As recent news headlines have shown, bullying can happen in any school and any community. This school year, Kent Phoenix Academy is taking proactive steps to stop and prevent bullying by adopting the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. This research-based, school-wide “systems-change” program has been used successfully in schools nationally and internationally.
This program is not a curriculum that students participate in for only a few weeks. Rather, it is a coordinated effort by all of the adults in the school to supervise and intervene when bullying happens. As part of the program, students participate in weekly class meetings to learn about the effects of bullying, what they can do about it, and how they can work with adults at school to put a stop to it even as bystanders. Parents will have meetings, too, so they can support the messages students are getting in school. Kent Phoenix Academy is also partnering with Communities In Schools of Kent to spread the message to volunteers and community members to make bullying prevention a community wide effort!
Merrilee Lyle, Kent Phoenix Academy Principal, noted, “This type of program is about changing the whole school climate to make it a safer, more positive place to learn. One change that many schools have noticed after using this program for a year or two is that students actually like school better. It makes sense— it’s hard to learn if you’re worried about being harassed or if other students are mean to you.”
The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program begins at Kent Phoenix Academy with a Kick-Off Event this Thursday, November 18th, from 1:10-2:05 PM. Parents, volunteers, and community members are invited to attend!
For more information about the program and ways to become involved, and to R.S.V.P to attend the kick-off event, contact Jennifer Tubbs, Olweus bullying prevention program coordinator, at 253-373-6953 or Jennifer.Tubbs@kent.k12.wa.us.
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