It showed a student holding two thumbs up calling the month of June, "The month with the fewest students absent!"
June has been criticized by many as the least academic school month, when class schedules are filled with field days, pizza parties and end-of-the-year trips.
But for one upcoming sixth-grade field trip, Monument Valley Middle School has added an instructional component.
All week long, the school has teamed up with the Kilpatrick Athletic Center at Simon's Rock College of Bard to engage about 90 pupils in a Safety Week, prior to tomorrow's whitewater rafting trip on the Deerfield River.
The program, now in its second year, includes a full four-day training in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, swimming lessons, and water safety and rescue.
"This is not a waste of time. This is good," said sixth-grade teacher Helen Eline. "This is new to them, and the more exposure you get, the more confident you feel."
Previously, pupils were given a questionnaire about their own familiarity with emergency response and water safety.
For the week, the classes were separated by gender
Today, pupils will be given evaluations on the skills they have learned. If successful, they will receive certificates from the American Red Cross in the fall.
"It's fun. You get to learn new stuff," said Luke Archie, 12.
"Usually (on field trips) we just go and walk around and look at things. Here, you get to get wet," said Garrett Norton, 12.
Though first aid is taught in the middle school, many of the pupils said they were not familiar with CPR. They also said that they had little opportunity to practice.
Yesterday, pupils practiced CPR and the Heimlich maneuver on 30 dummies borrowed from the local Red Cross.
Laura McClay, 13, said that, although she had had some emergency training, some of it was forgotten because she hadn't been using it.
"I didn't really know any of this before. It makes you feel more safe," said Hannah Talbot, 12.
"Our goal is making kids safer for themselves, safer for the community and safer for their families," said Bill Meier, aquatics director for the athletic center.
"It's especially important here," said lifeguard and local swim coach Jill Brown. "In the Berkshires, there's pools, lakes and water everywhere."
The Safety Week program was developed last year between Meier and Todd Covert, a sixth-grade teacher at Monument Valley and a Swim America certified coach/instructor. They also worked with Mike Murphy, director of health and safety at the local American Red Cross, to develop the school program.
The program costs are about $30 per student, which includes materials and certificates.
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Education Spotlight ideas can be sent to jsmith@berkshireeagle.com.
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