Berlin Elementary School’s Kindergarten through 5th-grade Mountaineers came together at the beginning of November for a Character Education Assembly, celebrating peers who embody the monthly character trait and inspiring others to do the same!
The BES Mountaineers kick off each assembly by proudly reciting the Mountaineer Mantra, led by a grade level or club, filling the room with enthusiasm! At this month’s assembly on November 5, it was led by Mountaineers in the second grade class.
The character education assemblies are also the time to introduce a new trait, brought to life through skits, graphics, and guest speakers.
The Character Education Committee creative approach sparks excitement throughout the school. This month, the character education trait at BES is gratitude, a feeling of thankfulness for the good things in your life and showing that feeling. The committee’s shared community and school community members they are grateful for, with a special show of gratitude for the BES Food Service staff by presenting them with flowers and playing a special cafeteria trivia game put together by kindergarten teacher Mr. Dobbins. The game brought some fun to the Mountaineers in the audience and a big smile to Ms. Beth Oakes, who was in attendance. BES staff later presented Ms. Alisha Garhartt and Ms. Kelly Fink with flowers as a show of gratitude on behalf of the Mountaineers. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r15-wVesYsmyA4koC6L06VSVU_9XQWkC/view?usp=sharing
The character committee also shared ideas on how the Mountaineers could express their gratitude toward their community, especially our veterans, on Veterans Day and every day.
During the month of October, the character traits at BES were responsible and safe. Mountaineers who who had shown Safety and Responsibility over the last month were awarded with the monthly Character Counts award.
A Character Counts Award was announced for each classroom, and a special addition this year is that the BES Art, Music, and Physical Education teachers are awarding Character Count Awards to a student who goes above and beyond to model the monthly trait in their classes as well.
Congratulations to November’s Character Counts recipients!
Kindergarten: Aubree Bagley and Olivia Mosher
First Grade: Eloise Scanlon and Mackenzie Ryan
Second Grade: Addie Leonard, Eden Bourassa, and Ethan Vasilatos
Bright Stars: Athena Lemons
Shooting Stars: Emma Greeley
Third Grade: Finlei Sweeney and Christopher Houghtling
Fourth Grade: Athena Peterson and Mackenzie Faulkner
Fifth Grade: Grace Lanahan and Emma Hunt
Physical Education: Hunter Antini
Music: John Peterson
Art: Alayna Stevens
At Berlin CSD, attendance matters, and every day at school counts. Principal Cataldo’s new attendance initiatives this year emphasize this important message. The first initiative is the monthly Attendance Superstars! The class with the best attendance for the month is recognized, and its door is decorated to acknowledge its outstanding attendance.
Congratulations to November’s Attendance Superstars: Mr. Bourquard’s 3rd-grade Mountaineers!
The second initiative involves a large jar in the main hallway of BES, which will be filled each time a class has perfect attendance. This month, the attendance jar overflowed with apples, and an impromptu dance party was announced by Mrs. Cataldo. See the video below with an important message about attendance from BCSD Superintendent Mr. Rizzo, who was a special guest during the BES attendance dance party.
Remember, every day counts, Mountaineers, and you never know when or what the celebration will be!
Being a Mountaineer means being responsible, safe, and respectful. Each month, merits are awarded by BES staff and bus drivers to celebrate students who demonstrate these traits. These students are given merits to be deposited in the Mountaineer Merit containers (K-2, 3-5, and bus merits) found in the main hallway. Principal Cataldo randomly draws ten merit recipients (five from kindergarten to second grade and five from third to fifth grade) and three from the bus merit container each month for recognition and a prize.
Before announcing the individual Merit winners Mrs. Cataldo announced that each month there is a staff member observing the assemblies for the class who is showing they are responsible, safe, and respectful during the assembly. Congratulations to the whole 2nd grade for being the class merit winners during the October assembly!
Congratulations to November’s Merit Winners!
Leo Deschaine, Sebastian Kaiser, Adalyn Stevens, Sophia Dunlop, Emmett DeShane, Clyne Capasso, Gemma Dunham, Noah Forrest, Christian Fontaine, and Jameson Bloomfield
Congratulations to November’s Bus Merit Winners!
Bus Merits: Savannah Schrump, Cora-Mae Dus, and Hunter Antini
During the assembly Principal Cataldo reminded the Mountaineers about the ‘We Deliver’ internal positive postcard program where students can send postcards internally to brighten someone’s day or send words of encouragement. Mountaineers can ask their teachers for postcards and more information.
Way to go, Mountaineers! Remember, this month’s character traits is Gratitude!</s