Post by title1parent on Sept 6, 2009 8:14:21 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1756065,6_1_NA06_FISCHER_S1-090906.article
Fischer looks to instill respect in students
School to honor those students who demonstrate positive character traits
September 6, 2009
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
Standing in the bleachers of the school gym, the sixth grade classmates offered an enthusiastic cheer.
"F-A-L-C-O-N-S! Go Falcons!"
Students at Fischer Middle School in District 204 kicked off the year with a salute to its motto: All For One and One For All, or as teachers and students refer to it, AFOOFA.
"We have to have each other's backs," said art teacher Anna Fries, who created the AFOOFA program. "Bullying and harassment will not be tolerated. And if we see it, we're going to nip it."
Based on Native American child-rearing values, AFOOFA has four parts: the spirit of belonging, independence, generosity and mastery.
"We know as teachers these are things you need, and those are the things that will make you happy," Fries told students.
Because Fischer students will go to Waubonsie Valley, "it's a nice tie in to Waubonsie Valley and Indian Prairie School District," Fries said after the assembly.
Each quarter will focus on one of the different themes. At the end of each quarter, every teacher will nominate a student who exhibited that quality for an AFOOFA award. Each student who is nominated will receive a certificate which tells them who nominated them and the reasons why. They will also receive a coupon for a free cookie in the cafeteria. All students who received an award will be invited to the AFOOFA breakfast at the end of the year.
Even though the school year just started, Fischer presented several students with AFOOFA awards Friday for their efforts during the summer. Among those was sixth-grader Jessica Groves, who helped her new school by giving tours and handing out school supplies.
Groves said she is excited to be part of the new school, which most recently served as Waubonsie Valley High school's freshman center.
"It's kind of unique because it's been three different types of schools," Groves said. "I think we've made it our own by adding our own personality to it."
The last Friday of the month will be Falcon Spirit Day, and the entire school will attend a presentation. On Friday each grade attended its own assembly, which featured the school's namesake, longtime educator Gregory Fischer as a guest speaker. He spoke to students about creating a sense of belonging and watching out for each other.
"Treat each other with respect, and it will come back to you tenfold," Fischer said.
Fries developed the program at Jeffrey Still Middle School, and brought it over to Fischer. Still is continuing the AFOOFA program as well, she said.
"We'd love for it to be in as many schools as possible," Fischer Principal Jennifer Nonnemacher said.
While about two-thirds of the Fischer's student population came from Still, the other third is from Francis Granger Middle School.
"It's so important to pull us together as a family and community," Fries said. "We don't want it to be a feeling of us and them. It's us. All of us."
Fischer looks to instill respect in students
School to honor those students who demonstrate positive character traits
September 6, 2009
By KATHY CICHON kcichon@scn1.com
Standing in the bleachers of the school gym, the sixth grade classmates offered an enthusiastic cheer.
"F-A-L-C-O-N-S! Go Falcons!"
Students at Fischer Middle School in District 204 kicked off the year with a salute to its motto: All For One and One For All, or as teachers and students refer to it, AFOOFA.
"We have to have each other's backs," said art teacher Anna Fries, who created the AFOOFA program. "Bullying and harassment will not be tolerated. And if we see it, we're going to nip it."
Based on Native American child-rearing values, AFOOFA has four parts: the spirit of belonging, independence, generosity and mastery.
"We know as teachers these are things you need, and those are the things that will make you happy," Fries told students.
Because Fischer students will go to Waubonsie Valley, "it's a nice tie in to Waubonsie Valley and Indian Prairie School District," Fries said after the assembly.
Each quarter will focus on one of the different themes. At the end of each quarter, every teacher will nominate a student who exhibited that quality for an AFOOFA award. Each student who is nominated will receive a certificate which tells them who nominated them and the reasons why. They will also receive a coupon for a free cookie in the cafeteria. All students who received an award will be invited to the AFOOFA breakfast at the end of the year.
Even though the school year just started, Fischer presented several students with AFOOFA awards Friday for their efforts during the summer. Among those was sixth-grader Jessica Groves, who helped her new school by giving tours and handing out school supplies.
Groves said she is excited to be part of the new school, which most recently served as Waubonsie Valley High school's freshman center.
"It's kind of unique because it's been three different types of schools," Groves said. "I think we've made it our own by adding our own personality to it."
The last Friday of the month will be Falcon Spirit Day, and the entire school will attend a presentation. On Friday each grade attended its own assembly, which featured the school's namesake, longtime educator Gregory Fischer as a guest speaker. He spoke to students about creating a sense of belonging and watching out for each other.
"Treat each other with respect, and it will come back to you tenfold," Fischer said.
Fries developed the program at Jeffrey Still Middle School, and brought it over to Fischer. Still is continuing the AFOOFA program as well, she said.
"We'd love for it to be in as many schools as possible," Fischer Principal Jennifer Nonnemacher said.
While about two-thirds of the Fischer's student population came from Still, the other third is from Francis Granger Middle School.
"It's so important to pull us together as a family and community," Fries said. "We don't want it to be a feeling of us and them. It's us. All of us."