Stuffed Animals Add To Montville Schools' Character Education programs.

This month, several #OneMontville Montes; bears who will travel to grades Pre-K to eight, began their journeys through the classrooms of Montville Township Public Schools. Their goal is to help students share thoughts on kindness and respect.

As part of the #OneMontville initiative to promote kindness and respect throughout the Montville, Pine Brook and Towaco communities, the journals and bears will visit classes in all five of the district’s elementary schools, as well as Robert R. Lazar Middle School. Monte will provide students with an opportunity to discuss the climate and culture of the entire Montville Township community; both in and out of school.

“I think the words of children are very, very powerful,” said Superintendent Dr. René Rovtar when she introduced #OneMontville Monte to the #OneMontville Committee on Monday, December 7, 2015.

The Superintendent explained that, along with a journal, Monte will circulate through the district between December and the end of the school year.

“Students and teachers can write, share pictures, and communicate through Monte in terms of respect,” Rovtar noted. “This is a time for kids to be able to contribute to the collection of thoughts of respect and acceptance in town.”

The #OneMontville climate and culture committee brings together a team of Montville Township’s students, faculty, administrators, clergy, business owners, parents and politicians. #OneMontville is dedicated to building a stronger community of respect through kindness and understanding.

The committee is developing activities, programs, campaigns, and opportunities for the Montville Community to come together in support of kindness and respect for all individuals. The hashtag #OneMontville is incorporated in the movement’s name, students and adults are encouraged to post photos of kindness in action to the movement’s Facebook page, businesses and organizations are asked to share messages of #OneMontville respect and kindness, the Montville Township High School Student Activities Committee is also promoting respect and kindness, and Montville Township Public Schools have launched the United Way’s Youth Empowerment Alliance (YEA) School Culture and Climate Initiative.

YEA is a partnership of United Way, the College of St. Elizabeth, the Atlantic Healthcare System and Montville Township Public Schools. The aim of the initiative is to work with each individual school to gather data from students, faculty, and staff members, as well as parents, to review perceptions about the school climate and culture.

Over the past several weeks, all students and staff took school specific surveys to assess the climate and culture within their building. Parents also had an opportunity to participate in surveys about the climate and culture.

Additionally, this month #OneMontville Monte will begin his seven month exploration of six of Montville’s public schools.

During the December #OneMontville meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Andrea Woodring, and Leslee Scheckman, the district’s Director of Guidance, also provided an overview of the instruction and activities within Montville Township Public Schools which address character education and cultural awareness.

Currently Montville Township Public Schools teach over fifty curriculum units regarding acceptance and the celebration of all individuals regardless of religion, race, sex, culture, heritage, socio-economic or academic standing, sexual orientation, special needs, or any characteristic that could be perceived as different by anyone. These topics are explored through the lens of history, literature, world languages, physical education, and other subject areas.

Another eighty-five extracurricular activities focus students, and often the extended community, on acceptance, kindness and respect. A few of the activities include: Veteran’s Day and other remembrance events, friendship chains, a senior citizen prom, Buddy Benches, food and clothing drives, Earth Day initiatives, educational support for students and others in need, girl empowerment clubs, health care assemblies, R.E.A.C.H. and peer mediation programs, Drug Awareness activities, anti-violence assemblies and workshops, and Red Ribbon Week observances.

All seven district schools highlight the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Throughout Montville Township Public Schools, each of the district’s 4,000 pre-K to twelfth grade students participate in extensive and award-winning character education programs.

Still, at an October meeting with some MTHS students, Rovtar noted that several said that they have witness prejudice in adults, and shared concerns that many parents have attitudes that reflect prejudice or discrimination.

“Students indicated that they feel absolutely powerless to challenge these thoughts that adults have,” Rovtar said.

The students also indicated that they feel that observing these attitudes does have an impact on the attitudes that students develop and exhibit.

Spearheaded by Montville Township Public Schools Superintendent Dr. René Rovtar, the goal of #OneMontville Monte is the just one of many upcoming educational opportunities for building a community of respect. It is a goal of the #OneMontville Committee for all residents to feel accepted and celebrated by the #OneMontville community.

CAPTION (photo by Sue Marinello)

Superintendent Dr. Rene Rovtar of the Montville Township Public Schools introduced a team of #OneMontville Monte’s to the #OneMontville Committee on Monday, December 7, 2015. Traveling with journals, the bears will visit all Pre-K to eighth grade classrooms within Montville Township. Students and staff are encouraged to write about and share pictures and photos of kindness.