Roots of Empathy is a district-wide character education and anti-bullying program that seeks to foster empathy and compassion in children and adults. At the heart of the program are a neighbourhood infant and parent who visit the classroom nine times over the school year. A trained ROE Instructor coaches students to observe the baby’s development and to label the baby’s feelings. In this experiential learning, the baby is the “Teacher” and a lever that the instructor uses to help children to identify and reflect on their own feelings and the feelings of others.

We are happy to share that ROE had its beginning at all 5 elementary schools in the district in 2007 and we are proud to celebrate the contributions of 5 years of ROE programming with an event to honour our ROE Families, Babies, and Instructors on Wed. May 30 at 4:00 pm at SOSS in Oliver. We would like to especially extend an invitation to all of our alumni babies who have been involved with Roots of Empathy in our district. We are looking forward to having all alumni families/babies in attendance. Please contact Marieze Tarr at 250-498-1333 or email at mtarr@sd53.bc.ca for more information.

If you would like to join our ROE team as an Instructor or ROE Familiy with a baby born between May and Aug of this year, please contact Mrs. Tarr at 250-498-1333 or Ms. McCall 250-497-5414 for information.

Ms Lisa McCall, MA BEd

Principal Okanagan Falls Elementary School
S.D. #53 (Okanagan Similkameen)
1141 Cedar Street, O.K. Falls, B.C. V0H 1R0
Tel 250-497-5414 Cell 250-689-0524 lmccall@sd53.bc.ca