The WAJ guidance program offers many opportunities for students and parents. This includes individual and group counseling, character education activities and classroom lessons, parenting classes, personal safety lessons, career education, college preparation and more.
Three months after accepting Rachel’s Challenge to start a chain reaction of kindness, students at the Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School are reaching out to help fellow peers and members of the community. WAJ is excited to have two new clubs this year: The Friends of Rachel for students in grades 7-12 and the Kindness and Caring Club for students in grades K-6. Each club is an off shoot of the character education program called Rachel’s Challenge and is coordinated by school counselor, Nicole Baldner. Rachel Scott was the first victim in the Columbine High School shooting. She believed in treating others with compassion and starting a chain reaction of kindness. The FOR Club and the KC Club work to support Rachel’s message and promote an atmosphere where every child and adult is accepted and treated with respect.
Students in the clubs belong to one of four chain reaction teams designed to plan activities throughout the school year to create a positive school climate. The Welcome Team is in charge of the New Student Program. These team members welcome new students and provide them with a goody bag full of school supplies and information about WAJ. They help new students feel comfortable and make sure they have someone to eat lunch with. High School members of the Welcome Team also volunteer their time once a month to sit with elementary students at breakfast. In addition the Welcome Team members serve as Peace Makers to help their peers solve minor conflicts in a peaceful manner.
The Appreciation Team has written thank you notes to every custodian and office worker at WAJ. They wanted to acknowledge all the hard work that goes into making our school run so smoothly. The Kindness Chain is the most popular activity that the Appreciation Team organizes. All K-12 students, faculty and staff may be recognized for a kind act at any time. The act is written on a chain link which is added to the Kindness Chain. The K-6 Kindness Chain currently runs the entire length of the main hall and is 698 links long! Two Middle school and high school students are recognized and rewarded at their monthly assembly for being kind.
Another group, The Service Project Team creates and organizes community service projects. So far, this team has sold Kindness Cards to raise over $300 to feed starving children, collected several boxes full of items for the MountainTop Adopt-a-Soldier Program, and made Thanksgiving Day cards for the residents of Eden Park Nursing Home. Next on the agenda: making Christmas ornaments for Eden Park and collecting items to support the Mountaintop Friends of Animals organization.
Recently, the A-OK Team organized a Mix It Up at Lunch Day during all K-12 lunches. This activity involves seating students at random to break up cliques and encourage students to sit with someone new. It is another way that club members can ensure that no one sits along. There was music, games, prizes and a good time had by all.
Please see the WAJ weekly newsletter for more ongoing events in guidance.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me at 734-3400 ext. 1116 or email me at nbalder@wajcs.org.
Nicole Baldner
Elementary Counselor
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