News and Events

April Events

The Middle School Peer Leaders visited Bedwell on April 10th! Their lessons focused on considering more than one way of understanding a behavior, event, or situation. Perspective taking is an essential skill for problem solving; students who are able to understand and accept classmates who behave or think differently than they do are better able to respect and avoid conflicts.

March Events

March classroom lessons focused on teaching students strategies for bringing a gentle, accepting attitude to the present moment. The award-winning book, What Does It Mean To Be Present? written by Rana DiOrio and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, reinforced what it means to be mindful or to be in the present moment, and gave students a foundation from which to make connections to their own lives. Students learned that being present in the moment is about listening to yourself and others, focusing on the now, being grateful, and learning from mistakes. It is also about slowing down to focus on the beauty that surrounds us each and every day.

February Events

Bedwell welcomes Officer Potts! We are very excited to have Special Officer Richard Potts visiting our school on a regular basis. School and community leaders agree that by reaching out to elementary school children, law enforcement officers can plant the seeds for a positive relationship with students in the future.

January Events

Calm Classrooms

Thanks to a generous grant from the Somerset Hills Education Foundation, each classroom at Bedwell School is the proud owner of a Hoberman sphere with which students are learning how to take "brain breaks" to increase focus and attention and reduce stress. . According to Amy Saltzman, a researcher of mindfulness education, "One of the primary ironies of modern education is that we ask students to “pay attention” dozens of times a day, yet we never teach them how.” Engaging in deep belly breathing can increase focus and attention, improve pro-social behavior, enhance daily happiness, and increase levels of calm while decreasing stress and anxiety. From a neurological or physiological perspective, deep belly breathing slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and sharpens the mind’s ability to focus and learn by slowing down the amygdala and supporting the higher brain function taking place in the frontal lobes. One of the other benefits of deep belly breathing is the control it gives participants over their emotions, their learning, and their own lives. When students slow and organize their breathing, they are able to pay attention and complete learning tasks more readily.

Include Me!

Melinda Jennis of Pathways for Exceptional Children (https://pathwayskids.org/) returned for the fourth year in a row to deliver sensitivity training to all third grade students. Her message, that it is essential for students of all abilities to develop a sense of belonging and a strong foundation of value and self worth, is delivered through a “children-teaching-children” mentoring model. When kids teach and mentor other children, the value given to both is priceless.

December Events

I AM Project

The "I AM" project at Bedwell gave students an opportunity to consider who they are and what qualities make them unique. It allowed them to let their peers know who they really are, while promoting acceptance and appreciation for the distinctive qualities that they each possess. “I AM” helped them to see past what they thought they knew about each other, find common ground, and celebrate each other’s differences.

Bedwell's Chain Gang!

Every Friday, fourth grade Chain Gang members come to the counseling office to staple the week's links into our ever growing "chain of good deeds" making its way through the halls of Bedwell!

NOVEMBER EVENTS

Bullying, Part 2
November classroom lessons focused on how to respond when you think you're being bullied, what to do if you see someone else being bullied, and why bullying is so damaging. Bedwell students learned that every time a hurtful comment, gesture, or act is directed at someone, it's as if that person's heart gets wrinkled. Even if the person doesn't show that they've been hurt on the outside, on the inside it's a different story. No amount of after-the-fact apologies can ever smooth out the wrinkles caused by acts of unkindness. Nobody has the right to wrinkle another person's heart!

October Events

Red Ribbon Week 10/16-10/20

Red Ribbon Week was begun in response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena in 1985. Parents and children in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the destruction caused by drugs in America. At Bedwell, we recognize Red Ribbon Week as an opportunity to educate and support students in the decision making process necessary to make good choices in all aspects of their lives.

Week of Respect 10/2-10/6

New Jersey has designated the first week of October as a “Week of Respect”. During this week at Bedwell, all students received age-appropriate instruction focusing on the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and bullying. In addition, students were invited to create a "Rachel's Challenge" poster, showing how we create a chain of good deeds at Bedwell.

September Events
Start Your Own Chain Reaction!

Now in its fifth year, our Rachel's Challenge anti-bullying initiative got off to a great start on September 19th when all Bedwell students were reminded of the importance of "using kind words, doing nice things, including others, and starting your own chain reaction" at our Character Education kick-off assembly. The Rachel's Challenge program provides a sustainable, evidence-based framework for creating a positive climate and culture in schools. We believe that for the past four years, Rachel's Challenge has resulted in a safer, more emotionally connected atmosphere at Bedwell, where kindness and respect prevail.

Rachel’s Challenge encourages students to start a chain reaction of compassion by acting with kindness, choosing positive influences, and looking for the best in others. Students who are caught in the act of demonstrating positive behavior receive a paper chain link describing their act. Their link gets deposited into a grade-level jar in the Bedwell lobby. Each Friday, one link (two on Spirit Days!) is drawn from each grade-level jar during the morning announcements. Those students receive a "Caught in the Act" bracelet, have their picture displayed on the front lobby bulletin board, and help with the morning announcements the following week.

Switching from the laid-back fun in the sun of summer to rules, homework, and routines can be a big jump for parents and children alike, but with a little preparation and the right attitude it doesn’t have to be so hard. The transition can be made a lot easier by making a few simple preparations and easing into the routines that will allow your child to start the school year off on the right foot. The most important thing is to encourage a positive attitude about the new school year and routine, and start the first week off the way you want the year to continue.

Start Adjusting the Sleep Schedule
Many adults and children have different schedules during summer vacation than they do during the school year. Bedtimes and wakeup times creep later or simply become irregular. Two of the biggest keys to a student’s success, though, are getting enough sleep and sticking to a consistent routine, so now’s the time to ease into the new fall schedule. Slowly move bedtimes and wakeup times back to what they should be during the school year. You can do this gradually over one or two weeks. If meal times or other regular routines have changed over the summer vacation, reset those as well.

Get the School Supplies and Study Area in Order
Obtain the class supply list and take a special shopping trip with your child. Having the right tools will help her or him feel prepared. While keeping basic needs in mind, allow for a couple of splurges like a cool notebook or a favorite-colored pen. If you don’t have a homework area set up yet, or if it’s been overtaken with toys, now’s a good time to organize and personalize that area with your child. Hang a bulletin board up with the school calendar and room for other reminders, desk trays or folders for storing project work, and, of course, pencils and other writing tools.

Ease Back to School Jitters
If the first few days are a little rough, try not to over react. Young children in particular may experience separation anxiety or shyness initially but teachers are trained to help them adjust. If you drop them off, try not to linger. Reassure them that you love them, will think of them during the day, and will be back. Personal notes or a family photo in the lunch box or book bag can help a child who is worried about starting the year. Let your child know that it is natural to be a little nervous anytime you start something new but that your child will be just fine once he or she becomes familiar with classmates, the teacher, and school routine.

2017-2018 Bedwell Spirit Days