We asked students to share their responses to the following questions: 

Where do you feel care at McNeely? 

Do you feel part of the McNeely Community?

How do you show care at McNeely?

These were some responses: 

Where do you feel care at McNeely? 

• "With my friends".
• "In my classroom."
• "I have lots of friends."
• "I feel like they care about me at the library."
• "A safe room somewhere."
• "My classroom."
• "When I'm at the playground, people give me turns on the swings."
• "My teacher shows care. They are caring and nice. They solve situations, problems and stuff like that."
• "I feel care everywhere because it's a beautiful school. I feel like the people around me are very nice, so I show respect back."
• "When all the people around you can be there when you need them."
• "I care about my friends, and I care about this place."
• "I  feel care at McNeely when people check up on me and when the teachers help with stuff I'm confused with."
• "When my teacher asks me how I feel or when my friends ask me. Because then I don't feel like I'm just a ghost. I actually feel like I'm someone."
• "I think someone told me I was."                                                                                                                                                                                                    Do you feel a part of the McNeely Community?
• Yes, because (teacher) always talks to me.  
•  I don't get ignored that much.
• I feel care when there are protective adults around. 
• I feel like I feel part of the community by showing the things I do. I help and stuff. 
• "When people ask me for help or when they need help."
• "I love McNeely because it's very caring towards me and just great towards the rest of the school."
• "Yes, because I've been here for so long, it feels like a second home for me."
• Yes, I do have friends."
• "yes, because I've been at McNeely since Kindergarten and I feel like it's a safe place for me."
• I really feel people are nice.
• Yes, I've been here for eight years and it's been an amazing year and I'm really sad to leave, honestly it feels really sad to leave. I don't want to leave."
• "I feel care in my classroom because they all care for me and all care how I feel, it just feels really nice to have a caring classroom."                              

How do you show care at McNeely?

• "I help my friends."
• "By not doing bad stuff at McNeely."
• "I pick up litter and throw it in the garbage."
• "I care about the school, the trees, and the planet."
• "I care about McNeely when I'm at the playground."
• "I don't do serious damage to the playground or other school things."
• "I show care by helping, throwing trash and mental support... ya ya."
• "I show care because I show care by helping here at McNeely. Anything they need help ...on their math, sometimes I might play with younger people, teach them how to play basketball and get better."
• "I ask how people feel and how everyone is?"
• "Trying to include more people and helping others when they need help."
• "Show people how to do art."
• "Picking up garbage."
• "You help people. If they are hurt, you can help them. If something bad happens, you can help them."
• "I show care by complimenting them, helping when they need help, and making them feel welcome."
• "Well, if you share care, they show care. When they share interest and it's very nice to have people care about you." 
• "I can show care by sharing things with my friends."
• "Helping others. Sharing stuff." 

Next Steps: 

Our next steps is to consider:

- What is missing from these responses?

- What have students communicated?

- Which spaces bring a feeling of safety?

- Which spaces were missing in the responses?

- How might we foster a community of care at McNeely?