Do we all remember kickball in Grade School? Or the worst "Dodgeball", I was not good at either, so pretty much I was the last one picked, and picked on. I have read that so many schools have banned both of these recess games. Even though, I hated both, I know it was a good way for kids to play together and become a team. (NOW anyway). Here is what (1) School did in Southeastern CT.

FROM THE NEW LONDON DAY PAPER:


Norwich — While schools across the state and the nation have banned kickball in an effort to cut down on recess injuries and aggressive behavior, Uncas Elementary School Principal Christie Gilluly had a different solution to the problem.

She turned it over to the fledgling student council last year to find a way to save the game and promote sportsmanship on the playing field. A former physical education teacher, Gilluly knew kickball could be played safely and didn't want to ban it — as the Oakdale Elementary School in Montville did this year with kickball and all competitive sports at recess.

Her students proved her right. They wrote rules to contain aggressive behavior, ensure fair play and equal competition.

Uncas is the only one of the city's nine elementary schools with a student council. Gilluly and reading specialist Tiffany Cannella, who serves as council adviser, launched the council last school year using the Connecticut Vanguard Initiative student leadership model as a guide. One of the goals in the statewide program for school reform calls for student leadership to “take responsibility for helping to establish a school climate that is safe, efficient, respectful and promotes the joy of learning.”

With no campaigning, elections were held among all students in grades four and five to elect one girl and one boy from each classroom. Third-grade teachers appointed a boy and a girl from each third-grade classroom.

Many of those elected admitted they were surprised, but they love serving their school and really making a difference.

“I want to be a leader, not a follower,” said fourth-grader Gregory Worthy, 9.
The incumbents from last year will serve again this year, and elections started Nov. 13 to add new members this year. This time, interested students had to declare their candidacy, write essays on why they wanted to serve and win their classmates' votes. Before the election, Cannella said she wasn't sure whether third-grade members would run for election or be chosen again by the teachers. Current members already had slogans planned to help encourage people to run for election.

The student council last year tackled more than just kickball. Fifth-grader Ashley Fontanez, 10, said she wanted to make school “more fun.” Fourth-grader Macpherson Eghianruwa, 10, said he wanted to end bullying. Alvardo said he wanted to help students solve problems.

The group worked on all those issues. The student council wrote and performed a play on bullying members titled “Children Take a Stand.”

Kaylie Peterson, now 9 and in fourth grade, played a bully. As the smallest student in her class, Peterson said she was picked on a lot, so she knew how it felt. Eghianruwa, one of the bigger students, played a victim. Peterson and other students said the play seems to have worked throughout the school, although they still hear about fellow students being picked on.
“We'll have to take care of that,” Gilluly said.

To promote the growing diversity at Uncas — and in all Norwich schools — the student council held a multicultural day. Alvardo came to school with Puerto Rican flags drawn on her face.
As for fun, the student council established theme days. There's hat and hoody day, backwards day, crazy hair day and friends day, when friends dress alike. Gilluly's favorite theme is slippers day.

The returning members have some ideas to present to the council. They want to expand the multicultural day into an international food festival for the Uncas PTO.

And because Uncas always has a lot of new students each year, Worthy wants the group to do a play on how to make friends with new people. Gilluly loved the idea.

“I'm just so proud of these kids,” she said after the group left the room to return to lunch and classes. “They really do take a leadership role. They feel like they can speak up, and they do it eloquently.