Midnapore School embraces a Safe and Caring school environment. As a school community we work collaboratively in creating conditions that promote the Virtues: Respect, Empathy, Accountability, Cooperation and Honesty - Reach.
Students, staff and parents view Midnapore School as a safe and caring environment in which to work and learn. Students believe they have a voice in making the school a great place to learn.
School Staff and Focus
Literacy is the basis for all learning and will be integrated and continued throughout all subject areas. Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to learn and share their understanding. The staff at Midnapore School are devoted to helping students master the literacy skills required for 21st century success.
At Midnapore School technology tools and software are used to provide students with innovative and creative ways in which to learn and demonstrate their learning. Technology (ICT) outcomes are part of all curricular areas so the use of technology is embedded in student learning. Assistive technologies are additional technology tools accessed by students to support learning styles.
All teachers participate in promoting physical activity through daily physical education classes and through active play during recess and lunch recess.
Start Smart Stay Safe: Positive Relationships
As children grow, they have more opportunities and freedom; friends come to have a greater influence on children’s lives. We can help prepare children for that independence by helping them gain a sense of belonging through positive relationships. Start Smart Stay Safe (S4) uses a strengths-based approach to support children, families, and communities to enhance their resiliency to develop healthy relationships.
Friends are an important part of growing up; they provide us with a sense of belonging and significance, which help us feel loved and show us that our choices matter. However, it is important that these peer relationships are built upon positive communication and mutual support.
In order to make sure children develop healthy relationships, adults can model the positive behaviours that make up healthy relationships.
Some things families can do to demonstrate these behaviours are: communicating positive messages, identifying children’s strengths and talents, and help-ing children develop positive conflict resolution skills like:
Teaching them that it’s ok to allow for a cooling down period
- Talking through the situation with your child first and encouraging them to talk the situation over with the person they had the disagreement with to develop solutions to the problem
- Encouraging honesty
- Reminding your child to try to understand his or her friend's perspective
- Reminding your child that it’s ok to disagree, but to respect other’s opinions
- Discussing the importance of apologies and forgiveness
Families play a key role in helping children build a sense of significance so that they feel they belong and understand what makes up a healthy relationship; when they are able to recognize what positive relationships look like, they are better able to satisfy their need to belong in a healthy way.
To find out more about what Start Smart Stay Safe does to support children in developing healthy relationships, or to find out more about Start Smart Stay Safe, go to www.mtroyal.ca/wellbeing or email kduke@mtroyal.ca.
