After reading about the “hateful” acts against a synagogue in Portland recently, Ms. Cosgove’s reading classes wrote letters and created cards filled with messages of hope and kindness to send to Rabbi Herzfeld and his congregation. The students then created a large poster with these notes and cards and a large, golden Star of David.
The BMS Kindness Crew thanks Ms. Cosgove’s class for modeling what our schoolwide Kindness Initiative is all about.
Michael Chase at his “7 Choices” Kindness Presentation on January 16, 2009.
More pictures to follow!
At our “Kindness Assembly” on Friday, January 16th, Michael Chase explained to you the seven key choices we need to make to live a happy, kind life. These choices are
1) Responsibility…or victim
2) Forgiveness…or resentment
3) Wellness…or abuse
4) Dream big…or settle
5) A life of purpose…or life without meaning
6) True friends & positive relationships…or energy vampires
7) A life of kindness…or unkindness
Copyright 2007-2009, Michael J. Chase/The Kindness Center all rights reserved
Starting January 26th, Biddeford Middle School students will be encouraged to select one of the following acts of kindness to “commit” each week. (You may also have your own idea for an act of kindness!) Your advisory teacher will give you a “Log Sheet” each Friday to write down what you did that week and how it made you feel. Please do this for nine consecutive weeks! Have fun!
1) During the next snow storm, shovel your neighbor’s’ driveway before they come home.
2) Every day for a week, write down 10 things you are grateful for on one sheet of paper.
3) At the grocery store, go through the parking lot and put away carts and pick up trash.
4) For one week drink water instead of soda or other sugary drinks.
5) Create a list of 15 kind things you have done this year.
6) Compliment a different person each day for a week.
7) Spend time visiting an elderly person or write a letter to a grandparent who lives away.
Conserve energy at home all week by turning off lights, TV, computer, or anything not being used; encourage your family to do the same,
9) Make 7 kindness bookmarks using kind words and pictures and leave them in the library free to others to take.
10) Exercise each day for at least 30 minutes.
11) Make a new friend by talking to someone you have never spoken to before.
12) Write a letter to the mayor listing at least 3 ways to make the city of Biddeford a cleaner, friendlier, safer place.
13) For one week, do not watch TV; instead read a book or play non-electronic games
14) Leave notes for 10 different people telling them how special they are.
15) Smile and say “Thank you” to the bus driver all week (and hopefully ALWAYS).
16) Clean out all unused toys and clothes from your house and bring them to Goodwill.
17) Have a “Kindness Day” at home with your family. Everyone has to pick a different person in the family and do something nice for them that day.
18) Make a collage of all your favorite things by cutting out pictures, drawing, and writing kind words.
19) Babysit for free for someone who usually pays you or for someone who can’t afford to pay.
20) Write a letter to yourself and list 9 great things about yourself.
21) Clean and organize your entire room, and wash everything before putting it back in the proper place.
22) Collect non-perishable food items from your family and neighbors and deliver it to the Stone Soup food pantry on Main Street.
23) Surprise someone in your house with breakfast in bed; then clean up the kitchen.
24) Instead of junk food, have a healthy snack such as fruit, for one week,
25) Start recycling at your house (if you don’t already) by separating cans, plastic, paper, metal, cardboard, and bring it to the city garage once a month.
Here is an opportunity to give feedback to Michael, the KindnessCrew, and your peers about what you learned/how you felt about Friday’s “Kindness” presentation! We would like every student at BMS with computer access to respond! Thank you!
The LivingKindness Pledge
“During this day
I will choose kindness
In all that I think, say, and do.
I will be kind to myself.
I will be kind to others.
I will be kind to the earth.
By living kindness every day,
I create happiness in my life,
And in the lives of others.”
Courtesy of: www.thekindnesscenter.com
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“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.”
Sir James Barrie, author of Peter Pan
On Wednesday, December 17th, it snowed out until around 12:00 noon, leaving all the cars in the faculty/staff parking lot covered with about two inches of snow
Nearly 40 volunteers from the BMS Kindness Crew and Peer Helpers, assisted by Michael J. Chase, Señorita Brazier, and Señor Sferes spent 30 minutes at the end of the school day clearing over over 100 cars! Thank you Kindness Crew! The following email from Mrs. Burke, our Library Ed Tech, reflected the appreciation and gratitude of the staff
Good afternoon, kind people,
I have had the opportunity to see many things in my life. I have stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon and seen its vast splendor. I have touched the granite foot of Abraham Lincoln as he sits in repose in the Lincoln Memorial. I have gazed at the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum and wondered of its secrets, but these pale in comparison to what I saw yesterday on the steps of Biddeford Middle School. I stood there and looked out over a parking lot full of cars that had just been completely brushed of the snow that had fallen upon them throughout the snowy day. I smiled then…and I am still smiling.
Well done you kind and faithful stewards of generosity and goodwill!
My very best…
Mrs. Burke in the library
Students assisting included Kassi Bailey, Taylor Billant, Ashley Bridges, Josh Brimecombe, Amber Brophy, Corey Brown, Jeanise Coleman, Corey Creeger, Isaiah Bruce, Casey Champagne, Zach Cotsis, Caleb Cyr, Kirsten Daley, Ryanne Desjardin, Jon Fields, Zoeii Fournier, Keeley Gendron, Zach Gregoire, Nicole Harlow, Josh Hauck, Courtney Heffernan, Alex Jeffers, Alison O’Connor, Rebecca Patoine, Savanna Prout, Erin Pirkola, Alexis Porier Delani Roy, Steven St. Ours, Jasper Sapa, Alexandrea Sidlik, Matt Stone, Jasmine Thompson, Bailey Thorne, Danielle Turner, Nick Webb and Bryson White.
come all and do the right thing
toys for tots sunday december 14, 2008
we are going to have a blast
wanna help the children be a nice elf
this great event takes place at the Rochambeau club 329 south street Biddeford Maine.
