Mentorship & Assemblies

Mentorship & Assemblies

Peer mentoring is a powerful tool. At Park Day, students gather in our K-8 community during regular Assemblies and Community Shares. We sing together, celebrate cultural and historical events, and support each other as different classes and students take turns presenting and showcasing what they’ve been working on to the whole school. As students of varying ages develop cross-grade relationships, the result is a more connected, stronger, school community

To help set the scene for relationship building between the grades, our “reading buddy” program matches Kindergartners with 3rd graders, 1st graders with 4th graders, and 2nd graders with 5th graders. When it comes to literacy, reading regularly with a slightly older peer has a positive influence on student learning. Likewise, students who are growing into themselves as middle-grade readers find that their confidence increases when reading to a younger child. Reading Buddies meet regularly to share books and a love of literature.

Just as important as lower grade reading buddy partnerships are the mentorship moments between Middle Schoolers and our youngest students. Every year in addition to their reading buddies, our Kindergarten class has multiple touchpoints with our 8th graders so that our youngest and oldest students develop a bond. For our youngest students, having an older friend on the playground helps usher a sense of belonging. They have someone who will greet them at lunch, give a quick high five in passing, or act as an audience for a make believe performance at the Purple Stage. Remembering how it felt to be the littlest kids on the playground helps hone empathy in our older students, and positions them as mentors and leaders