Pioneer program builds character, teaches respect
Published: August 13, 2005
PIONEER ELEMENTARY students are giving peace a chance through a unique character education program that is growing in popularity.
The Pioneer Peace Program started last year when the Brentwood campus opened and is continuing this academic year with sponsorship from the parents’ club. With a mission aimed at treating others with respect, the program theme for this month is “the chair of respect,” which is based on the importance of listening to, assisting and including everyone by being a good friend.
Last Tuesday, students in each grade attended the first monthly assembly for the program in the new school year. A San Francisco-based organization called Soul Shoppe facilitates the program by telling stories, performing role playing exercises and modeling strategies for the student body.
“It is a way to build a school community that is more inclusive of students and just supportive of everyone,” school counselor Helen Pursell said. “I think a big push for them is that no one should be left out and everyone should feel welcome and have a place in the school community.”
The program also stresses positive communication and gives faculty, staff and students the same vocabulary to communicate about these topics. The program will soon include a conflict management aspect called the Peacemaker Program.
“It is unique in that we have the monthly assemblies plus they provide curriculum and teachers have activities to prepare the kids for the assembly,” Pursell said.
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