The time-honored traditions that we practice at Concord Hill nurture a child’s sense of self and social responsibility.
We believe the fundamental values of respect and compassion start at the earliest ages and are learned through modeling and practicing small, everyday customs.
Our entire community of students, parents, teachers, and staff celebrate Concord Hill traditions—we look forward to them, enjoy being a part of them, and take pride in watching children become accustomed to these social experiences. Some of our traditions include:
Early Morning Handshakes
Every morning during carpool, our students practice greeting the adult who opens the car door or who is standing at the school entrance. The students are gently coached to stop, look the adult in the eye, and say “good morning” or “hello” while shaking hands.
Friday Morning Meetings
Our entire school community gathers every Friday morning to celebrate birthdays, sing songs, and watch special student performances. These gatherings also periodically welcome guest speakers who read stories or introduce topics related to upcoming activities, such as why we make sandwiches for Martha’s Table (an organization serving the less fortunate) or why we participate in the Walk for the Homeless.
Respectful Reminders
Respectful Reminders are written by our students during the first week of school each year and are posted in our hallways. These reminders introduce respect and empathy as important values.
The Respectful Reminders for 2011-2012 School Year are:
- Treat others the way you want to be treated. Be nice to your friends and respect everyone.
- Make eye contact and listen to others while they are speaking.
- Respect everyone’s personal space.
- Be respectful when other people make mistakes. We learn from mistakes.
- Be respectful to the other classes while they are working. Be quiet in the hallways.
- Include people in games and remember to be a good sport.
- Respect the environment inside and outside. Clean up after yourself.
- Have fun while you are being respectful!
Collaborative Art Projects
Students enjoy participating in collaborative art projects throughout the year. These projects have included a quilt woven with different pieces of fabric selected by each child at the school, single paintings created by small groups of children or by an entire class, and shadow boxes prepared by individual students used to show and discuss his or her unique heritage, personality, or experiences. Most recently projects have included butterfly mobiles and mosaic window borders which can be seen throughout our school.