Peninsula schools focus embrace International Respect day

RESPECT will be the focus at all state schools in a catchment north of Brisbane this week in line with International Respect Day.

Redcliffe State High School Year 11 students Regan Gracie and Lara Thomson ready for international Respect day. Picture: Erin Smith

RESPECT will be the focus at all state schools this week in line with International Respect Day.

It expands on the Respect — Commit To It project, introduced at 13 Peninsula state schools last year.

The program was launched in response to the level of abuse and bad behaviour school staff and teachers were subjected to.

Redcliffe State High School principal Shona McKinlay said she had noticed a difference and an improvement in behaviour in the past year.

This week all 13 state schools will hold a range of events to highlight the importance of respect.

Respect week activities

■ Redcliffe State High School: Kind Words Postcards, sausage sizzle, parades

■ Moreton Downs State School: Colour fun run, postcards

■ Clontarf Beach State School: Random Acts of Kindness

■ Clontarf Beach State High School: Team building activities, mural

■ Deception Bay State School: Makine kites with kind messages written on them

■ Deception Bay State High School: journal activities, importance of gratitude

■ Humpybong State School: presenting Respect certificates to a child in each class, post-it note messages

Mrs McKinlay said there would be one common activity across all schools — The Kind Words Postcards.

The postcards, created by Sesame Lane, have been delivered to each school.

Mrs McKinlay said students, teachers and staff would be able to write a kind message on them for another teacher, student or staff member.

The postcards will go in a box and be delivered at school parades.

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In return for sending a kind message the students will receive a sausage sizzle, which had been organised by the school P & C.

Deputy Principal Maria Williamson said the message could “make someone’s day”. She said it was about focusing on the positive.