Each year during October, which is National Bullying Prevention Month, Washington Street School hosts a fun, themed “It’s Always Cool to Care at WSS” Spirit Week to teach students about the importance of kindness and anti-bullying.

This year, Spirit Week was held from Oct. 15-18. Though schools were closed on Monday the 14th for Columbus Day, students were still encouraged to kickstart their week of caring. They were asked to be kind to a family member and to share a picture of their “random act of kindness” to the school’s X (formerly known as Twitter) page.

The in-school festivities kicked off on Tuesday with a wild west-themed “We’re Wild About Caring!” day, and students and staff dressed as cowboys and cowgirls. On Wednesday, for “WSS Has Spirit!” day, everyone wore the school colors of blue and gold. Also on Wednesday, students surprised their teachers with “you are amazing because...” messages. Students and staff came to school in their comfy pajamas, ready for Thursday’s “Say Goodnight to Bullying.” Spirit Week concluded with “Think Pink” on Friday, tying in kindness with the school’s recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

In addition to the themed days, the mental health support staff have been conducting age-appropriate workshops on the school’s “Buddy Bench'' initiative, bully-proofing the building and Erin’s Law on “Trusted Adults.” Students have also read books on the rules on the playground and learned a new “Buddy Bench” song in music, making this a multidisciplinary approach to teaching kindness throughout the building.

Date Added: 10/21/2024