Lincoln Lions Roar Against Bullying

Lincoln Lions Roar Against Bullying Created by the LPAC Lincoln Charter School Parent Advisor Council 2011-2012 School Year

What Causes Bullying? Bullying is not a new problem in schools, but it is gaining more attention as episodes of school violence are increasing. Below are some of the major causes of bullying schools. • Desire for Attention • Cycle of Abuse • Influence of Media • Desire for Control • Gang Membership Why?

What Does Bullying Look Like? • Cliques of kids • Kids make faces • Kids might make the Loser • Kids start false rumors

What Does Bullying Look Like Cont. • Denial of Bullying • Bully will give insincere • Bullying online and texting

What Does the Victim Look Like • Poor social skills • Lack of confidence • Don’t have support of teacher • Blame themselves • Desperate to fit in • Adults in their lives treat them badly • Highly unlikely to seek help

What are School’s Responsibilities? • “Every student has the right to a safe school and the school has a responsibility to stop bullying.” • Firm, fair, and consistent enforcement of school discipline policies, meaningful school climate strategies which include anti-bullying initiatives, and balanced security measures can lead to school climates with less bullying and fewer safety threats to children. • Curriculum • Prevention • Lessons

Next Steps • Assess bullying in your school. • Increase adult supervision in bullying "hot spots.” • Involve students, parents, teachers, and staff in bullying prevention. • Encourage teachers and staff to file incident reports of bullying • Create policies and rules.

Next Steps cont. • Integrate bullying prevention material into curriculum and school activities. • Promote extracurricular activities. • Raise awareness about your bullying prevention initiative. • Establish a school culture of acceptance, tolerance and respect.

Help The Bully • Isolate the bullying behavior • Remove bullying from situation • Ask offender to write letter home • Follow up that the letter went home • Working with persistent offenders • It difficult to leave the negative behaviors behind • Get other agencies involved • Get support from the police department and community

Help The Victim First: • Express relief that the bullying is now out in the open • Avoid focusing on the shortcomings of the bullying victim. • Concentrate on where the immediate problem is - the behavior of the bully. • The aim of any intervention must be to stop the immediate abuse. • Ensure that the bully changes his or her behavior. • Make the peer group aware and ask them to help the victim. Provide support for the victim

Help the Victim cont. • Ensure the victim has access to a bully free environment at all times. • Use reliable peers, teacher aids, senior volunteers and others as supporters. • Spend time with the isolated pupil. • A special safe room that has adequate staff supervision is useful. • Withdrawn and isolated victims • Need the opportunity to be involved in special confidence building programs. • Have difficulty integrating with their peer group

Study Measures Bullying's Academic Toll • While bullying is known to leave physical and emotional scars, a new study finds that victims may suffer long-lasting academic effects, and high-achieving black and Latino students are especially vulnerable. • “Schools may think that because students are black and Latino, they’re better able to handle bullying,” she said, “and their schools won’t have the same type of [bullying prevention] programs.” Ms. Williams’ and Mr. Peguero’s results were based on the academic performance of 9,590 students in 580 schools.

Friends to Friends Club Mission of Club: Is to build self confidence in the students at Lincoln Charter School. To help create an community that celebrates the difference of all students. How will the mission be met: Through monthly club meetings after school that will focus on building self- esteem, teach critical thinking skills, and help develop self soothing behaviors. How will students be referred: by administration, parent request, or from student support manager.

Positive Affirmation Lesson Positive affirmations can “re-wire” your brain and give you a feeling of happiness, the power that can help you dealing with the challenges you face. Every morning when you get up choose one of these self-esteem affirmations. Have students use these self-esteem affirmations to get going in the morning; • I AM THE BEST • I AM HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL • I CAN DO EVERYTHING • I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY • I DESERVE TO BE HAPPY • I AM A GREAT COMMUNICATOR • I PULL BACK MY SHOULDER, LIFT UP MY CHIN AND I FEEL THE POWER • I AM RELAXED • I FEEL GREAT

Questions for further Discussion • When choosing an intervention, you may want to consider the following questions: • Did the bullying incident occur within the school's jurisdiction? • What is the history of the students involved? • What is the nature of the bullying behavior? • How frequent and severe is the bullying? • What intervention will promote a positive outcome for the students? • Does the intervention fit within the school district's guidelines?

Introduction to School Community • In school assembly • Kick off for community • Training for staff • Speakers • Newsletters • Survey for students and parents

Referenced Education Week, (2011). Study Measures Bullying's Academic Toll. Retrieved August 23, 2011 from, http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/08/23/02bully.h31.html?tkn=SUMFZFy6lQj7pQH782lON57hsViztO59%2Bgin&print=1 National Association of School Psychologist, (2003). Bullying Prevention and Intervention. Retrieved August 22, 2011 from, http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/nassp_bullying.aspx National Safety and School Security Services, (2011). Bullying and Anti-Bullying Legislation Retrieved August 22, 2011 from, http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/bullying.htm United States Government (2001). Stop Bullying. Retrieved August 23, 2011 from, http://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html

Lincoln Lions Roar Against Bullying