Brookside celebrates good behavior with a ‘rainbow parade’

November 5, 2022 | By Lisa Scagliotti | Photos by Gordon Miller 

Gordon Miller’s drone captures the scene.

What better way to end the week than to put on a quick parade? 

That’s exactly what the students and staff at Brookside Primary School did on Friday. 

Under bright sunshine and temperatures flirting with 70 degrees, the whole school piled out into the school yard after lunch dressed by class in monochrome colors for a “rainbow parade.” Groups of students and teachers dressed primarily in red or blue with some in green, orange, black, etc. assembled into a parade line and proceeded to march down Stowe Street to Railroad Street and around High Street to return to the school yard for outdoor games until dismissal time. 

The occasion? Good behavior. The school has a motto to “Be safe, be respectful, be responsible.” It also uses a framework called Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports (PBIS for short) that essentially rewards good behavior and lays out steps to take when students behave otherwise.  

Individual students and classes track points and instances where they are recognized for following expectations. At different times throughout the year, the school sets goals and plans celebrations around reaching them. 

Friday’s parade and extended recess was the first such milestone for this school year. 

Given the day, everyone seemed especially happy for the break in the routine. Co-Principals Sarah Schoolcraft and Chris Neville added colorful costumes, donning crazy hats and capes to match the mood.

“It’s all about positive reinforcement,” Neville said.