Belonging starts with a name. I couldn’t understand why my parents gave me a boys name. And just wanted to be normal like everyone else. Go figure. Me? Normal? Ha. But I learned to love my name because of what it represented far beyond the definition. It was the story behind it. I had to learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable. As we begin a new school year, think about how you’re going to prioritize belongingness in your school. How will you ensure every student and staff feels like they belong in your school family? Here’s on tip: What’s in a Name activity. 1.Pair up your staff/students 2.Have them take a walk around the school together and share the story behind their name. 3.Invite 3-5 (depending on the size of audience) to share.