K-Walkers Bring Community, Connection, and Care

Fourth grade students have begun connecting with younger students during morning arrival in their role as K-Walkers.

Each morning, a group of 4th grade students stands beside the midfield gate—the primary drop-off point for students in Junior Kindergarten through 3rd grade during arrival. They greet their younger peers and offer to escort them to the playground or their classroom as available time allows.

K-Walkers connect with one or more students depending on the flow of morning arrival, and each journey provides opportunities for students to get to know each other. Older students break the ice with jokes and questions and learn the younger students’ names over time. Throughout the year, they exchange questions and answers, share jokes, tell tales of weekend experiences and excursions, and come to know and value each other as members of the Parker community.

This cohort of 4th grade students never had the opportunity to walk to their classrooms with K-Walkers as JK or SK students due to the COVID pandemic, making this year’s responsibilities all the more special for them. A sample of 4th graders unanimously indicated their favorite part of this year so far has been K-Walking! 

Fourth grade teachers are big fans of the K-Walker program. Miriam Pickus shared, “I love that 4th graders step into this responsibility with eagerness and kindness.” Maureen Cuesta offered, “Fourth graders are beginning to see the world around them, and helping others is a big part of that awareness.” Diane Berin added, “We talk a lot about the concept of K-Walking being a community service. It is one small civic responsibility that 4th graders can do for others here at Parker. It is also a rite of passage that so many students look forward to!” 

K-Walkers are identifiable by their lanyards on good weather days and by their ponchos and umbrellas on bad weather days. This responsibility rotates among the 4th grade graderooms and students throughout the year, and while fewer and fewer younger students use their services as the year progresses, most see this development as a sign of success on everyone’s parts—K-Walkers, younger students, parents/guardians, and teachers alike!

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