1 of 21

Welcome to

Project Cornerstone!

2 of 21

2

Our Role As Project Cornerstone Readers

The primary goals of the ABC volunteers are to:

• Build a relationship with all students

• Lead meaningful discussions

• Provide students with tools

• Build a common language and help create a more caring, positive school climate.

3 of 21

Each Month:

Attend the Reader Training (all dates are in the Konstella Calendar)
Plan and present the lesson with your co-reader
Borrow and return the book to the library on the day of your lesson
One reader sends the parent letter on Konstella
Complete the Reader Log
Ask for feedback from your teacher

4 of 21

Finding My Way Around Bubb and Project Cornerstone:

All resources shared for each lesson are on the website in Reader’s Corner.
We follow MVWSD Guidelines for volunteers.
Check in and out of the office with your ID or your volunteer badge.
You can use the staff copy room during class hours (avoid recess/lunch/before school).
Please use the PTA code listed on the copier for accounting purposes.
Use the Konstella chat to share ideas.

5 of 21

Do I need an MVWSD badge?

There are two types of volunteers: Infrequent and Regular

Infrequent volunteers:An infrequent volunteer is defined as a person who volunteers on campus less than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year, and does not plan to attend an overnight field trip. These volunteers are required to provide a valid ID when checking in at the office.

Regular volunteers:These are volunteers who are on campus more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year, or plan to attend an overnight field trip. They are typically long-term volunteers with programs such as Project Cornerstone, Arts Focus, PTA or room parents.

Regular volunteers are required to complete a volunteer badge application through our Raptor system. This enables you to complete documentation and a background check just once a year. Then, you can quickly scan your badge at the office.
Mandated reporter training is now required every two years, and reduced to 1 hour. Completion certificates from other organizations are acceptable. The district provides free, online training for those who need to complete the requirement.
TB documentation is good for 3 years.
If you have already had your fingerprints done for MVWSD, you do NOT need to complete them again. When filling out your online volunteer badge application on the Raptor platform, enter the approximate date you had fingerprints complete.
A passport style photo that can be used as your badge photo

If you are interested in renewing your volunteer badge for 25-26 school year, please reach out to Mr. Person(dperson@mvwsd.org) or me, to start the renewal application process. For more information on Volunteering at MVWSD, go to https://www.mvwsd.org/parents/volunteering

5

6 of 21

Project Cornerstone Volunteer Policies

Why Volunteer? We believe that, “All kids are our kids.”

Confidentiality Policy

• Everything that you see and do concerning children at school is private and confidential:

Child Abuse Prevention Policy

• California law requires employees of a public or private youth-serving organization to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse.

Support School Faculty and Administration

• As a representative of Project Cornerstone and your school, build a trusting relationship with members of your school community.

Referring Student Problems That Arise During a Lesson: if needed, report issues that feel more serious to the teacher.

Brief review of main points in training; request readers to review in detail in their own time.

Listed below are Project Cornerstone’s policies for adults who volunteer in schools. In addition to these important policies, please become informed about and adhere to requirements specific to your school site.

Why Volunteer? We believe that, “All kids are our kids.” It’s not just about reading in your kids class. In fact we ask each of you to consider volunteering for a class that your child isn’t in. We have a number of rooms with only one reader whose children could benefit from more caring adults in their life too. Reach out to us if you are willing to step up and do this. We rise by lifting others, right? What a great way to help every child at Bubb rise.

• Volunteers intentionally invite relationships with staff, students, and families that support the mission and vision of the school. These relationships help youth thrive.

• Volunteers intentionally seek to empower youth by giving them voice and choice in clubs and activities.

• Volunteers partner with school staff to create safe and caring spaces for youth to be and belong; to learn about themselves and others; to connect; to explore and discover their interests.

Confidentiality Policy

• Everything that you see and do concerning children at school is private and confidential:

o Grades, behavior, test scores, etc. Even good news is confidential.

o Other items that are the exclusive domain of the school’s professional staff, including family situations, are confidential.

• Address any concern about the health and well-being of a student to the teacher or school staff.

Where to make a report if you see unsafe behavior (teacher, then principal, not local Facebook moms group or a text chain with friends or our Konstella chat)

• Children’s rights are protected by the California Family Right to Privacy Act.

Child Abuse Prevention Policy

• YMCA and Project Cornerstone are advocates for children and their rights. Prevention of child abuse is a special concern.

• California law requires employees of a public or private youth-serving organization to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse.

• If you know or reasonably suspect that a child has been abused, you must:

o Report what you have observed to the classroom teacher and principal. Ask them to file a report with Child Protective Services.

7 of 21

ABC Training:

8 of 21

Fill the buckets of your students by building relationships!

Identify yourself as someone youth can count on.
Learn Names. Use nametags! Youth feel valued, respected and known when you use their name.
Spend a little time setting the mood and clearly stating your expectations for your time with the students as an ABC Reader.

9 of 21

Book Summary and Goals

Students will be able to identify and name a variety of feelings.
Students will understand that all feelings are valid and serve a purpose.
Students will explore healthy ways to express and manage different emotions.
Students will develop empathy by recognizing and understanding the feelings of others.

9

10 of 21

READING THE BOOK

"We're going to read a book called 'The Hotel of Feelings' to help us think about our own emotions. This book shows our feelings as guests checking into a hotel inside of us."
"As I read, pay attention to the different voices and tones I use for each feeling. Think about what each feeling guest needs and how you would help them feel welcome."
Pause at different points in the book. "Let's stop here. What do you notice about this feeling? What does this guest need? What does it feel like for you when this feeling shows up?"
"This book reminds us that our feelings are not good or bad—they are just feelings, and it's important to make space for all of them."

10

11 of 21

K-2: DISCUSSING THE BOOK

"What color do you see for the 'Sadness' guest? What color do you feel when you are sad?" You can have students hold up a crayon or draw their answer on a small whiteboard.
"What do you think the 'Joy' guest needs in their room to be themselves?" Have students act out the answer with their bodies, like jumping up and down.
"Has anyone ever felt like the 'Fear' guest? What made you feel safe again?" You can have students give a thumbs-up. If they want to share, two thumbs up.
"Why do you think the hotel manager lets ALL the feelings into the hotel? Why don't they just let the happy ones in?" Have students share their ideas out loud.

11

12 of 21

3-5: DISCUSSING THE BOOK

"How does the 'Anger' guest behave in the hotel? How might that feel in your own body or mind?" You can have students write down or draw their answer.
"Which feeling do you think presents the biggest challenge for the hotel manager? Why do you think that?" Have students discuss this in small groups before sharing with the class.
"Can you think of a time when a feeling was a 'difficult guest' in your own 'hotel'? What did you do, or what would the hotel manager do?" Students can write about their experience in a journal or on a piece of paper.
"The book says that the hotel manager needs to truly understand and care for each guest. Why is that so important for our own feelings?" Students can share their thoughts with a partner.
When discussing anxiety, you can say: "Anxiety is a feeling you get when you're worried about something. Anxiety can sometimes feel big and loud inside of us. When do you think our anxiety helps us, and when is it a difficult guest?“

12

How does [Feeling's Name] behave in the hotel, and how might that feel in your own body or mind?

What are some of the specific 'needs' or 'requests' that [Feeling's Name] has? How does the manager respond?

Which feeling do you think presents the biggest challenge for the hotel manager? Why?"

Beyond just letting them in, why is it important for the hotel manager to truly understand and care for each guest?

How is the idea of the 'Grand Hotel of Feelings' a metaphor for how we manage our own inner emotional world?

Can you think of a time when a feeling was a 'difficult guest' in your own 'hotel'? What did you do, or what would the hotel manager do?

To talk about anxiety, we have the following statement: Anxiety is a feeling you get when you’re worried or nervous about something happening. Anxiety can help protect us from danger and help keep us safe. When anxiety interrupts your ability to function, it can be harmful.

13 of 21

ACTIVITY OPTION: Feelings Check In

13

14 of 21

ACTIVITY OPTION: Balloons of Feelings

Any feeling/ emotion can get too much if it’s not handled

Talk about ways we cope with feelings and how different emotions feel to us.

14

15 of 21

ACTIVITY OPTION:�Emotion Rooms

“Together we're going to create a special hotel just like the one in the book!"

"When you feel happy, what does that feel like? What does a happy room look like? What color is it? What things are in there? You get to decide"
Divide students into small groups and give each group a feeling, like happy, sad, or silly.
"Your group will draw a room for that feeling. Think about what that feeling needs. What colors would you use? What kinds of things would be in the room?"
Have each group show their drawing to the class.

15

16 of 21

ACTIVITY OPTION: �Feelings are Welcome Poster

"We're going to create a class poster to remind us that it's okay to have any feeling in our classroom."
You can have students vote on the title or have it ready to go.
"You'll each get a small piece of paper. On your paper, you can write a feeling word, a sentence like 'It's okay to feel sad,' or draw a picture that shows feelings are welcome."
"When you're finished, we'll tape or glue all of our unique papers onto the big poster to make one big, beautiful sign. It will be so special because it's made up of everyone's unique ideas about feelings!"

16

Create a class poster titled "Feelings are Welcome Here," "All Feelings Welcome," or "Welcome, Feelings!"

Choose a statement as a class for the students to decorate. Either have them vote on a few options, or have the poster ready to go. They will have the opportunity to share their voice and opinions as they decorate.

Options for the poster are have a large poster board/butcher paper where students can draw directly on it, have students write and cut out their contributions and glue it to the large class poster, or separating the poster into pieces that the students decorate in small groups and then reconnect.

Have each student contribute to the poster by:

Writing or drawing a feeling.

Writing a sentence about accepting feelings (e.g., "It's okay to be sad," "All feelings are valid").

Drawing a symbol or image that represents emotional acceptance.

Display the poster in the classroom as a visual reminder that all feelings are welcome and valued.

17 of 21

ACTIVITY OPTION:�Hotel Manager Role-Play

"Today, you're all going to be hotel managers, and your job is to help our hotel guests—our feelings!"
Divide students into small groups.
"Each group will get a card with a feeling on it. The card will describe a 'guest' at our hotel. For example, your card might say 'Anger is shouting and making other guests uncomfortable,' or 'Sadness is crying and doesn't want to leave their room.'"
"Your group will talk and decide how to help your guest. What do they need? What would you say to them? What would you do to help them feel safe and supported? Think about how you can be a good manager and use empathy to help."
After groups have had time to prepare, have them act out their scene for the class.
"After each group goes, we'll talk about the different ways we can help our friends—and ourselves—when they are feeling big feelings."

17

Students will take on the role of the hotel manager and practice responding to different feelings.

Divide students into small groups.

Provide each group with scenario cards describing a feeling "guest" at the hotel.

Example Scenario Cards:

"Anger is shouting and making the other guests uncomfortable."

"Sadness is crying and doesn't want to leave their room."

"Anxiety is pacing and worried about everything."

"Joy is very excited and wants to celebrate."

Have groups role-play how they would respond to the feeling guest, using empathy and understanding. Encourage them to consider:

What the feeling needs.

What words and actions would be helpful.

How to create a safe and supportive environment.

Have groups present their role-plays to the class.

Discuss the different approaches and the importance of empathy.

18 of 21

ACTIVITY OPTION: �My Hotel of Feelings

"Today, you're going to create your very own 'Hotel of Feelings' on a piece of paper."
"On the front, you'll draw what your hotel looks like. You can give it a name like 'My Feelings Hotel.' Be creative—this is your hotel!"
"Inside your hotel, you will create different rooms for your feelings. You can draw simple shapes or figures to represent your feelings, like joy, sadness, or anger. Think about what color each feeling would be, and what things would be in that room."
"When you're finished, you'll get to share your hotel with a partner or with the class. This is a chance to show what you created and talk about how your feelings make you unique!"

18

Students will create their own "Hotel of Feelings" poster, representing their inner emotional world. Materials: paper/cardstock for each student and drawing materials

Creating the Hotel Structure: Students fold paper/cardstock in half to make a card. On the front, they draw a hotel building, decorating it with a name like "My Feelings Hotel" or "The [Student's Name] Hotel." Encourage creativity for what their hotel might look like (use the back page as an example)

Creating the Feelings Guests: Inside the card, students create "rooms" or sections for different feelings. They draw simple shapes or figures to represent emotions, similar to the book's characters. Encourage them to use colors they associate with each feeling (e.g., red for anger, blue for sadness, yellow for happiness). They can label each room with the emotion word.

Students add details to their hotel and feeling guests. For example, they could draw raindrops in the Sadness room, flames in the Anger room, or stars in the Happiness room. They can use optional materials for texture and creativity.

After completing their cards, students share their "Hotels of Feelings" with a partner or the class. Encourage them to explain their design choices and how they represent their own emotional experiences. Facilitate a discussion about how everyone's "hotel" is unique and how we can be supportive of each other's feelings.

Younger students: Focus on drawing 3-4 basic emotions and labeling them.

Older students: Explore a wider range of emotions, including more complex ones like frustration, anxiety, or jealousy. They can also write brief descriptions of how those feelings manifest in themselves.

19 of 21

CLOSING

"Today, we learned some important things from 'The Hotel of Feelings.' The book showed us that all feelings are valid, and it's important to make space for them. Feelings like anger, sadness, or anxiety are not 'bad'—they are just feelings, and they are all a part of being human."
"We also saw that feelings are temporary guests. They come and go. This is a good reminder that even when a feeling feels big, it won't last forever."
"The hotel manager showed us that we can learn to care for our feelings instead of ignoring them or pushing them away. We can be like that manager, taking time to understand our feelings and giving them what they need."
"When we understand and care for our own feelings, it makes it easier to show empathy for others. Let's use what we've learned to create a more supportive and inclusive classroom where we can help each other with our feelings."

19

20 of 21

What’s next:

Signing up with the Y, signing up with us through the Google Form

Next training will be October 1, 8:05am

We need help recruiting, especially rooms 3, 8, 12, 13, 17, and 22C

Choose who will send Konstella communications for your classroom

Connect with your Teachers! Schedule your lesson, welcome feedback

Sign the Reading Log when you’re done with your lesson.

20

21 of 21

THANK YOU!!!

21