Week Of 'Extra' Respect In Westfield Public Schools

WESTFIELD, NJ - As public school districts across New Jersey observed the Week of Respect from Oct. 7-11, students and staff in the Westfield Public Schools participated in many lessons and activities emphasizing the meaning of respect and the different ways people show it.

“Respect is something we practice daily in Westfield Public Schools,” said Superintendent Dr.
Margaret Dolan. “So we call this week the ‘Week of Extra Respect.’”

Whether passing a ball along with a kind word during the “Compliment Game” in a preschool
class or creating graphic designs to promote tolerance in a Comparative Religions course at
Westfield High School, the focus was on kindness, empathy, responsibility, fairness and other
demonstrations of good character.

McKinley School librarian/media specialist Stacey Derector teamed up with school counselor
Marybeth Herits to read "Strictly No Elephants," a fictional story of inclusion by Lisa Mantchev,
before encouraging students to move around the tables, reading pre-written scenarios to decide
whether they were respectful or not during an exercise called the “Respect Scoot Game.”

At Wilson School, principal Joseph Malanga and school counselor Frank Uveges reviewed the
school’s Code of Conduct and treated first graders to a reading of “One,” a picture book by
Kathryn Otoshi that uses colors and numbers to tackle the issue of bullying. And the focus was
on kindness through reading, art, and music lessons at Washington School that included the
catchy tune “Kindness is a Muscle.”

Tamaques School hosted “Dr. Recess” who demonstrated cooperative games to foster
inclusion, safety and fair play, while Franklin held its annual Character Education assembly,
donning colorful shirts based on the Six Pillars of Character, singing the “Character Tango” and
reviewing “The Seven Habits of Happy Kids” by Sean Covey.

There were themed clothing days across the district, including mismatched clothing at Jefferson
School to reinforce respect for differences. Morning announcements at Edison and Roosevelt
Intermediate Schools had students reflecting on what respect and good character mean to them
while both schools focused on self-awareness, relationship skills and other aspects of Social
and Emotional Learning (SEL). In classrooms at Westfield High School, lessons reinforced
understanding and respecting cultural differences, examining global perspectives,
sportsmanship and respectful play in physical education, and other reflections on the meaning
of respect.

“These are just a few of the many activities taking place across the district during the Week of
‘Extra’ Respect,” said Dolan. “I am thankful that we have so many caring teachers,
administrators, and other staff who model respectful behavior every day and who are committed
to providing for both the academic and emotional well-being of their students.”

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