South Valley students pledge 'I am VUSD' and work on being connected, prepared and kind

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Visalia Unified School District is working to make its students as well-rounded as possible.

In addition to learning math, science and reading, students are signing their names pledging "I am VUSD."

They're committing to being connected, being prepared and being kind.

VUSD's Administrator of Communications, Strategy and Outreach Andre Pecina says the new initiative was born out of listening sessions with the community, staff and students.

Each quarter, they'll focus on a different topic: preparedness, being connected and being kind.

"It's just integrated throughout all the subject matter areas that I teach here in our classroom," Mineral King Elementary School first-grade teacher Valerie Lewis said.

She says she and her class consistently discuss how they can be connected, prepared, and, especially, kind.

That's because, at this school, there's a year-round focus on kindness.

Students are happy to show you their commitment.

School administrators hope students will take what they're learning and strive to be the best they can be.

"These are life skills that they're going to take on for the rest of their life on whatever journey," Lewis said.

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