Our School and Classroom Constitution

Our School and Classroom Constitution Our “Great Law of Peace”

Section 1 – Introduction

Reader, this is the great law of peace for Ms. Parmly’s fourth grade class, 2014-2015, and the whole school. We wrote individual sections in small groups but we edited them as a class. We all agreed to what they said.

We wrote this constitution so that other students would know what students in our school, PVES, will do if they want to have a school where everyone is learning and happy and safe.

We modeled our constitution after the Iroquois Constitution, or the Iroquois Great Law of Peace.

Issues identified, studied, written about and edited by our fourth grade class – 2014-2015:

Ava Broccolo, Ian Carbone, Emma DelPeschio, Sophia Dotterer, Max Fuca, Teddy Gannon, Charlie Howley, Ms. Kayle, Neviah Lisboa, Nick Lopes, Kyler Michaels, Ryan Moriarty, Kristina Narciso, Emily Nielson, Ms. Offenbacher, Ms. Parmly, Leland Petrash, Davin Porteus, Gabriella Randazzo, Gabe Rzezwiki, Melissa Santospirito, Alexandra Scialdone, Vincert Silvestri, Hudson Sperrazza, Eva Stepanianov, Isaiah Woody, Michael Yurcho, and Emily Zhao.

Section - Anger

One problem at PVES is taking out anger on someone else. For example, at recess in kickball, some kid makes an error, the other kid says “nice try”. But the second kid makes an error and the first kid ‘’yells at him’’. My friend kicked the ball and the other team says he is out. Then they all start a big fight.

The law is that kids should just play kickball for fun. They should not play for winning. If they lose it is okay but it is never okay if you yell at someone.

This will help our school by kids not yelling at each other. They will just play for fun and they would have a good game. Drafted by Max Fuca and Ryan Moriarty

Section - Extreme Attacking on the Bus

One major problem at PVES is these kids who are attacking the fourth graders. This bothers the fourth graders so much. The bus driver tells them to stop but they never listens. For example, one kid jumps on the seats trying to get to the fourth graders and screams because he thinks we are so cool and calls us cool kids.

Our rule is: the bus driver should not give them 20 chances. They will only get two or three chances and then they will get written up. If it doesn’t stop the kid or kids NEED to go to the office.

This will help because the students will probably stop because they know they will get in trouble and will stop jumping on us and saying dumb comments.

Drafted by Gabby Randazzo and Alexandra Scialdone

Section - Cheating One crisis that happens in PVES is at recess. Kids are cheating and they are aggressive about games. This is because when someone tags them, they say they’re not it or they say you missed me.

The rule/law is: you first need to have a leader for every game and if someone is cheating the people in charge decide if the kid is out or not.

This rule is a solution to help improve our school by making sure nobody is cheating any more.

Drafted by Kyler Reece Michaels and Michael Anthony Yurcho

Section - Fooling Around in Class

Our dilemma in PVES is: Before the rule, children fooled around during class, in the middle of lessons. They also talked about topics that were not relevant to what the class was talking about.

Our Law: Children will not sit next to someone who will fool around with them. If the person still fools around students will have to move. If the person continues to fool around and they don’t stop, they will lose 15 minutes (if in fourth grade) of recess.

How it would help our school: Without the rule, students don’t pay attention and no one will learn their lessons.

Drafted by Ava Broccolo , Eva Stepanianov, and Emily Nielsen Section - Leaving People Out

One dilemma at PVES: In our school people are getting left out of games.

A rule at PVES: If you see someone alone ask them “Are you ok?” If they are alone you should ask if they want to play with you and your friends.

This helps our school because people won’t feel alone any more, especially when they have friends. They would feel cheerful and excited.

Drafted by Sophia Dotterer and Emma DelPeschio Section - Lockers

One dilemma in PVES is that the students with lockers in the hall leave them open. Sometimes people going by hit their heads. Materials or objects fall on the floor and they can trip people going by. It also looks very messy.

The rule is: If you have a locker in the hall, close the door securely when you finish using it. Wait a few seconds to be sure it says closed. Pick up anything you drop.

Whenever everyone follows this rule, our halls will be safer and neater. People won’t hit their heads or trip and fall.

Drafted by Ms. Parmly and Ms. Offenbacher

Section - Name Calling

Problem: Children in school get called “idiot” if they make an error at a game. Also if someone says something incorrect, they get laughed at. Rule: Teachers and staff members must give consequences for name calling. Name calling will not be tolerated by anyone, any where, at any time.

This rule will improve our school because more and more bullies will stop. Drafted by Nick Lopes and Teddy Gannon

Section - Name Calling Part 2

One problem that happens at school: Bullies are calling people names and that’s making people sad and people want it to stop. They’re getting called “idiot” and “stupid” and lots of other names that are not nice. Rule/Law: Name calling is not allowed in school and other places because it’s making kids sad and feeling guilty about something. Also, the kids getting called names might call other kids names and that will keep cycling through more kids.

How this rule can improve our school: Bullies should stop calling kids names. Then people will not feel sad and they can get on with the school year without getting laughed at. There is no reason why a kid should be getting called something like nerd or dummy or something like that. So just stop calling kids names. If schools stop the name calling, then the schools will go from a hurtful school to a perfect school.

The reason we wrote this was so that name calling would be put to a stop because if kids are getting called names they can’t focus on their work. They are also going to feel sad so we are asking for name calling to please be put to a stop, PLEASE.

Drafted By Isaiah Woody and Charlie Howley

Section - Picking on Kids

One dilemma that happens at school is picking on kids at gym, recess or on the bus by calling them names and hitting them.

Rules and Law: If anyone sees someone picking on other kids they will say, “Stop. We don’t do that here.”

This rule improves our school by persuading kids to be safe and kind.

Drafted by Hudson Sperrazza and Ian Carbone Section - Punching And Hitting

One dilemma in school is kids are punching and hitting in gym class. This causes kids to not contribute in games and in partnerships.

There should be a law to never punch or hit because when you go home, your parents would be astonished that you got injured.

This can help our school because it can stop terrible actions and bullying. Stand up and never punch or hit. It’s not safe and it’s not acceptable.

Drafted by Neviah Lisboa and Melissa Santospirito

Section - Rumors

Rumors happen a lot at school. For example some kids say that someone else put their mouth on the water fountain. Other rumors say mean lies about another student. The rule is that they should put video cameras and microphones around the school. After school the teachers can see and hear what the people are doing and saying.

After the person gets in trouble a couple of times they will stop because they don’t want to get in trouble again.

Drafted by Emily Zhao and Kristina Narciso

Section - Shoving

One problem in school is that at recess and gym kids shove. Kids in gym ram each other when they are at the jogging station. Whenever they are at recess or they are playing tag, they push on purpose to get attention.

Our rule/law is: do not push in gym or recess.

This law will improve the school for the reason that the nurse will not need to hand out so many ice packs. Drafted by Vincent Silvestri and Davin Porteus

Section - Sportsmanship and Teamwork

The Big Dilemma is that there is lack of teamwork by not communicating to your team. There is bad sportsmanship by saying that the other team was cheating in the game. This happens in gym and recess while playing games.

The Big Answer: Our rule/law is we will have good sportsmanship by congratulating children if they succeed and we will not be a sore loser or winner. We won’t brag about the win in gym and recess.

The Big Help: This rule will help the school because if you win or lose you can have an enjoyable and excellent time and still be friends with the other team. Maybe then children will trust you to play with you. If you have good sportsmanship, good teamwork and if they have courage to give you another chance, they will play with you.

Drafted by Gabe Rzezwicki and Leland Petrash