This month's community meeting theme was "Service Learning." One of the NPS District Goals is to promote Community Service Learning. In the fall, each grade level at Newman chose a project to work on that would allow students to be "of service." Projects have ranged from 1st graders learning about and teaching others the meaning of our Core Values (CARES--Cooperative, Active, Respectful, Engaged and Successful) to our 3rd graders creating paper "pansy" appreciation gifts to the school community as they study Needham history (the pansy is the official flower of the town). Allowing students the opportunity and format to determine how they can be of service and watching them engage in this meaningful work has been an amazing experience. We often forget how much we can do as individuals to give back to others. Our Newman student council has been engaging in these discussions regularly and has been reading the book "Pay It Forward" by Catherine Ryan Hyde. This young adult version of the popular novel turned film has created rich dialogue about how one child was able to have powerful influence in his world which then influenced those around him. Teaching our children the importance of service and giving them the responsibility of caring for another is a life changing experience that shapes who they are and how they will take care of the world as adults. Thank you for your support of this important learning goal!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Peterson
"...you don't need much to change the entire world for the better. You can start with the most ordinary ingredients. You can start with the world you've got."
--Catherine Ryan Hyde, Pay It Forward
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