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To the editor:

On Thursday, March 1, an awards assembly for grades 5 and 6 was held in the East Somerville Community School auditorium. As the grandparent of one of the children and a visitor from out of town, I attended the ceremony. Here is what took place.

The various classes of children came into the auditorium and took their seats without needing any verbal reminders to “settle down” or “be quiet.” This was the case throughout the 45-minute assembly. (As a former teacher who has attended scores of assemblies, this, in itself, was remarkable.)

Assistant Principal Laura Bonnell opened the assembly with greetings in English, Spanish and Hawaiian and then spoke directly to the children. “We love each of you,” she said and went on to tell the children they were part of a community where trusted adults (Ms. Bonnell named staff members) would always be willing to talk to a child who might be “sad” or want to talk to someone.

The awards began with the Superintendent’s awards where around 20 students from each of the classes lined the stage and stepped forward while remarks, unique to each student and thoughtfully written by that student’s teacher, were read. Citizenship awards were next with a similar format. Then “most improved” students were summoned to the stage. Again, each student was individually praised for his or her efforts in math, reading, writing or behavior during the marking period.  These themes were frequently mentioned: helping others, working hard, overcoming difficulties, leadership, kindness. While these words of praise were being said, each recipient appeared shy yet proud. Their classmates in the audience responded with applause (hoots and shout-outs noticeably absent). Academic awards came next and those recipients were admonished to help their classmates; specific ways they could help were mentioned.

Throughout the assembly, Ms. Bonnell used vocabulary that underscored an expectation of high standards. Her tone was earnest and straightforward. She explained to the children how a student who would like to earn one of the awards, and didn’t this time, might do so in the future.

The final awards were for the children with perfect attendance who were asked to stand in their places, too many for the stage. Mr. Silverman, the Redirect teacher, reported that East Somerville Community School leads Somerville schools in attendance and the current attendance rate at ESCS is 97%. He challenged the students to maintain this remarkably high rate. Anyone seeing the hosts of standing students would realize that this is a happy school, a place where children want to come.

East Somerville Community School’s mascot is the phoenix, an apt symbol as the beautiful new school on Cross Street was built to replace a fire damaged earlier facility, a literal rising from the ashes.  But the phoenix metaphor implies another important attribute that was spoken to explicitly in the awards assembly: we can each have a new life, a future, and that future, students were reminded, is built by effort, perseverance, showing up, helping others.

Mary Martin,
Round Pond, Maine