An action that we have taken to support our school’s learning focus is:
Engaging students in two connected, community-building literacy experiences during the month of February. As part of Black History Month, we selected a text from our school library where students can see themselves represented. Two buddy classes read I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James. Students worked together to create a collaborative heart filled with words representing the positive qualities each student brings to our community. We were delighted to have our Assistant Superintendent, Ms. Braunwyn Thompson, join us for this lesson!

The learning experience was extended school-wide through our Family Teams Pink Shirt Day “Community of Kindness” activity the following week, where students explored belonging through storytelling, discussion, and the creation of a collaborative “Friendship Fruit Salad” bowl.

This action supports our school’s learning focus in the following ways:
Both experiences intentionally connected literacy learning with belonging.

During the buddy reading of I Am Every Good Thing, students engaged in discussions about identity, self-worth, and positive contributions. The text provided descriptive vocabulary and affirming language that supported oral language development, comprehension, and reflective thinking. Students then contributed descriptive words to a collaborative heart and reflected on how every individual brings their strengths and talents to our community. Working in buddy classes helped to strengthen cross-grade relationships, built leadership opportunities, and fostered a safe space for discussion.

This learning connected to our school-wide Pink Shirt Day Family Teams activity. Students gathered in multi-age groups to explore the question: 

What does it mean to be involved in a Community of Kindness? 

Through viewing and discussing Stone Soup retold by Heather Forest, students practiced critical thinking, listening comprehension and vocabulary development. Group discussions using guiding questions encouraged students to define community and identify ways they contribute positively to others.

The activity of creating a “Friendship Fruit Salad” symbolized that our school becomes a true community when each person adds their unique strengths. Students wrote a word on their fruit template representing what they bring to Talmey (e.g., kindness, respect, effort, joy) and collaboratively built a visual representation of their collective contributions. The earlier buddy heart activity deepened this understanding, as students had already reflected on their individual strengths before engaging in the whole-school experience.

Together, these literacy-rich activities supported reading comprehension, oral language development, vocabulary building, and reflective writing while also strengthening students’ sense of identity, connection, and shared responsibility. By linking diverse texts as part of Black History Month learning with Pink Shirt Day, we reinforced that belonging is rooted in recognizing and valuing every voice in our community.

Photo Highlights of the following are included:

-Buddy classes reading and discussing I Am Every Good Thing

-Collaborative heart display with student contribution words

-Family Teams gathered during Pink Shirt