Berlin Elementary students came together for an assembly on Friday, September 8 to celebrate the start of a new school year. Students learned about the school symbol mountaineer and what it means to be a Berlin Mountaineer.

Principal Tracy Kent described how a mountaineer is responsible, safe and respectful.

“Acting like a true mountaineer happens on the bus, in the cafeteria, the hallways, the bathroom, in classrooms, at recess, at assemblies and when you arrive and leave school,” said Kent.

During the assembly students were introduced to VOICE LEVELS. These voice levels will be used in all places and by all staff at BES.

Level 0 – silence
Level 1 – whisper
Level 2 – talking (as if you were talking to a neighbor)
Level 3 – presentation (in a teacher voice)
Level 4 – stadium

Kent said, new this year is any time a student is caught showing these character traits, they will be awarded a Mountaineer Merit. These merits will go into a giant fish bowl and each month 10 students will be chosen for a reward.

Each month elementary students will come together and work on how they can be responsible, safe and respectful throughout school. At the October assembly, students will talk about being a mountaineer and what it looks like to be responsible, safe and respectful on the bus and when they arrive and leave school.

The assembly concluded with students chanting the new Mountaineer Mantra:

Mountaineers are WE
RESPONSIBLE, SAFE, RESPECTFUL!

Berlin Students all agree
RESPONSIBLE, SAFE, RESPECTFUL!

We climb, we climb, we climb
RESPONSIBLE, SAFE, RESPECTFUL!

WE do it every time
RESPONSIBLE, SAFE, RESPECTFUL!