by dave | Sep 2, 2020 | Games and Activities, Virtual Activities
This is a simple and fun art challenge for a small virtual group based on the fact that most people will tell you that “I can’t draw.” Each person has a blank piece of paper and 5 different coloured crayons – they get to pick which colours they want to use, but must...
by dave | Sep 1, 2020 | Games and Activities, Virtual Activities
Having a Coffee House implies that you are looking for performers with musical or artistic talent. In this world there are unique talents that need to be celebrated and recognized. Hosting a Stupid Human Tricks Carnival fills the void and elevates those talents that...
by dave | Sep 1, 2020 | Grad Events, Virtual Activities
This year will be a different grad class, so start planning now on making it a special experience for your grads. Visit the website called seussville.com to find some very interesting and Seuss inspired ideas to make the grad special. “And will you succeed? Yes! You...
by dave | Sep 1, 2020 | Games and Activities, Virtual Activities
Your Social Isolation Look is something unique and special, so celebrate you virtual experience with a Fashion Show. Invite your students to give their best catwalk impression wearing their PJs, Netflix binging, pets or homemade protective gear. You can have a special...
by dave | Sep 1, 2020 | Community Support, Virtual Activities
One way to use writing skills in the real world is to have your students write letters or cards to seniors in nursing homes. Seniors are feeling the isolation more than others, so any little bright spot is helpful. This may be one of the most important things you can...
by dave | Sep 1, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit, Virtual Activities
Online meetings are draining, so take the time to spice them up. Have a Quarantine Scavenger Hunt online. Rules: Host announces the items one-by-one and participants have one minute to find the item. Host will announce start and finish of round. The device you are...
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | Community Support
Lions Clubs in Canada have donated over 5 million pairs of glasses to people needing corrective vision help. This is an easy way to help people in need by recycling old eyewear that is sitting in a drawer. You can help the Lions by collecting old eyeglasses for reuse....
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | School Spirit, Special Days
Everyone in the school (including staff and custodial staff) receives a candy cane with a number attached. The numbers are matched with someone else in the school who has a candy cane with the same number on it. The object is to find your partner and then take a...
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | Random Acts of Kindness, School Climate, School Spirit
Connect with every person in the school by putting a coloured POST IT with a positive message on their locker, door, or in their mailbox. Two students, from St. Patrick’s High in Quebec, came up with the idea after watching Mark Scharenbroich’s “Building Connections”;...
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | Mural Ideas, School Climate
Students will see these every day as they move up in the world.
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | Random Acts of Kindness, Recognition and Awards, School Spirit
Although it is well-intentioned, the healthy schools initiative is hard on those easy chocolate and candy thank you’s that you can put in teachers’ mailboxes. A healthy alternative is to put a bunch of grapes in a baggie and attach a note that says: “You’re the...
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit, Virtual Activities
Make silhouettes of staff members and post them virtually and physically. Post these life-sized (like the old iPod ads) in the main hallway or virtually on social media and make it a contest in naming the staff members represented. A great trivia contest, as Google...
by dave | Aug 31, 2020 | Community Support
Leadership students at Yale Secondary School in Abbotsford, BC, use their artistic talents to spread good cheer and positive messages on liquor bags given out locally. Think of other times your students can promote positive behaviours in the community by using their...
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Mural Ideas
These are many examples of murals that appear in schools across Canada:
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit
Make the most of it with less. A challenge but lots of fun to have your contestants try their best with a very basic material. This can be a home room challenge or a great event for a leadership retreat.
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Mural Ideas, School Climate
Use vinyl wrap to put your successful athletes up in an athletic hall of fame, just like Sir John A. Macdonald in Waterloo. Your junior students should walk down that hall and say, “I want to be just like her” or “I want to be just like...
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit
BINGO has been around for a long time for a good reason. It’s FUN! Try a random game at lunch at your school. You will be surprised at how many people stick around a play.
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Community Support, School Spirit, Special Days
Grand Manan’s SRC’s latest project created a trap tree (approximately 400 lobster traps) that is covered with buoys that members of the school and community decorated. Buoys are painted to represent various classes, teams, community groups, fishing crews...
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit
Try playing I Spy on Instagram –- post pictures of various places around the school students will have to hunt for – have them reply with a DM or fill out a sheet of paper that is handed out – draw names for a prize – fun and gets students going to...
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Random Acts of Kindness, Recognition and Awards
Fun new staff appreciation idea. Stack a bunch of Hershey kisses and make them into a pencil. Thx to Ms. Lowey’s leadership class for the idea.
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Grad Events, School Climate
How do you recognize past generations and history in your school? Elrose Comprehensive School, SK, has pictures of every grad class from 1947 to present.
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | School Spirit
Some puns are so bad that you have to take them away with you to put them out of your misery. These are posted around the school to provide some pun fun for all.
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Mural Ideas, School Climate
An elementary school in Indiana combined creativity and literature to create a beautiful piece of art that will encourage students for years to come to be true to themselves. Students grades K-5 at Sharon elementary school in Newburgh, IN painted rocks inspired by the...
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Mural Ideas, School Climate
A teacher at Galt Collegiate Institute and Vocational School from Cambridge, ON, had her English as a Second Language (ESL) Art class think of a book they loved back home or one that is popular in their home country, and recreate the book spine on the lockers outside...
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit, Virtual Activities
Greenall School in Balgonie, SK, lightens the daily online experience with their quarantine BINGO. Students and staff are invited to play and mark their squares with photos of what was happening.
by dave | Aug 30, 2020 | Community Support, School Climate
Bow Valley High in Cochrane helps students and their families who are future students in the school. The charity drive is a little different from others as Bow Valley High School reaches out to its feeder schools which include: Glenbow, Mitford, Ranche View and...
by dave | Aug 29, 2020 | School Climate, School Spirit
An old stretch of asphalt on a tennis court was beautified by the science classes who painted the periodic table. It was visible from all of the classrooms on the back side of the school. It was a way of bringing the knowledge of the classroom to the world.
by dave | Aug 29, 2020 | School Climate
One of the hardest things to do when you start an exercise program is to get yourself out of bed or resume your routine after a break. When you have an exercise partner, you know that you have to show up for your run because you will be letting another person down....
by dave | Aug 24, 2020 | Recognition and Awards, School Climate
The senior administration in a modern secondary school is usually so busy dealing with the negative issues and paperwork that confront them on a daily basis, that they rarely have time to spend with the positive people in the building. In fact, if you are not causing...
by dave | Aug 24, 2020 | Recognition and Awards, School Climate
Notre Dame College School in Welland takes a lot of pride in recognizing their academic stars. This display is found right in the front foyer of the school, and it’s a place that you would be proud to have your name appear.
by dave | Aug 24, 2020 | School Spirit, Special Days
It’s a good idea to put a countdown reminder for a major event in a visible place in your council office or front entrance of your school. Tape Measure Countdown: to count down the last 30 days, hang a cloth tape measure in a visible place. As each day goes by, cut...
by dave | Aug 24, 2020 | Recognition and Awards, School Spirit
Hunting Hills High in Red Deer takes pictures of their star athletes and then prints the portrait to vinyl. The portraits are then posted to lockers outside of the gym area. A great way to recognize the talent in your school. The same could be done for students on...
by dave | Aug 21, 2020 | Random Acts of Kindness, Recognition and Awards
There is nothing wrong with a little sugar high to say, “Hi and thank you.” to staff. Use one of the following to give your staff a little boost: Reeces: Thank you for sharing pieces of your knowledge with us this year. M&M: Much & Many thanks for all you...
by dave | Aug 21, 2020 | Community Support, Fundraising and Awareness
Oscar the Grouch will be smiling when your students pre-solicit pledges on a per-bag basis for the litter that they collect in a specific area of your community on a specific day. Select a visible eyesore and with a small group, you can make a significant difference....
by dave | Aug 21, 2020 | Fundraising and Awareness
Many groups try to make money by running a huge one-shot fundraiser rather than slowly accumulating their profit over time. The slice method of fundraising is simply putting the pieces together over a length of time to make a whole lot of moolah!! Clubs and teams have...
by dave | Aug 21, 2020 | Grad Events, School Spirit
Senior students organize a grad breakfast for the grads from last year on the Friday before Thanksgiving, as many grads come home for the holiday. This is attended by present staff and grads return to socialize and share their experiences with this year’s...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | School Climate
People are paying to have their old pianos taken away. Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary in Waterloo and Centennial High in Calgary have given these family instruments a new home. Paint the piano in your school colours and let people give it their best “heart and...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | School Spirit, Special Days
Using spray chalk with a graffiti skill or stencils is an excellent way to temporarily promote activities, decorate walkways, entrances, etc. for events, and for school spirit. MaterialsCornstarch 4 TablespoonsWarm Water 1 CupFood Colouring ...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Random Acts of Kindness, School Climate
One school had each member of their staff fill out something called the Love File. The file asked questions about a few of their favorite things like drinks, snacks, or favorite places to dine. Student government along with the administrative team would then partner...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Climate, School Spirit
Guelph Collegiate used to have “Buy Outs” to support sports teams. Students could pay a toonie and get out of last class to attend a game at the end of school. This was changed to a “Buy In” for spirit. They were not getting full support from...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Recognition and Awards, School Spirit
A unique way to thank a group of staff members for their help after an event is to take the “Duck Pond of Appreciation” around to their classes. Have them pick a duck from the pond, and with the corresponding number (written on the bottom) they win a...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Grad Events, School Spirit
Chinook High School in Lethbridge, Alberta has a large Grad Rock that is located outside of the school. Each year, the graduation class paints the rock and grads sign their names on the rock. It stands as a solid reminder to the graduating class that they are spending...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit
The day involves having a student or staff member win the opportunity to experience all of his or her classes for one day from the comfort of a Lazy Boy recliner. A recliner is placed in full view in the cafeteria on a Monday, and tickets are sold at 50¢ each or three...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Community Support, Fundraising and Awareness
The L.P. Miller FIGHT Foundation, a humanitarian service learning group who helps those in need locally, nationally and globally, organized a Pet Parade and Awareness event with all proceeds going towards the North East SPCA building fund. Overall we had a great...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Community Support, Fundraising and Awareness
Kindersley Composite School came up with a unique way to raise money for cancer and have fun in the community as well. As part their our annual Think Pink week for cancer research, the students on the Kindersley SLC split up into grade alike teams and competed to see...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Random Acts of Kindness, School Climate
As a group, get your teacher’s approval to schedule a day to surprise the class next door with cookies and milk. Do this for no other reason than to spread good will. Encourage the class receiving the mini-party to repay the favor, but not toward your group but to...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Games and Activities
Conduct a contest using regular golf clubs—make sure you have a least one left-handed club. The “hole” is a hula hoop, placed on the ground, about 12 metres away from the tee. The golf “balls” are marshmallows. Participants play throughout lunch period. Award prizes...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit
In honour of National Popcorn Day on January 30, organize a popcorn sculpture contest between homeroom classes or teams of students at lunch. Provide each group with a bag of popcorn and flour-paste glue or caramel, then let them create. After judging and displaying...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Recognition and Awards, School Climate
Student leaders and advisors for clubs and activities need to be reminded that they are important and valued members of your school. Giving them a boost at the beginning of the year can give your activity program the impetus it requires to get things off with the...
by dave | Aug 20, 2020 | Games and Activities, School Spirit
On March 14th, math teachers at Waterloo Collegiate bake pies and serve them to fellow staff members. CHAT in Toronto has Pi Day, where students are challenged to repeat the number Pi to as many digits as possible from memory. This is a chance for some students who...
