I love you more than all the stars at night A Family Presentation On Ensuring Healthy, Safe, & Respectful Environments

Agenda Safety and Well-being for all students What works with childrens behaviors Creating positive and caring school & home environments –Bullying Prevention

DOE Student Priority Safety and Well-being Safety & well-being foundational –For academic & social success Children need to feel safe and secure –Psychologically & emotionally to learn & grow Together we can transform schools into compassionate and rigorous centers of learning

Our School Values & Behavior Expectations Our schools expectations are: –Insert your own expectations We all model and demonstrate these behaviors. Students are acknowledged for demonstrating these behaviors. If they misbehave we provide appropriate consequences.

Safety and Well-being Initiative To ensure our children succeed, schools need to implement a(n): –Comprehensive student support system to meet the needs of all students –Schoolwide proactive & positive approach to student behaviors –Wellness program to promote life-long healthy habits –Annual training on the prevention of bullying behaviors

Catch Um Being Good! Works Wonders! Lets see now... When do you notice your children the most? In a day, h ow times have you caught them being good? –Whats your ratio? Basic rule for maintaining good behaviors –6 positives to 1 negative statement

Best Strategies For character education –Modeling of appropriate behaviors by adults For schoolwide –Teach & acknowledge schoolwide behavioral expectations/core ethical values For classrooms –Academic success

Through Their Eyes Children learn through watching – Your tone of voice, body language, and every expression Praise their accomplishments and.. they feel proud! Let them do things independently and.. they feel capable and strong! Say belittling comments and they feel worthless.

Bullying Behaviors Increased awareness and demonstration of bullying nationally Types of bullying –Physical, verbal, social, relational, cyber Communicated via –Verbal, written, graphic, electronics

2 in 3 middle school students in Hawaii say bullying is a problem 1 in 2 high school students in Hawaii say bullying is a problem 2007 Youth Behavioral Risk Survey Is bullying a problem in Hawaii schools?

Is bullying & harassment a problem? Hawaii Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS) 2007 Middle School (%) High School (%) Had been hurt by having mean things said to them on internet or Had been hurt by hitting, punching, or kicking while on school property one or more times 3324 Had been hurt by having mean things said to them while on school property 3345 Had been harassed because someone thought they were gay, lesbian, or bisexual 1013

Some Signs Of Bullying –Withdraws socially, few friends –Feels isolated, alone and sad –Feels picked on –Feels rejected & not liked –Frequently complains of illness –Doesnt want to go to school, avoids classes or skips school –Changes in eating or sleeping patterns –Threatens violence to self or others

When Bullying Happens... Bully Bystander Victim/Target All in the triangle are impacted. Any bullying prevention/intervention program must address all three groups.

Preventing Bullying Ensure your home is a loving environment where he/she feels physically & emotionally safe –Open lines of communication Reinforce the schools behavioral expectations/core ethical values Teach your child respect & honor all diversities

If you suspect your child is being bullied... Be supportive and listen to your child –Gather information about the incident –Let he/she know that there is help –Contact the school/teacher/counselor immediately –Teach your child to be more resilient to bullying Tell your child not to react, but walk away

Practice: Stop, Walk and Talk STOP –Hold the stop hand signal firmly out –Give eye contact to the bullier –Use a clear voice and say Stop WALK AWAY – If problem continues TALK –Report problems to an adult –Distinction difference between tattling and talking

Because We Care About You...

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