Nature to walk in.
Uncles to visit.
Kisses goodnight.
Teachers who help me.
Love from my parents.
Firefighters who keep me safe.
These are just some of the sweet reflections on gratitude written by Jill Walsh’s second graders. The students identified several things they were thankful for, then stretched their thoughts. Using crayons and colored markers, they carefully wrote the nouns and modifying phrases on a template of turkey feathers.
A little behind the scenes help from Walsh turned the students’ expressions of gratitude into happy little 3D turkeys that are sure to decorate homes across South Salem and Vista!
While each class is engaged in age-appropriate learning about gratitude, one project has brought the entire Meadow Pond community together. It’s based on the November all-school read—"Our School Is a Family”—which highlights the community of adults, including school librarians, cafeteria workers and custodians, that help students each day.
After reading the book, students, teachers and even families wrote thank you notes to the adults at the Pond who help children each day. Hundreds of thank you notes were delivered!
School secretary Lynne Licht taped the thank you notes she received from students to her file cabinet. She read some of her favorites, including “I’m thankful for Mrs. Licht who greets me with a big smile every day” and “Thank you for telling the teachers if someone is absent or tardy so I have more time to have fun.”
“These notes made me very happy,” she said.
Students in Mrs. Walsh’s class echo the good feelings of thinking about thankfulness.
“I feel safe that people protect me,” said one student.
“I feel confident,” said another. “I feel thankful!”