All Edgemont students colored bags (see example, below) for Operation Goody Bag on 9/11. “We wanted to come together as a community here at Edgemont and also to see ourselves as part of a larger community, to participate in this national effort to support and thank our first responders,” said Principal Cheryl Hopper, pictured here showing students some examples.
Throughout the Montclair School District, students and community members marked the 11th anniversary of September 11 with a variety of inspiring and educational activities.
Bradford
Principal Naomi Kirkman discussed Sept. 11 during the morning television announcements. The school had a moment of silence and talked about how the nation comes together on this day. Kirkman mentioned that President Obama had declared this a National Day of Service and that the school and community should find ways to help other on this and every day. In fourth and fifth grade social studies, teachers did lessons relating to heroes.
Charles H. Bullock
Bullock faculty, staff and students were asked to wear red, white and blue. The school began the day with a moment of silence. In the third grade, one class read America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates. All classes discussed patriotism and what it means to them. During morning meeting, the fourth grade classes had a brief discussion about why today is Patriot Day and talked about ways people acted heroically on 9/11. Some students shared what they’ve heard from their parents about that day. One class read aloud a book entitled, Courage. The entire 5th grade watched a Brainpop video that explained what happened on 9/11. They also watched a news clip about how they rebuilt the Freedom Tower. Students were then split up into groups and read articles that were written by children (between 4-6 grades) about their account of the day. Each group then presented a chart of three things they learned or were surprised by.
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Edgemont Goody bag. |
Edgemont
In recognition of the National Day of Service and Remembrance, Edgemont participated in Operation Goody Bag, a nation-wide event in which the engaged every grade level. Operation Goody Bag is a student-centered, service-learning project based in Bergen County. Edgemont committed to coloring 500 paper “goody” bags and writing (or coloring) a special note of thanks to be given to First Responders—firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, ambulance drivers—for the important services they provide every day.
Hillside
Carolyn Boisvert’s 3rd grade class had a discussion that focused on acts of kindness. Students identified ways they could be more helpful within their community. Each student wrote their "act of kindness" and illustrated it for a classroom display. The class also read and discussed the book "Chrysanthemum," and the power of our words. In Pamela Gerdes 4th grade Language Arts/Social Studies classes they celebrated kindness by making "Signs of Kindness." The students chose an act (share a smile, hold doors open for people, spend time helping others, etc.) and created posters to be displayed in the hall.
In recognition of 9/11, Christine Traina’s 4th grade students
listened to two stories that teach tolerance and respect toward others. They
also completed an activity entitled "Promoting Peace" which they had
the opportunity to share ways to help make schools, homes, communities, and the
world a more peaceful place. Renee Graham’s fifth graders in the 5th grade
social studies and language arts read a poem written by Robert Robicheau titled
"September 11th" and discussed acts of kindness, heroism and world
peace and Students designed original flags on a flag template using a variety
of symbols of peace and displayed them in class. Elizabeth Stout’s 5th grade
students completed the lesson from the Teacher's Portal, Heroes in Our
Everyday Lives. According to Judith Towery, technology coordinator,
students who attended classes in the technology lab, did a brief web search
about 9/11 and look- up different tributes listed by the search. In the
literacy center, Patriot Day activities included a discussion on ways to bring
peace into our lives and those around us and designing a peace poster.
Nishuane
Teachers used Morning Meeting to discuss the importance of treating everyone with kindness and how being different is a good thing.
Northeast
Northeast planned on having RESPECT conversations, facilitated through the RESPECT Campaign, within the classrooms to highlight the courageous acts of those who put others first on 9/11. A school-wide moment of silence was held after some brief comments by Principal Joseph Putrino over the intercom. RESPECT lessons are occurring throughout the week.
Watchung
During the "Wake Up, Watchung" morning broadcast, positive character traits that help to build a strong sense of community in the school were discussed. Fifth grade classes planned to go more in depth into character-building during their social studies instruction.
Glenfield
All acting classes participated in a guided discussion about the event and the impact of post- 9/11 world, as well as seeing a reading from "The Guys" by Anne Nelson, a play about firefighters/emergency responders.
House Etter read 9/11 memoirs as an intro to writing workshop and how to write narratives/ memoirs in language arts and at DEAR.
As a “Do Now” activity, Ana Feliciano’s House Pruksarnukul Language Arts classes read a poem about September 11.
Michael Good’s social studies class watched a few short video clips and wrote responses to each one. Guest speaker Patty Steele spoke with the class on her task of being on the radio when this happened and her experience that day.
Renaissance
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| Dana Calbi’s 6th grade class at Renaissance heard from Vietnam veteran Jan Barry. |
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On Friday, September 7, Jan Barry, a former Montclair resident of 32 years and Vietnam veteran, visited Dana Calbi’s 6th grade Community Arts Class at Renaissance at Rand to discuss The Combat Paper Project, a national program for all war veterans in which uniforms are transformed into hand-made paper that become the foundation for personal printed images and words. Barry’s visitation which included a video, personal poetry readings and a presentation of handmade artworks coincides with two other Montclair events. One is the exhibition called, “War Torn” at Gallery U (179 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair) opens on Saturday, September 15. It includes artworks of veterans from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Somalia and runs through September 21. In addition, Montclair State University will host a Combat Paper workshop designed for military veterans who are Montclair State students, staff, faculty or alumni throughout the week of September 11 through 14.
Science teacher Todd Smith shared his personal account of working at Ground
Zero during the cleanup. Smith manned the Salvation Army tent to serve
refreshments to the firefighters, police, iron workers, and other people that
were exhausted from their cleanup efforts. He shared his journal and brought some artifacts from those
infamous days, and encouraged students to share their feelings.
Mount Hebron
Mount Hebron held a moment of silence during Homeroom Advisory. Students were asked to write a reflective note or to share something with the class that represents a lesson learned from the events of 9/11 such as how precious life is, how people support each other in difficult times, how important it is to vote for a leader we feel confident in, and etc. Individual classroom teachers integrated Patriot Day into their lessons.
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