Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School Honors Anniversary of September 11

Students at Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School recently took part in age-appropriate lessons and activities to reflect on the events of September 11, 2001, and explore themes of remembrance, resilience, hope, and the importance of working together. Throughout the building, teachers incorporated a variety of books, videos, discussions and collaborative projects to help students learn about September 11 in ways that were appropriate for their grade levels.

“September 11 is an important part of our nation’s history, and we want our students to understand its significance in a way that is meaningful and comprehensible for their age,” said Dr. Jean Marie D’Aversa, Principal of Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School. “Through these lessons, our students had the opportunity to reflect on themes of resilience, hope, and compassion while learning about the importance of coming together as a community.”

All third-grade students participated in a memorial chain project, creating links in memory of those who lost their lives on September 11. The collaborative project provided students with an opportunity to come together as a grade level while reflecting on the importance of remembrance.

Students in Ms. Bergano and Ms. Baader’s third- and fourth-grade classes viewed educational videos about September 11 and participated in a read-aloud of This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth by Sean Rubin. Students also learned about Ms. Baader’s personal experiences in the military and her visit to the World Trade Center two years before the attacks. Following the lessons, students explored the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s Survivor Tree Leaves of Hope activity, creating their own messages of hope and reflection.

In fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms, Ms. Ott and Ms. Molinaro’s students watched a BrainPOP lesson about September 11 and read The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. Students discussed the importance of working together and then collaborated to create a large American flag to display in their classroom. The flag will serve as a reminder of the strength and accomplishments that can come from working together.

Fifth-grade students in Ms. Volk’s class watched a reading of 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy and completed a related activity, using the story to further explore themes connected to compassion, unity and community. Meanwhile, Ms. DeFrank and Ms. Muratore’s fifth-grade students also read This Very Tree and discussed themes of resilience, hope, peace, and rebuilding. Each student wrote a personal message of hope on a leaf, which will become part of a classroom tree representing the collective thoughts and reflections of the class.

Through these lessons and activities, Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School students were given opportunities to learn about an important moment in American history while focusing on age-appropriate themes of compassion, perseverance, unity, and hope.

“The variety of lessons taught at Laddie Decker is just one example of the many meaningful ways our District reflected on the significance of September 11,” said Dr. Marc Ferris, Superintendent of Schools. “Throughout our schools, students and staff took time to honor those who lost their lives, remember the heroes and first responders who answered the call, and learn about the lasting impact of this day on our nation and our community. It is our responsibility to ensure that these stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience continue to be remembered and shared with future generations.”