School Bullying Council

CREVE COEUR — More middle schoolers are getting their hands on smart phones, using Facebook and texting, and access to technology is making cyberbullying a problem nation wide. Parkview Middle School is taking action against it.

For students at Parkview Middle School, cyberbullying is not tolerated.

Principal Brad Jockisch said in a learning environment, school is the only thing he wants his students to worry about. “It’s like any form of bullying. I mean if you do not feel safe if you’re worried about negative things, that’s going to impact your learning,” he said.

Statistics show that more than half of middle school students admit to doing something hurtful to another person online, but one thing is helping to change that.

The Center for Prevention of Abuse School Programming Supervisor Jeanne Anders said the education component is doing its job. “The good news is that with bullying prevention education, children really understand how they make someone feel when they’re bullying someone this way. They do think twice before participating in this,” Anders said.

She said 90 percent of cyberbullying happens between girls.

She says she has seen some pretty hurtful stuff. Much of it is personal attacks, often having to do with body image and looks.

But unlike plain, old bullying, when it’s digital, the school has proof.

Jockish said, “We reinforce it with there can be consequences. If you do something on Friday night, there may be consequences when you come to school on Monday morning.”

If you’re looking for help for your child, we have tips from the Center for Prevention of Abuse.

PARENT TIPS
1) Understand what cyberbullying is and what it means.
2) Teach your child appropriate social skills for online communication.
3) Remind your children not to give out their personal infomration online without your permission.
4) Set age-appropriate boundaries for your child when it comes to online usage and communication.
5) Create open and honest relationships with your children so they feel comfortable coming to you when questions or problems arise.
6) Don’t punish your child if she or he is the target of an online bullying incident – cutting of your child’s internet access will not solve the problem.

CHILD TIPS
1) STOP – Do not respond to the person if you are being bullied online as it will only make it worse.
2) BLOCK – Do not open emails or messages from someone you know bullies others.
3) TELL – Tell an adult you trust about the cyber bullying incident. Save or print bullying messages.
4) Refuse to cyber bully or let others be cyber bullied. Do not forward any inappropriate messages, posts or pictures.
5) Treat people online the same way you would in person – if it’s not OK to say something in person,  it’s not OK to say it online.

http://centralillinoisproud.com/fulltext?nxd_id=270892

You can’t help what you don’t know. Increase communication with students and increase school and student safety with the CyberBully Hotline. Meet students where they are and communicate with them on their terms-texting on their cell phones. The CyberBully Hotline is so much more than a phone number. It’s a comprehensive, anti-bullying program consisting of an anonymous, two-way reporting system that students can call or text, school-level and student-level reinforcement materials, and a bully pr

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You can’t help what you don’t know. Increase communication with students and increase school and student safety with the CyberBully Hotline. Meet students where they are and communicate with them on their terms-texting on their cell phones. The CyberBully Hotline is so much more than a phone number. It’s a comprehensive, anti-bullying program consisting of an anonymous, two-way reporting system that students can call or text, school-level and student-level reinforcement materials, and a bully pr

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End Bullying and Please share this video. Please do not leave ignorant or arrogant comments this is a real poem trying to create awareness and trying to end an epidemic. Be oart of the solution not the problem. #cyberbullying #abuse #peersupport #suicideprevention #anti-bullying #bully #antibully

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The hallways of Clarendon Elementary School are full of posters displaying the school’s students, along with messages such as, “Respect and trust build friendships,” and “Never give up.”

Are these attempts at character-building making a difference?

“The kids are getting excited because they are looking for themselves [in the hallways],” said special education teacher Felicia Maloney last week. “The kids stop and see themselves but then they read the messages.”

A teacher at Clarendon of 29 years and advisor to the student government, Maloney last fall photographed every student whose parents signed a release form. She said Principal Pat Cocucci initiated the project. It’s part of a broader collaborative effort related to character education and anti-bullying coordinated by Maloney, Guidance Counselor Dawn Doering, first grade teacher Connie Boruch, and fifth grade teacher Marietta Amato.

Building character

“We have been doing character education for at least five or six years in Clarendon,” said Boruch. An educator of 25 years, she is on the “anti-bullying team.”

Character education consists of six pillars: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Students have also come up with suggestions for quotes and ideas for the posters.

Secaucus is part of the Hudson County Consortium for Emotional Social Learning. The consortium promotes individual student well-being, safety and security, and works to improve climate and culture. Boruch said that the educators at Clarendon have been successful in establishing a positive social and emotional climate at the school because students feel safe, are happy and look out for one another.

__________

“We want to get to the point when kids come to school and there is no bullying.” – Connie Boruch.

__________

School conducts ‘bullying investigations’

Boruch said the character education work includes anti-bullying lessons that have come about as a result of statewide anti-bullying legislation passed two years ago. The Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying law establishes a framework to support the prevention, remediation, and reporting of bullying in schools across the state among other policies.

“The hardest part is knowing what is bullying and knowing what is normal conflict,” said Boruch. She said that everyone at Clarendon was trained by the NJ State Bar Association and received what are called Bully Buster Lessons. Educators teach a Bully Buster Lesson every month at their grade level. The first lesson teaches about the distinctions between bullying and normal conflict.

“Arguing is not necessarily bullying,” said Boruch. She said that the law states that bullying happens for a specific reason and is discriminatory.

Clarendon has had less than five bullying investigations in the past year.

“We get an incident report and we investigate if someone believes it is bullying,” said Doering. An educator of 15 years, she is the school’s anti-bullying specialist. “Nothing has been found to be actual bullying.” Doering said the key is prevention.

“I talk to a lot of kids everyday. They get it. They know the difference between what is bullying and what is conflict.”

Amato teaches the fifth grade and is the advisor to the media club. She has been a teacher for 15 years. She said that anti-bullying lessons come up every day.

“There is always discussion. There are always teachable moments,” said Amato. Amato led the media club in creating a public service announcement about bullying. She said the group used role-play to demonstrate what bullying is.

Recognizing kindness too

Clarendon last year held an anti-bullying rally and took an anti-bullying pledge. The kids also performed plays and skits.

Boruch said that since the school has a good grasp on knowing not to bully, they have moved on to looking at positive messages and actions.

“We are moving away from the negatives and into the positives,” said Boruch.

She said that children are rewarded for acts of kindness and acts of charity.

“Two kindergarten girls last year…were picking up garbage in the playground every morning,” said Boruch who noticed the girls early in the mornings before school began. She made a point of recognizing their effort.

‘Fill a Bucket’

Next academic school year, Doering will launch a new character education program called “Fill a Bucket.” Filling a bucket has to do with being a good citizen who cares for and respects others. Educators will encourage students to be helpful, unselfish, and compassionate. Buckets represent a child’s emotional well-being. A full bucket equals happiness while an empty bucket equals sadness. Bucket “fillers” are individuals who are helpful, kind, caring, and spread love and compassion. Bucket “dippers” are individuals who rob others of their happiness by acting negatively.

Boruch said “We want to get to the point when kids come to school and there is no bullying.”

http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/17656987/article-Can-kids-be-taught-character-Anti-bullying-lessons-a-focus-at-Clarendon-School-?instance=secaucus_story_left_column

bullyproofclassroom.com Learn more about The Bully Proof Classroom on our website. Register right on our website. Also available is Anti-Bullying Tip of the Day Free.

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William Porter, the director of Mentor School’s kindergarten through eight grade education, gave the School Board an update on the district’s anti-bullying efforts during the board’s meeting Tuesday night.

Each semester, the district gives the board an anti-bullying report. This report’s information came from the 2011-2012 school year’s second semester.

Porter said Mentor Schools had six reported bullying incidents at Mentor High School, five at the district’s middle schools and 3 at its elementary schools.

By comparison, the district had fewer incidents at the high school and elementary schools than during last year’s first semester.

It had 10 incidents at the high school and nine at the elementary school in that time span.

However, the middle schools reported one more bullying incident than last year’s first semester, Porter said.

The middle schools have incorporated Rachel’s Challenge and the Friends of Rachel Club into its anti-bullying program.

The challenge and club are named after the first girl to die during the Columbine school shootings. The club encourages creating a culture of kindness by performing altruistic acts.

http://mentor.patch.com/articles/watch-mentor-schools-anti-bullying-report

HELP Saveasoulsavetheworld.com REDUCE THE STATISTICS of bullied victims and bully-related suicides!

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‘Cyberbullying’ was developed by John Ogilvie High School and was awarded a special commendation in the performance category of the 2010 Anti-bullying Week competition.

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Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation aims to explore ways to better the safety of school children. PHOTO: FILE

WASHINGTON: 

Eccentric pop diva Lady Gaga took her anti-bullying campaign to the White House on December 6 where she was lauded as a source of strength for many young people who are scared at school.

Her visit follows a White House bullying conference earlier this year, called to mitigate the plight of nearly a third of US schoolchildren, or 13 million students, who are bullied each year, according to official figures.

President Barack Obama was away making a major speech on the economy in Kansas, but Lady Gaga was welcomed to the White House by Valerie Jarrett, one of his most senior political advisers.

“Lady Gaga has described this cause as a personal one — she has said that as a child, she was often picked on for being different,” Jarrett said in a White House blog post.

“I am deeply moved by the way she has used her story, and her success, to inspire young people, and shine the spotlight on important issues. Over the last three years, we have seen that when we work together on behalf of human rights, we can accomplish truly amazing things, yet too many young people still remain at risk,” added Jarrett.

The “Bad Romance” singer has linked up with the MacArthur Foundation and Harvard University to launch the Born This Way Foundation, which will explore ways to enhance the safety of children at school.

Obama encountered an extravagantly dressed Lady Gaga during a fundraising event in California in September, and ABC News said she brought up bullying with the president during a closed question and answer session.

Lady Gaga told fans in September that she would bring up the case of a 14-year-old New York boy Jamie Rodemeyer, who committed suicide after complaining in an online video that he had been bullied. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2011.

The purpose of this film is to raise awareness about cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying is a terrible phenomenon that is spreading across the connected world. You can help stop it. Visit for more information.

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Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 | Posted by Guest Contributor |  Print This Article

Graphic by Emily Metcalf

HONOLULU – A series of student-produced public service announcements promoting safe schools will be hitting the airwaves in a statewide video campaign announced today by Governor Neil Abercrombie, the Hawaii State Board and Department of Education, University of Hawaii athletes and supporters.

Governor Abercrombie, BOE Chairman Don Horner and member Keith Amemiya, and Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi joined star UH athletes and students from Waianae High School’s award-winning Searider Productions today in announcing the six video PSAs at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The PSA spots, which were funded by First Hawaiian Bank, will air on numerous TV outlets, including KGMB, KHNL, and Oceanic Time Warner telecasts of UH and high school sports throughout the school year. UH also will showcase the PSAs on the scoreboard during games at Aloha Stadium and the Stan Sheriff Center.

The segments feature BOE member Amemiya, Superintendent Matayoshi, and UH’s Kanani Danielson (Wahine Volleyball), Richard Torres (Football), Jessica Iwata (Wahine Softball) and Miah Ostrowski (Football and Men’s Basketball) explaining the dangers of bullying and encouraging students and communities to help promote campus safety.

“We will make our schools safe for our children so they can concentrate on learning,” Governor Abercrombie said. “We are addressing bullying in all forms and are committed to working together so that every school has an antibullying plan.”

“Our students and educators deserve a safe and peaceful academic/school environment where they can maximize learning,” said Superintendent Matayoshi. “We are moving forward on a comprehensive systemic approach to address bullying through improved data gathering and analysis, professional development and training, and the proactive involvement of community and students. As citizens of Hawaii, we must all do our part to prevent and eliminate bullying. Improving the schools and communities in which we live is a shared responsibility.”

The PSAs come as the DOE and BOE are working on a comprehensive “peaceful schools” program that will employ best practices to combat bullying and ensure every student is respected, honored and valued. Annual training will be provided to faculty, staff and students, families and the community. Student behavior data will be routinely monitored, a confidential reporting system will be developed, and schools will adopt a program to prevent and respond to bullying promptly.

“Although the schools are fully committed to curbing bullying, they can’t do it alone,” said BOE member Amemiya. “Bullying isn’t just a school problem. Everyone, from family members to friends and the entire community at large needs to work together to curb bullying.”

To view the PSAs, please visit: http://doe.k12.hi.us/harassment/Anti-Bullying-PSAs/index.htm

The BOE and DOE will continue to discuss the implementation of the “peaceful schools” program today during the Board’s General Business Meeting at 2:15 p.m. at the Queen Liliuokalani Building.

Submitted by Alex Da Silva, Communications Specialist, Hawaii State Department of Education

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Coach Ty gives television viewing audience tips and incite into the world of Cyberbullying.

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Anti-bullying PSA. Over 6M American schoolchildren have been bullied in the past six months. Whether you cheer on the bully, or silently watch, you are supporting the bully. The effects upon the victim can be devastating, and the effects can last a lifetime. o something besides watching. Try to diffuse the situation. Tell a teacher, or a principal. If you can, stand up to the bully and let them know that it’s not okay. Support the victim. Let them know you care and you don’t think what happened

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– EFT can help you to overcome bullying. Try out our free EFT anti-bullying Script.

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Online bullying, called cyberbullying, happens when teens use the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. Cyberbullying is a problem that affects almost half of all American teens. Whether you’ve been a victim of cyberbullying, know someone who has been cyberbullied, or have even cyberbullied yourself, there are steps you and your friends can take to stop cyberbullying and stay cyber-safe.

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The ABTF is a fantastic group on WeeWorld, dedicated to offering help and teaming up against cyber bullying. It has now been officially recognised by WeeWorld and there have now been some great new items made based around it. WeeWorld has also teamed up with ReachOut.com and is promoting both this site and the ABTF to spread EVEN MORE information on stopping bullying. If you wish to join the ABTF, join WeeWorld.com and seek out the user, 12Foxy12. She will give you a great quest to get started o

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My most dear cause is the fight and prevention of all forms of bullying. I’ve always been a victim of it. And it was always the same story. Three or more people all gunnin’ for me at the same time. My latest brush with bullying was of the cyber variety. “Digital disrespect”, they call it. On my Twitter account, from people that I thought were friends. Like, the worst thing I did to any of them was buy them drinks. The next thing I know, they’re calling me everything from ‘stupid’ to ‘thirsty’, t

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About one-third of elementary through high school students are affected by bullying at school. And more than half of students have been victims of cyber bullying, according to bullystatistics.org.

Some Murrieta students are well aware of the problem — because most can be counted among these percentages.

On Thursday night, the advanced drama class at Thompson Middle School presented “Bully Proof,” a 15-scene play they wrote and directed based on their experiences to help those in the community understand the many forms bullying can take.

Themes in the play included stereotyping, name calling and cyber bullying, as well as discrimination based on culture and sexual orientation.

Language arts and drama teacher Barbara Everett said she wanted to produce “a typical middle school play,” but the drama students were motivated to create an open dialogue about bullying among students, parents and the community after seeing the positive impact an anti-drug assembly had on students in November.

The success of that program “made the students gain confidence to tackle the bully issue,” Everett said. “The advanced drama students are a very creative, unique group of young people who are not afraid to speak out for what’s right, and most all of them have been teased and bullied at school.”

To prepare for the play, students spent two days in the library doing research before embarking on a five-week writing, producing and practicing schedule.

“The students are very serious and passionate about getting rid of bullying,” Everett said. “They are tired of seeing friends hurt or being hurt. Some even deleted their Facebook to stop ‘mean girl’ talk,” Everett said.

Eighth-grader Kiley Staufenbeil, who helped pen the scenes dealing with cyber bullying and bullying based on sexual orientation, feels the pain of those affected by bullying.

“I’m personally impacted by it so heavily because I see what it does to me and my friends,” Kiley said. “Bullying can lead to suicide. It’s gotten so much worse and it needs to be addressed now.”

Fellow eighth-grader Garrett Spejcher added to Kiley’s thoughts.

“Bullying is a major issue that’s addressed less than drug abuse and it shouldn’t be,” Garrett said. “It’s not funny and it needs to end. Bullying affects the victim, the community and even the bully, whether or not they realize it.”

Though Monique Suraci’s 13-year-old son, Anthony, was not in the play, she still felt it important to attend.

“Bullying just shouldn’t be happening, and I’m glad that the school is addressing it for all students to see,” Suraci said.

Eighth-grader Shad Church hoped the production would open parents’ eyes about the degree to which bullying affects youngsters.

“A lot of parents just don’t know what we go through,” Shad said. “They tell us to tell our teachers, but that’s not enough sometimes. Hopefully this play will help everyone see what it’s really like and stop kids from being bullied.”

Chad’s mother, Starla Church, agreed with her son.

“Hopefully this play will get out the message that it’s not OK to bully,” Church said. “Children shouldn’t feel threatened in what’s supposed to be a safe environment.”

Tiffany Austin-Suniga is a Press-Enterprise correspondent. Reach her at tiffany.austin@rocketmail.com

http://www.pe.com/localnews/murrieta/stories/PE_News_Local_S_sbully27.2249017.html

An Anti-Bullying song

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