Schools celebrate International Dot Day and Pinwheels for Peace

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 22, 2016

By Kerri Hertler Mullis

Special to the Post

WOODLEAF — Students and teachers arrived at Woodleaf Elementary the morning of Sept. 15 all decked out in dots to celebrate International Dot Day. Five classrooms had 100 percent participation and some classes created dot hats and dot shirts.

Many students came to school with homemade outfits and were covered from head to toe in dots. The teachers read and discussed  “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds with their class. The book is the inspiration for Dot Day — which is a day to celebrate creativity’s power to have a positive impact on the world. Reynold’s book challenges students to “make your mark and see where it takes you.”

Schools across the district celebrated Dot Day. Additionally, Woodleaf students were able to color a dot on a special coloring sheet which when scanned with Quiver, an ipad app, made the dot seem to come off the page in a 3D augmented reality.

It was also the celebration of Pinwheels for Peace. Woodleaf Students were excited to finally display their dotted pinwheels in front of the school that they worked hard on for two weeks during art, media and guidance classes. Grades pre-K through second grade read the book “Finding Peace” by Amy E. Ayers, and answered the question “What is your peace?”

Many students said that their peace is riding bikes, playing with siblings, sleeping and getting along with others. Carefully they put together their pinwheels and blew them to make sure they spun. Grades third through fifth discussed the eight character education traits for the year: integrity, courage, good judgment, kindness, perseverance, self-discipline, respect and responsibility. Students were asked a question inspired by “The Dot” — “How are you going to make your mark on the world?”

Students answered that they wanted to be remembered as a good person, to feed the hungry, clean up the environment and help others. Then they chose four out of the eight character traits that were most important to them and wrote them on their pinwheel.

Overall it was a fantastic day filled with learning, fun, creativity and collaboration. Students were amazed to see 350 dotted pinwheels blowing in the breeze in front of their school. Now the pinwheels are displayed in the windows of cafeteria at Woodleaf Elementary. The school wants to especially thank parents, students, teachers, PTA and Steve Judd for their support in making Dot day a success.

Kerri Hertler Mullis is a school counselor at Woodleaf Elementary.