The Daviess County Public Schools district is promoting a campaign to encourage kindness among students, staff, families and the community in February. #BeKindDCPS is designed to celebrate the many acts of kindness that take place across the district each day.
The campaign will include placement of yard signs on school campuses and throughout Daviess County. Students and staff members who are observed engaging in acts of kindness will be celebrated throughout the month in school and district communications.
The goal of #BeKindDCPS is to flood social media with posts, videos and messages focusing on positive acts of kindness, empathy and compassion in an effort to overcome the negative messages that can be so prevalent in those forums.
Copies of the book What Does It Mean to Be Kind? by Rana DiOrio are being distributed to DCPS schools, courtesy of an anonymous donor. Books will be used by counselors, members of the district mental health team, and Family Resource/Youth Service Center coordinators as a starting point for conversations about the many ways people of all ages can demonstrate kindness towards others – and why such acts are important.
Examples shared in the book include simple things like smiling at a new student in class or giving someone a genuine compliment. By nurturing an understanding that kindness is a gift anyone can give, DCPS officials hope this campaign will encourage everyone to be more thoughtful and aware of the power they possess in making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time.
“A single act of kindness, a positive interaction with another person, can change the trajectory of a person’s day,” said Dr. Amy Shutt, DCPS assistant superintendent for human services. “We have acts of kindness that occur in our schools on a daily basis. We want to intentionally celebrate kindness to help all of us grow and recognize the importance of the essential skills of empathy, compassion, and kindness for others. We are focusing on kindness in February, but we want to demonstrate the importance of this characteristic with a goal to see it radiate throughout our community and every day of the year.”
DCPS Superintendent Matt Robbins added, “There is nothing more powerful than seeing our district mission brought to life when kids put other kids first. Our schools remain committed to teaching not only academic skills, but also characteristics such as kindness and empathy that are essential elements of a truly successful life.”
