Since our Professional Learning Day on January 2022, we sought feedback from our staff, students, and families to decide on language that builds on our common values as a community.  Using the values from the Richmond School District’s Strategic Plan, it was clear from the parent feedback that Respect, Acceptance, and Curiosity were the most common values.  During our Intermediate Assembly and Primary Physical and Health classes, students named kindness as the most common word to describe what they would like DeBeck to look like, sound like and feel like. Students also shared their desire to learn more about friendships, and how to make connections with each other at school.

At our Professional Learning Day on Friday, May 20th, the staff viewed all of the feedback, and decided that “Kindness Connects Us” was common language that encompassed the most common values from the feedback. Kindness Connects Us is easily understood by all members of our community. In this process, we have also received feedback from families wondering why this needed to happen. We need to look at common language that is relevant and meaningful for our community, which also helps us work together in helping all of us manage our mental health and anxiety during difficult times. We have seen an increase in how many children are struggling with managing their feelings and emotions at DeBeck, which is having an impact on student learning. Our goal is to all work together so that everyone feels safe, welcome, and cared for at school. We believe that our new common language will be a great foundation in helping us work toward that goal.

Our next steps are to begin the 22/23 school year with school-wide activities that will work on building community at DeBeck and help students develop more trusting relationships at school.