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Morning Program helps K-2 students in Fort Plain
start day on positive note
Every morning, the kindergarten through second
grade teachers at Harry Hoag Elementary help start their students’
day on a positive not e.
Around 8 a.m., the students and teachers file
into the gym to participate in the district’s Morning Program, where
students sing songs, learn positive values, and receive curriculum
reinforcement. And at usually happens in front of about 30 parents.
The program started about 15 years ago and
lasts for about 30 minutes each day. Although it constitutes a small
part of the day, staff members praise its very positive results.
“The program teaches our students how to be an
audience and how to participate,” said second grade teacher Susan
Ponticello. “They have fun, but they also learn about respect,
patriotism, bus and fire safety, math, listening, and sign language.
“It helps the kindergartners a lot too. The
kids have seen me and all the other teachers (in K-2) and it takes
away the anxiety of not knowing who we are.”
The 12 teachers in K-2 meet monthly to discuss
what they want to include in the program and a different teacher
acts as the emcee each month. The program features a daily routine –
including a joke, weather and calendar reading, and birthday
announcements – but each day includes various activities from book
sharing to creating crafts.
Ms. Ponticello said parents have recognized
the positive aspects of the program during a past survey, which
include:
Each teacher also picks a “student of the
week” who speaks to the audience using a microphone. This year, the
teachers also included a character trait of the month to focus on.
For September, it’s “respect.”
“We like to do activities with the students
and our student of the week will read something on how to show a
teacher respect,” said first grade teacher Libby Arndt.
“In October, we’ll be collecting canned foods
for the flood victims in Schoharie County and around the holidays,
we’ll do a food drive and the kids will color placemats for people
in nursing homes. We always try to build citizenship and a sense of
community.”
Fort Plain Superintendent Douglas C. Burton
said instilling positive values in young students is vital and says
the Morning Program is one of the district’s points of pride.
“You don’t find many morning programs like
this in districts around the area and we’re very proud of the effect
it has on students,” he said. “They learn basic values and it’s
something the parents can see with their own eyes.”
Mrs. Arndt echoed that sentiment.
“On Fridays, the kids can introduce a parent
or guest, and that helps build a community with the people in Fort
Plain,” she said.
“It’s a nice way for parents to be a part of
the school day.”
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