"Good morning, 2nd graders!" said Mr. K. "I'm so excited to see you all this morning. Today is a very special day! Who can raise their hand and tell me why?"

Josie raises her hand and when Mr. K calls on her she says, "We are getting a new student and friend in our class today!"

"That's right!" Mr. K exclaims! "Sara is joining our class today and she is new to our school, our community, and our country."

Sara and her family recently fled to America. Their family, like many others, are called refugees. Refugees come to America seeking safety from scary experiences in another place in the world.

"Because Sara has experienced many troubling things in her life, it's important to be extra kind and welcoming to her. She is probably nervous about starting at a new school and many things are going to be different for her" Mr. K tells the class.

There is a knock on the classroom door and the school principal, Mrs. Lee walks in with a little girl by her side. This is Sara. Sara has a nervous smile on her face.

Mr. K walks over to the door and gives Sara a big smile. He says, "Hello, Sara, welcome to 2nd grade!"

One at a time all of the students in the class walk over to Sara, introduce themselves, and give her a big smile!

There is a desk all ready for Sara in the classroom filled with school supplies, books, learning materials, and a picture of every student in the class with their name. Mr. K and the students put all of this together to help Sara feel welcome right away!

Once Sara sees the desk, her face lights up and she says "shukran!" This means thank you in her language, Arabic. The rest of the day is spent welcoming Sara into the classroom and helping her adjust.