Area 1: Goals:

The Chester M. Stephen’s Elementary School has developed a “Rainbow Connection Club” that encompasses the whole student body.  Rainbow Connections was adapted from Kermit the Frog and defined by students as an act of kindness between two people.  The older students have extended the definition to be a person using his or her mind to make a difference or to reach a goal.  The word rainbow was broken down to the following: R= read, realize, react A= absorb, active, advance N= notice B= become, begin, bond O= ongoing, opportunity W= willing, work, win

We believe that our students need these connections to be active, contributing members of society.  We believe our academic achievement increases as the students learn to work and grow together.  Our program is tied to the following Core Curriculum Standards:

2.2 All students will use health-enhancing personal, interpersonal and life skills to support a healthy, active lifestyle.

2.4 All students will learn the physical, emotional, and social aspects of human relationships and sexuality and apply these concepts to support a healthy, active lifestyle.

9.2 All students will demonstrate critical life skills in order to be functional members of society.

Area 2: Activities:

Our activities involve a local nursing home of senior citizens, the local radio station, WRNJ, Special Olympics, a new school in Africa, our students, staff and parent community. The school is on a constant look out for acts of kindness. Rainbows are filled in with the good deeds. Kermit travels to homes keeping journals of good deeds in town. The local radio station WRNJ has partnered with CMS and announces each Friday morning a student’s name and act of kindness that they were caught doing.  This announcement is played for the students over the loudspeaker as it is being broadcast. CMS has also been involved in the statewide Kindness Campaign and had the number of weekly acts of kindness announced over the radio from our home/school logs. The school has invited the community to join in the exploration. 

Classes have partnered with a local nursing home writing and entertaining the senior citizens in school. A second grade class partnered with a local author and is in the process of publishing a book called: Treasures of a Teacher’s Heart; Changing the World with Our Own Two Hands.  The book, written by the children is about kindness and rainbow connections. Our older children are partnering with special needs students to prepare for the Special Olympics and in June we will have a walk-a-thon to raise money for a special school in Africa.

Area 3: Outside Resources:

Our community of parents, senior citizens, WRNJ, our local author, the Board of Education, the Nursing Home have all supported our Rainbow Connection Program.

Area 4: Evaluation:

We have 670 students, all their parents, the Mt. Olive community, 100 staff members, 50 senior citizens, the WRNJ listening community all promoting kindness everyday. Our discipline referrals and problems in the classrooms, buses, lunchroom and recess have all declined in this two-year time period. We have seen a different attitude with the students and staff and an increase in parent involvement everyone is looking for those ‘rainbow connections’ as they go through the day.

Area 5: Stability:

The program is very stable as it is self-sufficient raising money as needed.  Most of the materials and time are donated so it can keep on going. A teacher committee meets and organizes the large events with every teacher involving their own class in ways appropriate to that grade. The principal and superintendent are most supportive in the entire program.

Area 6: Endorsements:

"In a world that is often exposed to so much negative news and tragic events, Oldies 1510 is pleased to provide listeners with this, albeit brief, respite from life's realities. The Rainbow Connection feature provides us with positive, uplifting message regarding the good works of young people and the example they set for all of us to follow.”

Russ Long, WRNJ 1510

“I am the proud parent of at a 3rd grader at the Chester M. Stephen’s Elementary School.  He had the great fortune of looping with his teacher, Mrs. Ann Scotland, from the 1st grade to the 2nd grade. She took the opportunity of the two years she had with this class to integrate rainbow connections into her everyday curriculum. A rainbow connection is an act of kindness that one person does for another. Mrs. Scotland emphasized that while learning; the children could also come to understand that Rainbow Connections can be made everyday through discovery, enjoyment, cooperation, partnership and getting along.  

As she said good-bye to her class when they moved on to the third grade she did not forget the lessons she had taught. In fact, she challenged every student at Chester M. Stephen’s Elementary School to make Rainbow Connections. Teachers and staff nominate students who they feel have demonstrated an act of kindness, respect, courtesy or honesty. The child’s name is put on a rainbow ribbon and added to our giant rainbow in the front entrance of our school.

The most exciting part of this is that the Chester M. Stephen’s School Community has formed a partnership with the local radio station WRNJ-1510 AM. Every Friday one of the nominated rainbow connections is picked to be on the radio! The rainbow connection story that shows that “you can make a difference with an act of kindness” is broadcast on WRNJ-1510 AM at 8:50am.  It is simultaneously broadcast over the school speakers during the morning announcements for all of our Chester M. Stephen’s School community to hear. The live radio broadcast encourages all the students to make a difference in the world we live in, whether it be helping a teacher put away supplies or helping a fellow student with schoolwork it shows that small deeds can mean a big deal to the person you are helping. 

The partnership between WRNJ-1510 AM and Chester M. Stephen’s Elementary School fosters character building within our school community. Our children are learning that character counts.  They are encouraged to be respectful, trustworthy, responsible, and fair as well as good citizens.  They are learning that their rainbow connections make a difference and because of this they will be better citizens when they grow up, helping to make our world a better place to live.”

Sheila Watral, Parent

  
“Working with Mr. Long and WRNJ has been an experience like no other. Having a community member share in our learning allows us to share the “why” of what we do with the students. We learn and grow so that we can have an impact and a voice in society. People learn through example and at this very young age our voices are already being heard thanks to Mr. Russ Long. His kindness and partnership makes our rainbow at CMS stand tall. He makes us shine just like gold for all to see and hear”. 

Ann Scotland, Teacher