The Francestown Elementary School community gathers monthly to celebrate growth and learning through its PRIDE meetings.

PRIDE meetings were established as a way for the FES school community to come together to celebrate students’ learning successes. The acronym – which stands for positive, responsible, independent, determined and empathetic – was derived from the school’s core values.

PRIDE meetings are held on the third Friday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to noon. They kick off by reviewing the school values before each grade level presents the growth they have made and some of the activities and projects they have been working on throughout the month.

During the December meeting, students in third and fourth grade presented their learning about the history of New Hampshire and their studies on the history of local Native American tribes. The students split into different stations in the school’s multipurpose room, and the rest of the school visited the stations to learn from their peers about the state’s history, including games children used to play.

Students also sing as a way to connect with their peers and the school community during PRIDE meetings. During the December meeting, students sang action songs, including “There Was a Great Big Moose,” which tells the story of a moose who drinks a lot of juice.

To close the meeting, students gather to celebrate the birthdays that occurred during the last month. Students receive a birthday card and pencil, and the school sings “Happy Birthday.”

“Francestown Elementary School has a strong community built on working together, problem-solving and excelling in our learning,” stated Principal Lunan-Hill. “The students and staff love the PRIDE meetings, which allow us to come together and celebrate the relationships we’ve built as a school community as well as our continued commitment to growth and learning.”