Each spring the Wilton Special Education PTA, (Wilton SEPTA) sponsors Kindness, Inclusion and Diversity Awareness Month during the month of April, throughout the Wilton Public School District, to help encourage a culture of kindness, compassion and inclusion. As part of this promotion, events are usually held for families, in the community, and at all of the schools.
At Miller-Driscoll and Cider Mill Elementary Schools, students showed their support for kindness and inclusion by dressing up like bees for “Bee Kind” day on Tuesday, April 7. Parents submitted photos of their children along with their child’s thoughts about what kindness means to them.
This year there were many photo submissions across both Miller-Driscoll and Cider Mill Schools. SEPTA officials said they were both encouraged and inspired by the kindness of Wilton’s young learners. They randomly selected one student from each of the grades to share with the school community via GOOD Morning Wilton.
This year many of their costumes included “Bee Kind” T-shirts, which Wilton SEPTA sponsored as part of its annual fundraiser. All proceeds go directly toward supporting students, staff and families throughout the Wilton school community, including the teachers’ gifts and grants program, enrichment programming to support student social and emotional wellness, and parent education.
Organizers thanked all of the students that participated and showed their spirit for compassion, kindness and inclusion.
Wilton SEPTA is the student support services parent-teacher association created to build compassionate, trusting, and collaborative relationships within the school community. It is a dedicated group of educators, parents, and administrators from across the WPS district. SEPTA serves as a collaborative liaison between all four schools, with the philosophy that participation and representation on district and administrative committees and PTA boards give a voice to this student population’s unique social and learning needs. SEPTA supports community and family events, parent education, enrichment programming for all students, and a teacher gifts and grants program. Supporting diversity, inclusion, and kindness for all learners is at the core of the organization’s goals. For more information, visit the SEPTA website.
Here are the “Bee Kind” Random drawing selections from each grade and school:
Miller Driscoll Preschool: Bryce Forte
Teacher: Ms. Wade
“Being kind means being nice to people. It is kind to give flowers to someone. It is kind to save your friend’s spot at choice time when they go to the bathroom. It is kind to say please and thank you and to tell your family you love them. It is kind to help your mommy and daddy with laundry.”
Miller Driscoll First Grade: Mia Sain
Teacher: Ms. Pietrunti
“Helping those in need is an act of kindness! For example, giving a friend a Band-Aid when they get hurt! She also says, “cheering up someone when they are sad.”
Miller Driscoll Second Grade: Everly Thomas
Teacher: Ms. Miller
“Being kind means bringing peace to others”
Cider Mill Third Grade: Zachary
Teacher: Ms. Lovelace
To be kind means “to be thoughtful of others and to always help those in need”. He also says that it is about “saying nice words to encourage others to not be afraid to do things.”
Cider Mill Fourth Grade: Drew Melchionno
Teacher: Ms. McCusker
“I think kindness means being a friend to everyone, and making other people feel happy and included.”
Cider Mill Fifth Grade: Anaya Uttamchandani
Teacher: Mr. Gallo
“Being Kind means to help others, treat them with respect and be nice.”