GIS shares community building project for students, families

On Oct. 4, the Goshen Intermediate School held its “Choose Love Flock Sorting Assembly” to kick off its Choose Love Flocks: Four Flocks, One Pond school-wide initiative.

According to the school district, the Goshen Intermediate School adopted the Choose Love movement four years ago, “incorporating its core values of courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion in order to ‘choose love.’”

“We are excited to introduce this innovative program to promote the Choose Love core values and build a strong sense of community among our students, faculty and staff,” Principal Dr. Matthew Wentworth said.

Incorporating student voice

Last year, the school’s initiative expanded with the addition of its student leadership program, the Choose Love Ambassador Club. Student ambassadors worked with advisors Rosemarie Rampulla and Nicole Penner to help develop the Choose Love Flocks program.

During the assembly, each student received their “flock” assignment based on the Choose Love core values: courage, gratitude, forgiveness or compassion. Throughout the school year, each flock can earn points based on positive actions, including: attendance, All-Stars (exceptional achievements of acts of kindness), duck calls (positive behaviors in areas such as on the bus, during recess or in the cafeteria), library book returns, and how well they care for their Chromebooks.

According to Dr. Wentworth, flocks who earn the most points will be celebrated with special events and activities; additional surprise awards will be distributed throughout the year.

Fostering a sense of belonging

To build excitement and inclusivity, GIS will incorporate Theme Weeks with the following structure:

Monday – Choose Love Day of Action: Activities focused on one element of the Choose Love formula (courage, gratitude, forgiveness, or compassion).

Tuesday – House Color Day: Students wear their house colors to show support for their flock.

Wednesday – Kindness Towards Others Day: Encourages students to perform acts of kindness for classmates, staff, and the community.

Thursday – Dress-Up Day: Fun dress-up themes (e.g., superhero day, crazy hat day).

Friday – Goshen Gear Day: Students and staff wear Goshen Intermediate School gear or school colors to show unity and spirit.

In addition, students will participate in team-building activities and Flock Games, where they compete in both athletic and non-athletic events to earn points. Events such as Chuck the Duck, Lost at Sea, and other creative competitions will promote teamwork and build school spirit, the school district explained.

Friendly competition

A live “scoreboard” will allow participants and the Goshen Intermediate School family to track each Flock’s points in real time — designed to encourage students as they work together within their assigned Flocks. Siblings are assigned to the same Flock to create family unity, and parents and guardians are invited to encourage their child(ren)’s participation and accomplishments, the school district added.

“The Choose Love Flocks is truly a community initiative,” Dr. Wentworth said. “As we continue to grow and learn from this pilot program, we expect it to evolve and become a core part of the Goshen Intermediate experience, bringing excitement, unity, and positive energy into every corner of the school.”