Building Community Through a Schoolwide Postal Service

Taking care of yourself, others, and the environment is a guiding principle at Indian Hill Elementary School, home of the Braves. Our school consists of grades three through five, and in these developmental years, children learn more about themselves and their relationships with others. At this age, children typically move from “me” to “we” and develop a greater sense of the world and people around them.

It takes time to build community, and our teachers are masterful at doing it. Our classroom communities begin to develop on day one. At morning meetings, students greet each other by name and learn more about each other through intentional activities. It is important that each student feel that they are an integral part of our classroom community. Their presence makes our day complete. 

We encourage students to support those outside of their own classroom. Our Braves Postal Service was created to facilitate the growth of our greater school community.

Communication FocuseS on Kind Words

Our goal with the Braves Postal Service is to ensure that every student receives handwritten postcards from peers or teachers during the school year. The card includes a sincere, positive, or uplifting message and can be written to any student or staff member in our building. Students are excited to write and receive notes from friends, bus mates, siblings, club buddies, and teachers. While some may consider this an old-fashioned approach, it has turned into a warm, charming source of communication. A simple, kind word can ground us, reset us, and make us smile. I believe that one of our gifts as educators is to help children understand that their acts of kindness are important and impactful within their community.

The following are foundational steps for our program: 

1. I create a video announcement for students, sharing the mission and procedures of our Braves Postal Service. After student viewing, teachers discuss the purpose of the postal service and ways to lift others up with our words.  
2. A schoolwide student design art contest begins for the cover of our postcards. I narrow cards down to 10 options based on their clarity and community-themed design. Then, cards are taped to a workroom wall for a teacher tally vote. The final three designs are celebrated and copied onto paper postcards. 
3. Each teacher is given a classroom set and entire homeroom lists to begin with. Examples of positive messages are further brainstormed in the classroom. Teachers follow up with details of how to address the card.

Implementation and the Review Process 

At the beginning of the year, most teachers complete first postcards as an entire class activity. Postcard time is then typically used as a closing-day activity or during a refresh and reflect time. We also encourage this practice on Wellness Wednesdays and during staff meetings. When cards are completed, student helpers can deliver all postcards to a red mailbox that sits outside of my office.

I read each postcard prior to delivery. While the idea of reading every student postcard initially felt overwhelming, I can honestly state it has become one of the best parts of my day. I quickly read the messages, and they are delightful. The postcards sent among siblings in our building have been particularly sweet. I wish everyone could read a child’s innocent, heartfelt messages.

If necessary information isn’t included on the card, it will be returned for completion with a “Return to sender” Post-it note asking for specific details such as the recipient’s name and homeroom. Students understand that I read every message and will follow up directly one-on-one if there is a concern about the content of the message. During these conversations, I reemphasize the purpose of our program, which is to show care and kindness.  

As stated earlier, our schoolwide goal is that every child receive one or more messages during the school year. I keep track of this using a prepopulated Google Sheet that includes every student’s name in alphabetical order. The Google Sheet is also available to teachers throughout the year. Student responses to teacher messages are special to the students. The students light up with a letter from a current or past teacher and eagerly write back. 

Leadership Opportunities are Key

Our students are our official post office staff. Teachers nominate student helpers through a Google Form, and these students become a part of our Braves Postal Service. This “student staff” rotates quarterly and involves students from each grade level. Typically, our postal staff number includes six to eight students each quarter. This is a positive leadership opportunity for all students involved.

Each Wednesday, I reserve our conference room, and our postal service meets from approximately 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. Our student staff discusses the ins and outs of how to deliver mail without being disruptive. Their tasks include sorting postcards by homerooms, organizing piles, adding notification letters to homeroom teachers, and delivering each stack. Students often decide to switch roles each week.

Achieving a Culture of Kindness

Our postal service continues throughout the entire year and has met its goal each year! Knowing that every child received kind words from a peer or adult in their life fulfills our purpose. Students I have personally written to are more eager to greet me in the halls. I often receive a shy or expressive “Thank you” and hope that they felt a connection. I want them to know they have been seen.

School should feel welcoming and warm. The Braves Postal Service is a simple, child-facilitated channel for students to practice words of encouragement with classmates and to receive them. The power of a sincere word is significant. It reminds students that they are cared for by many and brightens their day. My hope is that other schools will consider this idea and find it as authentic and endearing as we have. A caring community is our goal.