September, 2020

On the first day of school, when the staff was together, we read the story “My Heart Fills with Happiness” by Monique Gray-Smith.  We then shared ideas of what makes us happy.  Some of our thoughts were:

My heart fills with happiness when I read to children.

My heart fills with happiness when I am in the garden. 

My heart fills with happiness when I am with my family. 

Each staff member then wrote their thought on a ribbon and tied the ribbon on one of the trees outside the school.  It was these ribbons that welcomed our students to school the next day.  During the next week, each teacher read this same book to their class.  The students then brainstormed ideas of what brought them happiness and wrote their message on a ribbon.  These ribbons were then tied onto tree branches for everyone to see. 

Because some of our students were learning from home, they were invited to do the same activity.  A package with a ribbon and instructions were sent home.  In this way, all our school community was connected through this shared experience. 

The following are some of our students’ thoughts:

I feel happy when I gather with friends.

I feel happy when I walk in the woods.

I feel happy when I am playing my guitar.

I feel happy when I spend time in nature. 

I feel happy when I choose what I like to do.

It came as somewhat of a pleasant surprise that this activity had a far-reaching community effect. Many days, in the late afternoon, as neighbours walked by, they stopped to read the messages that we had written.  As well, we shared this activity and book with a neighbouring school, Richmond Christian School.  We delivered a box of 400 ribbons complete with book and instructions for them to do.  In sharing our happiness thoughts and project with others, we discovered more happiness within.