Milton Elementary students show support for first responders

First-grade students in the Spanish immersion program at Milton Elementary wrote thank-you letters to first responders in the local community during May.

“With the switch to remote learning, Señor Moreno and I wanted to collaborate even more than before to strategically plan learning opportunities for our students,” said Tracey Keller, first-grade teacher. “We wanted to provide engaging, fun activities and to be purposeful with our students’ learning in both languages and across the curriculum. It was also important for us to support families who, now more than ever, are our partners in education with remote learning, so we wanted to be sure not to overwhelm them with assignments.”

For this activity, the English writing task came from Milton Elementary’s kindness initiative through the Positive Behavioral Support program. Each week, Lisa Eline records a weekly challenge to all students and Principal Beth Conaway shares those challenges in her weekly newsletter. First-graders responded to the challenge of sharing messages with local businesses, police, firefighters, paramedics, nurses or doctors to let these workers know how proud the students are of them and how thankful they are for their service.

Students submitted their messages in a variety of ways. Some chose to write letters, some drew pictures, and some sent video recordings of their messages. 

“I was amazed at the responses that my students submitted,” said Keller. “It was truly a highlight for me and a special part of remote learning. I loved being able to connect with my students and families in a more personal way.”