Character Education

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

The character education theme for this school year at Versailles Elementary is “Be A Bucket Filler”.  The theme comes from the book, Have You Filled Your Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud.  This story, along with others from the series, will be used with students in grades K-4 throughout the year.  Each book explains to children that we all have an invisible bucket that we carry around with us.  This bucket contains the feelings we have towards others and ourselves.  When our buckets are full, we are happy.  When our buckets are empty, we are sad.  We can do things to keep our bucket and other’s buckets full.  We can also do things that dip into our buckets and others.  

What are bucket fillers?  Bucket fillers are those who help without being asked, give hugs, compliments, and generally spread kindness and good feelings to others.  The simple metaphor of a bucket helps students understand the importance of consideration and caring.

What are bucket dippers?  Bucket dippers rob us of happy feelings by refusing to help with a task or by saying or doing cruel things.  When talking to your child about things they have done, we encourage you to use the language of “Were you being a bucket dipper or bucket filler?”  If they have made a poor choice ask them what they could do to fix their mistake and be a “bucket filler” the next time.  

A video of Carol McCloud talking about this book is available online at:

Students will recite the “Bucket Fillers” pledge during the daily announcements:

Pledge:  I promise to do my best every day to be a bucket filler, not to dip, and to use my lid for myself and others at home, at school, and everywhere I go.

Bucket Filler Rules:

  • Be a bucket filler.

  • Don’t dip.

  • Use your lid.

Bucket-Filler LAWS:

  • When you fill someone else’s bucket, you fill your own.

  • When you dip into someone else’s bucket, you dip into your own.

  • When someone dips into your bucket, your lid controls how much is taken out.

You will see signs of our character program throughout our building.  The teachers have created hallway displays.  In addition to the pledge, each week on the announcements students will hear a new idea they can try to fill their own and others bucket.  Some examples include:  be the first to say hello, smile at people you pass in the hall, say please/thank you, give a sincere compliment, encourage someone, understand how someone else feels…to name a few.  Miss Tipton will also be teaching the students a song to go along with being a Bucket Filler.  

It our hope that through the proactive measures of our character education program that we have less discipline issues and bully type behavior in our building.  On the back of this sheet is our rubric for addressing bully type behaviors.  It would be a good idea to review this with your child.  Bullying is defined as repeated, unwanted, harmful acts on another and an imbalance of power.  If you have any concerns with your child’s safety or well-being at school, please call me immediately.  

Yours in education,

Brenda Braun, Principal

Versailles Elementary

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