the people they are trying to help, so they must be honest. Sims and Dostart shared information about a contest to name a new fire truck. The Highlands of Bella Vista, which is in the Gravette School District, will soon be home to a new fire station, and the elementary school students in Gravette were challenged to come up with a name for the new truck. The winning classroom will get to tour the new station when it opens.
Kindergarten teachers presented a short lesson about the social skill, waiting for your turn. This skill is emphasized this month as part of their Positive Behavioral Support System. While practicing this skill, they:
• Get into the listening position
• Take a deep breath and count to five
• Say "I know I can wait for my turn"
• Listen to what is being said or watch what is happening
• Walk away and do something else if waiting is too hard.
PAWS awards are given in the classroom, hallway, cafeteria and other places as an incentive for students to practice the PAWS skill for the month. Students are recognized at monthly Rise and Shine assemblies. PAWS student of the month t-shirts are sponsored by the Glenn Duffy Elementary PTO.
Community on 02/10/2016