Here are the bullying prevention programs at Windsor Central School District after district leaders implemented聽the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in every school.
Class meetings
At New York’s Windsor Central School District, elementary teachers talk about bullying in homeroom every morning as breakfast is served. Upper-level schools offer advisory periods, which middle schoolers attend every day and high schoolers go to twice per week.
鈥淒iscussions include identifying the difference between bullying and teasing,鈥 says Superintendent Jason A. Andrews. 鈥淲e don’t want students to call something teasing when it’s actually bullying.鈥
Advisors
Educators, teachers aides or support staffers serve as advisors to groups of up to 14 students. 鈥淪tudents and their advisor develop a bond,鈥 says Andrews. 鈥淚f a student is having issues, sometimes their advisor may send them an email or give them a call to check in on them.鈥
These advisors also plan special events such as the Fill The Bus campaign in which a district bus goes to every school to pick up nonperishable foods collected by students. The driver then delivers these items to a local food bank.
Main story:聽Bullying prevention programs at 7 schools and districts
Students also participate in anti-bullying walks holding signs that say 鈥淏e kind鈥 and 鈥淏ullying stops here鈥; skits based on anti-bullying books such as One; activities that involve writing encouraging messages on school sidewalks; and Mix-It-Up lunches in which they sit and socialize with students outside of their regular groups.
Anonymous conversations
Students and staff can use their phones or computers to file anonymous bullying reports through Thoughtexchange, a software platform that gathers community input. 鈥淲e have a pretty stringent process that we follow once a report is received,鈥 says Andrews.
Windsor Central also uses Thoughtexchange to host events, one of which generated 716 ideas on how the district could make schools safer and more welcoming. The exchange included 468 students, 145 parents, 111 staff and 43 committee members.
For more information about the district’s bullying prevention policies, .
