Spirit of respect running all year
November 24, 2019
Sixth grade students voted to write letters of repsect to various community members as their Week of Respect yearlong project. These students from Mrs. April Catuogno’s class display their letters to military men and women written in the month of November.
Students participated in various activities during the Week of Respect at Patrick M. Villano School. Respecting the school, community, and the environment were the focus each day.
“The lesson I learned is that people should stop doing bad things to the Earth,” Savannah Dennehy said.
Dennehy is a fifth-grade student at Patrick M. Villano School. She is one of thousands of school children across New Jersey who participated in the Week of Respect. According to a memo from the State of New Jersey Department of Education online, “The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (P.L.2010, c.122) requires that the week beginning with the first Monday in October of each year (October 7-11, 2019) be designated as the Week of Respect in New Jersey.”
“I hope that students show respect to all individuals and in all facets of their life,” Friedman said.
Kristy Freidman helped organize the Week of Respect. She is a basic skills teacher and anti-bullying specialist at P.M.V. School On the first day of Spirit Week, the students and staff wore blue to symbolize anti-bullying. Other days included wearing Cavo colors and sports jerseys to promote unity. Friedman explained her favorite part of the week.
“It was the assembly because we got to hear all of the class’s ideas on how we would show respect to others,” Friedman said.
At the schoolwide assembly on the last day of the week, students shared how their grade level would be respectful all year with a service project. For example, sixth-graders will be showing their respect for community members. Students wrote thank you cards to military servicepeople in November. The following month, a special breakfast with hot chocolate and donuts will be served to the school’s crossing guards.