Schools

A push for awareness, kindness and respect for students in West Hempstead

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The West Hempstead Union Free School District’s George Washington School has incorporated the importance of kindness, self-regulation and tolerance along with autism awareness with in-classroom lessons.

Social worker Elizabeth Lindner and guidance counselor Matthew Caruthers held push-in activities with classes during the week of April 8 to enhance the spotlight on Autism Awareness Month. When visiting classrooms, Lindner and Caruthers projected a poem on autism awareness written by a young girl named Bella. The poem acknowledges students with autism and how they may be different, but should be treated the same.

After reading the poem as a group, students answered questions to help analyze the meaning and purpose of Bella’s poem. The lesson highlights how George Washington has stressed the importance of kindness, self-regulation and tolerance of others.

Lindner and Caruthers will continue the year with further push-in lessons on accepting responsibility for one’s actions and conflict resolution.