Aug. 29, 2024-- Over the years, many district schools have instituted kindness campaigns, hosted weeks dedicated to being kind, and implemented activities centered on simple acts of goodwill.

Toms River is building on that in a big way to implement its theme and mission for the 2024-2025 school year, launching a district-wide Kindness Campaign, an initiative aimed at nurturing a culture of kindness and empathy among students, staff, and community.

"It's so incredibly simple to be kind, so much so that just saying the words 'Be kind' might not even resonate as much as they should," said Superintendent Michael Citta. "For this year and beyond, we're going to imprint kindness on the hearts and minds of everyone who passes through our buildings, forging a culture that our students and staff take out into the community."

That community is not a bystander in this effort either, but an active member. The Kindness Campaign includes, among others, Communities That Care (CTC), Ocean County Youth Services Commission, Ocean County Health Department, and Toms River Police Department.

More concretely, events will take place throughout the year that include these partners and engage students in a collective understanding of monthly pillars that are closely aligned with the virtue of kindness. These will include classroom lessons, challenges that promote acts of kindness, assemblies, and recognition awards for students who consistently demonstrate kindness.

"Our goal is to provide incentives that encourage positive behavior, plain and simple," said Assistant Superintendent Cara DiMeo.

The year-long campaign is designed to encourage students to engage in acts of kindness, big and small, throughout their daily lives. By promoting kindness, the district aims to foster an inclusive, supportive, and respectful atmosphere in and ultimately outside of its schools.

"Our overarching intention is to support every member of our school community in being the best version of themselves each and every day," said Assistant Superintendent Patrick Thomas.

District and school leaders are encouraging families to discuss the importance of kindness with their children, encouraging them to participate in the campaign, modeling kindness at home, and supporting volunteerism.

"We know how much a small act of kindness can impact someone's day, and how, over the course of a year, these acts snowball into fewer incidents of conflict, higher student achievement, and stronger bonds among peers," said Citta. "Becoming the best version of ourselves is a journey we'll all be on together, and we're excited to get started."