BVCS in Westport launches new monthly initiative

WESTPORT | In recent years, the importance of physical activity in education has grown. That's why the Lake View Campus at Boquet Valley now hosts a community walk/ride to school once a month. One took place just last week, where students of all ages, along with their loved ones, started at Ballard Park and commuted about a mile to school. While some opted to do so with bikes, scooters, or rollerblades, others chose to walk or run. "We have a teacher here who says, 'Movement is medicine,'" said BVCS Lake View Campus Principal Lee Kyler. "Getting outside, getting fresh air, is a natural way to energize your body and get you in a good mindset for learning for the rest of the day." This relatively new offering, which began in May, is part of the district's new monthly initiative designed to strengthen student relationships, enhance the school climate, and promote equality through Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) — an evidence-based, tiered framework that supports students' behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. Each monthly PBIS day begins with the community walk/ride to school from a location, such as Ballard Park or the Essex County Fairgrounds. The school day then features a morning assembly, made possible through the district's Arts in Education grant. For the October kickoff, students enjoyed a live opera performance by the Seagle Music Festival. Throughout the day, teachers continue academics but with an added focus on relationship-building and student engagement. The day concludes with a PBIS celebration assembly, where the community highlights a monthly theme and recognizes students of the month and a staff member of the month. "This initiative is about more than a schedule change. It's about intentionally creating space for joy, connection, and equity in our school community," Kyler said. "We are encouraging staff and students alike to embrace novelty and take risks because innovation in education happens when we are willing to try something new together." The PBIS days will continue once a month throughout the school year. Whether or not the community walk/ride will continue throughout the winter, however, is on a trial basis. "I would love to continue doing it through the winter so long as the weather is nice, but it's going to be an experiment to see if it's possible," Kyler said. "But we're definitely going to try and see." For more information or updates, visit boquetvalleycsd.org.

Signup for our newsletter

BVCS in Westport launches new monthly initiative

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS