Sea Cliff School is “No Place for Hate®”
Participatingin a national program created by the Anti-Defamation League that supports schools in their dedication to celebrating acceptance and diversity.
One of the most wonderful things about our Sea Cliff School community is that we always strive to be committed individuals, said Principal Jeanette Wojcik. “Our students work hard to lift others by participating in events that are designed by our SCS Student Government to support our community.
Principal Wojcik continued, “It is with great pride that I share that our SCS Student Government will be leading us again for a very worthy cause, inclusivity and acceptance. We believe that having a school community where all members feel safe and respected is an important foundation for academic, social, and emotional success. To expand our commitment to creating a safe community for all students, Sea Cliff School will be participating in the program, No Place for Hate. This is a national program created by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that supports schools in their dedication to celebrating acceptance and diversity, promoting respect for differences, and challenging bias and bullying. No Place for Hate builds a learning community with a consistent message of inclusivity, respect, and equity.”
To educate students and highlight their commitment to creating an inclusive environment, Sea Cliff School has hosted events throughout the school year. The first event, World Kindness Day, was a great success where students learned about kindness and participated in acts of kindness in school. This event sparked a fifth grade challenge for random acts of kindness!
On February 11, 2021, all students, faculty and staff at Sea Cliff School participated in Pledge Day. Each class watched a video created by the SCS Student Government representatives explaining the No Place for Hate pledge. It stated the following:
- “I PROMISE to do my best to treat everyone fairly.”
- “I PROMISE to do my best to be kind to everyone-even if they are not like me”.
- “IF I SEE someone being hurt or bulled, I will tell a teacher.”
- “EVERYONE should be able to feel safe and happy in school.”
- “I WANT OUR SCHOOL to be No Place for Hate.”
Under the guidance of Principal Wojcik and the SCS Student Government representatives, everyone then had the opportunity to choose a colorful marker and participate in signing the giant banner with the No Place for Hate pledge located in the main hallway. SC students were also encouraged to wear shirts that shared messages of kindness and acceptance. In addition, Superintendent Dr. Peter Giarrizzo was proudly on-hand to participate in the signing.
Principal Wojcik concluded by saying, “We are so very excited to bring our school community closer by pledging to create a school environment that is inclusive of all!
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Article written with assistance from Principal Jeanette Wojcik
Photos by Shelly Newman