Haddam Elementary School

 

Dear HES Families,

Today your child attended an assembly to kick off a new character development program called Bucket Filling. Dr. Harris read a book called "Have you filled a bucket today?" Bucket filling as an easy to understand concept: Everyone carries an invisible bucket that holds our good thoughts and feelings.  When our buckets are full, we feel happy and when our buckets are empty, we feel sad.  Children quickly understand that they can fill buckets when they do and say things that are kind, considerate, caring and respectful.  They also learn that when they are mean, inconsiderate, uncaring, or disrespectful, they dip into buckets and remove those good feelings.  Even the youngest child understands that actions and words can either fill a bucket or dip into it.

During the school year we are encouraging, reminding, and recognizing everyone's efforts to be bucket fillers at home, at school, and everywhere they go.  When a staff member observes a bucket filling behavior, they will fill out a star with the students name on it and the reason they are being recognized.  The star will then go in a bucket in the main office where it will be entered into a lottery drawing at the end of the month for a special ice cream party.  Every week the stars will be put up in the cafeteria on our bucket fillers wall.  Every student who receives a star will be recognized during the week by being called to the office during morning announcements and have their picture taken to put up on a bulletin board.  They will also receive a bucket filling pencil.

We are excited about this new program and look forward to your support.  Each month we will focus on a specific theme, starting with Respect for the month of October.  We will notify you the theme of the month by posting it in the monthly bulletin.  You will also see posters around the building with examples of how to exemplify that specific theme. 

 If you would like to learn more about bucket filling, visit the bucket fillers website, www.bucketfillers101.com.   Please feel free to call Stacey Mahoney,  345-4551 with any questions or concerns.

 Sincerely,

The Bucket Fillers Team

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

- Helen Keller

 

 


Dr. Janice Harris

Principal

Haddam Elementary School