At St. Luke Nepean, students are learning more than just the ABCs they're building important life skills to help them navigate the challenges of school and beyond. As part of our on-going Strategic Commitments initiative, Be Well, St. Luke's Vice-Principal, Ryan Byrne, has been working with Jess Amato from Platform to Play to teach students skills aimed at reducing bullying and interpersonal conflict during recess.
Jess Amato from Platform to Play is a recreational therapist and community developer who specializes in using sports, recreation, and play to help individuals and communities reach their highest potential. Platform to Play works closely with schools to create a culture of play, supporting staff and guiding positive change throughout the school environment.
This initiative focuses on helping students gain perspective, manage their responses, and understand the importance of not trying to control others. Building on this foundation, they introduced the 3Rs (Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Resilient) and Mistake Magic (Own It, Fix It, Learn from It, Move On) tools that students can use to handle situations in a positive way.
To bring these teachings to life, St. Luke Nepean hosted a door-decorating contest focused on raising awareness of the 3Rs and Mistake Magic. Over the past two weeks, students brainstormed and planned how to decorate their classroom doors, showcasing examples of these values along with class slogans that highlight how they can be respectful, responsible, and resilient both in the classroom and during recess.
Each morning, the school featured a "Door of the Day" during announcements, celebrating students' creative efforts while reinforcing the importance of the 3Rs. This daily spotlight sparked excitement and engagement throughout the school.
On Friday, February 7, votes were submitted for the most creative and meaningful designs in the primary and junior classrooms. The winning doors will be turned into posters and displayed throughout the school to remind everyone to practice these positive behaviours, both in the yard and the classroom. This initiative perfectly aligns with our Spiritual Theme for the year "Open Doors."
The winning designs were chosen for their creativity and meaningful representation of the 3Rs and Mistake Magic. In the Primary division, Ms. Lawrence's Grade 2 class won with their "Reach for the Stars!" theme, featuring a space-themed door with a rocket ship powered by Responsibility, Respect, and Resilience, and stars representing ways to demonstrate these qualities. In the Junior division, Ms. Rizzo and Ms. Sunderland's Grade 5 co-teaching classes collaborated on two themed doors entitled The Triple Rizz Crew "Captain Confidence" and "Wisdom Warrior" and "Problem Solver," highlighting leadership, perseverance, and the power of learning from mistakes.
As we approach OCSB Kindness Week from February 17-21, 2025, this project highlights the power of kindness, respect, and responsibility in creating a positive school environment. It also reminds us that small acts of kindness and understanding can have a big impact on our community.
Looking ahead, the student council will be surveying students to explore new recess activities, including Giant Jenga, Giant Connect Four, and Noodle Hockey. With the support of the PALS group (recess peer helpers), they will organize these games while using the 3Rs and Mistake Magic tools to manage minor conflicts and encourage positive interactions.
At St. Luke Nepean, students are not only decorating doors they're building a foundation for lasting relationships and learning to be leaders of respect and resilience. This is just one of the many ways the OCSB students are engaging with the values that help create a community where kindness thrives.
Get ready to join us for Kindness Week next week! Stay tuned for more details.
