Many of the Belmont Hills Elementary School Bulldogs eschewed their traditional yellow and black school colors today in favor of Eagles’ green, as they gathered for a very special all-school morning meeting.

Students from the second and third grades led the assembly in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and Belmont Hills’ BARK motto, which encourages all students to ;Be safe, Accountable, Respectful and Kind. Then, the students were participated in a calming Mindfulness Moment, led by Instructional Assistant Mr. James Thorpe.

The calm quickly turned to excitement as Principal Ms. Robin Klaiber and Lower Merion School District’s Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Ms. Shawanna James-Coles read the book “Beautiful Blackbird,” a Coretta Scott King award-winner by Ashley Bryan. In the story, based on a folk take from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia, a blackbird is voted the most beautiful bird in the forest. The other birds, who are colored red, yellow, blue, and green, are so envious that they beg Blackbird to paint their feathers with a touch of black so they can be beautiful too. Although the blackbird warns them that true beauty comes from within, the other birds persist and soon each is given a ring of black around their neck or a dot of black on their wings, markings that detail birds to this very day.

At the conclusion of the reading, the students sang “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. And while that song reflects all the colors of the rainbow, the assembly quickly focused on the color green, as Belmont Hills mascot Bernard took the stage in an Eagles jersey and led the students in a rousing version of the “Fly Eagles Fly!”

Despite the Eagles excitement, the one student and one staff member who were proudly wearing their Chiefs’ jerseys enjoyed the morning, proving that no matter what your favorite color, you can still follow the Belmont Hills BARK motto by being Respectful and Kind!

Many of the Belmont Hills Bulldogs eschewed their traditional yellow and black school colors today in favor of Eagles’ green, as they gathered for a very special all-school morning meeting!