Concert caps off week of respect

VERNON — Kira Willey, a nationally known children’s songwriter, singer, author, and yoga/mindfulness instructor performed a concert at Cedar Mountain Primary School to culminate the school’s Week of Respect on Oct. 5.
Through Willey’s research, mindfulness and movement are scientifically proven to improve academic achievement, self-regulation, and students' interpersonal skills when utilized regularly in the classroom environment. Cedar Mountain Primary School teachers use mindfulness, brain breaks, and large, gross motor physical activities in the classroom to improve students' academic, social, and emotional experiences.
Willey and Friends performed for an exuberant audience of kindergarten and first-graders. During the two assemblies, students sang, danced, practiced yoga and breathing exercise breaks, and shared some ideas about respect and gratitude. Students and teachers were dressed in various colors to make a rainbow of colors during the assemblies for Cedar Mountain's Week of Respect celebration. This rainbow of people and balloons surprised Kira for her annual visit to the school. One of Kira's most famous songs is "Colors," which includes all the colors of the rainbow and feelings associated with the hues; a song that is beloved by the students of Cedar Mountain School and is used in various school counseling lessons by Mr. Brendan Maurice.
During the week of Oct. 5, the entire school community focused on being respectful and kind. Students celebrated a character education trait each day and listened to morning messages about respect, responsibility, fairness, being kind, and citizenship. Each day, students heard random acts of kindness performed by students of Cedar Mountain Primary School. Mr. Brendan Maurice, School Counselor, accepted so many random acts of kindness from the students of the building that he will be reading them for weeks to come to the student body.
These important character traits will be woven into future school counseling lessons throughout the school year.