Great Neck Road Elementary School combined its kindness initiatives with its Parents as Reading Partners celebration during the week of March 22. This year’s theme was “Great Neck Road Reads All ‘Kinds’ of Books.”

Some of this year’s spirit days included “tie reading into kindness” with a tie-dyed shirt day, read a shirt day, hats off to kind readers and wear a favorite sweatshirt because kindness is no sweat.

There was also a mystery reader and drop everything and read day. As students entered the building on the first day, a bubble machine filled the room with bubbles to show they were “bursting with kindness.” Staff members throughout the building joined together and created a read aloud video of the book “Happy Love Sprinkle.”

The school also created a kindness wall and a kindness chain, where students wrote notes of kindness to their classmates. Each student also posed as the “I” in the word kind.

Fifth graders in Mrs. Maggio’s class at Great Neck Road Elementary School learned about the work of abstract artist Alma Thomas in celebration of Women’s History Month during their art class with Ms. Haughney.

Students in Ms. Haughney’s art class at Great Neck Road Elementary School learned that March “comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” For their artwork in March, students in Mrs. Loeber’s second grade class created their multi-medium lion during three weeks of art classes.

Students throughout Great Neck Road Elementary School recently celebrated the 100th day of school with a slew of different activities. The fifth grade classes shared 1,000 days of school memories on a wall in their hallway. Kindergartners dressed up as if they were 100 years old and participated in lessons centered on the number 100, such as counting to 100 and sorting 10 items in groups of 10.

In celebration of Black History Month, students in Ms. Stein’s physical education classes at Great Neck Road Elementary School combined black history lessons with movement and exercise.

For the Black History Month workout, students watched videos on important figures in Black history. They listened to clips from different influential speakers during a game of Red Light, Green Light. The students danced along as they listened to a five-minute inspirational song featuring different figures in Black history.

The students also participated in different exercises as they watched a video highlighting 10 Black athletes who were leaders in their sports during their respective careers. While they learned important facts about each athlete, they had to perform a different exercise.

In celebration of Black History Month, Great Neck Road Elementary School created a Black History Month museum in its gymnasium. Each class picked an influential figure in black history to research as a class during the last few weeks. Students in each class in every grade level researched important facts, dates and accomplishments about their chosen figure. Some notable figures included Jackie Robinson, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Simone Biles, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and even Princess Tiana.

In Mrs. Mullins’ fourth grade class, the students researched and presented on Ruby Bridges. They learned about her story and her work as a civil activist. Each student created a Google Slide presentation, using WebQuest and videos to gather information. Each presentation contained images as well as three important accomplishments.

Upon completion of the Black History Month research, the museum was set up on Feb. 25 and 26. Each class displayed a poster of their figure featuring all the gathered research. Classes took turns visiting the museum and doing a poster walk to learn about each person.