What Do Kids Worry About?

What kids worry about is often related to the age and stage they're in.

Kids and preteens typically worry about things like grades, tests, their changing bodies, fitting in with friends, that goal they missed at the soccer game, or whether they'll make the team. They may worry about social troubles like cliques, peer pressure, or whether they'll be bullied, teased, or left out.

Because they're beginning to feel more a part of the larger world around them, preteens also may worry about world events or issues they hear about on the news or at school. Things like terrorism, war, pollution, global warming, endangered animals, and natural disasters can become a source of worry.

Helping Kids Conquer Worry

To help your kids manage what's worrying them:

Find out what's on their minds: Be available and take an interest in what's happening at school, on the team, and with your kids' friends. Take casual opportunities to ask how it's going. As you listen to stories of the day's events, be sure to ask about what your kids think and feel about what happened.

If your child seems to be worried about something, ask about it. Encourage kids to put what's bothering them into words. Ask for key details and listen attentively. Sometimes just sharing the story with you can help lighten their load.

Show you care and understand. Being interested in your child's concerns shows they're important to you, too, and helps kids feel supported and understood. Reassuring comments can help — but usually only after you've heard your child out. Say that you understand your child's feelings and the problem.

The above was taken from www.kidshealth.org.

Second Step Behavior Program

The classroom teachers at Maple Avenue implement a school wide behavior management program named Second Step. The Second Step program teaches skills in the following areas:

1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, and be assertive when asking for help on schoolwork.

2. Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others' feelings. Students also learn how to take another's perspective and how to show compassion.

3. Emotion Management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.

4. Problem solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way.

The above information was taken straight from the Second Step program.

For more information go to www.secondstep.org

Building Your Child's Character: Challenges and Solutions

We live in a time when teaching our children to be virtuous is especially challenging. Youngsters are surrounded by political sound-bites; outlandish promises from advertisers; and television programming and films filled with lying, gratuitous violence and sex as entertainment. As a parent, you might feel weary and overwhelmed as you try to help your children develop virtues such as honesty, respect for themselves and others, humility, courage and a generous rather than greedy heart. You're not alone. The challenge of helping humans develop high moral character has perplexed philosophers, psychologists and theologians for centuries.

Children are born with unique temperaments, needs and gifts. Some find it much easier to share their toys than others. Some feel horrible when they lie, while others seem to delight in deception. Some are timid; others show amazing courage and tenacity. But, no matter where children are born on these continuums, they have the potential to develop good character and become positive contributors to society. In fact, Aristotle, who wrote of such things about 350 B.C.E., believed humans were born to become virtuous, mature adults -- to be pillars of virtue for those younger or less developed than we are. And Immanuel Kant, writing some 2,000 years later, added his view that for an act to be truly virtuous, it had to be hard for us to do; it couldn't just come naturally.

What Can Parents Do?
Over the years we've had many parents ask us how to help their children develop positive personal qualities. We've heard questions such as: "My son is so selfish, how can I teach him to be generous?" "My daughter is always so angry and mean to her friends. What can I do to help her see that she should treat others with kindness and respect?"  and "How can I get my child to be more honest?"

When it comes to character development, there is no more foolish philosophy than the old saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." Along with Aristotle, we believe your children first need to see virtue in action in order to try out their virtue-wings. Parents, relatives, siblings and childcare providers give children their first glimpses of courage, honesty, generosity, fairness and respect.

It's not enough for your children to see you and other important adults and peers behaving virtuously. They also need encouragement, praise and character feedback.

Encouragement: You can encourage your children with words or simply by showing faith in their positive potential. For the boy who is acting selfish, you might say, "I'm going to stop reminding you to share because I know you can do it on your own. You can also actively notice your children's behavior when they do something positive. For example, when you see your daughter share her toys with another child, you might just say, "Hey, I noticed you let Joannie play with your special toy." You don't even need to follow that comment up with praise, because just the fact that you noticed will have an affect.

A basic behavioral principle is this: Children will repeat actions that get them attention from their parents. What this means is that we need to worry more about catching our children doing something right than doing something wrong.

Character feedback: Most parents, us included, find it natural to give negative character feedback to our children. If a child is easily angered and reactive, we forget that she only sometimes is angry and mean, and so we tend to say things like, "Why do you have to be so mean?"

Unfortunately, when we repeatedly focus on the negative with our children, they may begin believing us. So, the girl who acts angry begins to define herself as "an angry girl." You can see how important it is to notice when your children behave kindly and to give them a positive character building statement such as, "You're the kind of girl who knows how to be nice to her friends."

Dishonesty: Children are often tempted to lie about their misbehavior. This isn't an easy problem, but one strategy that works is to separate the misbehavior from the truth or lie. In other words, when children are honest about the rules they've broken, they can receive "truth bonuses." Or, if they lie about breaking a rule, then they suffer two separate consequences, one for the misbehavior and one for the lie.

Good works: Character development is enhanced by opportunities to do good in the world. Volunteering to help at food banks, helping coach younger children, giving money to a family-chosen charity -- all these efforts instill important habits in your children. But don't force them to help at the soup kitchen alone. Join them, and have a talk afterwards. Of course it's hard to find time for such things, hard to interact with people who seem different and tempting to feel judgmental toward people who need help, but the payoffs can be enormous.

Character development begins at home and continues at school. As a parent, consider how you can bring some of your best character-building ideas to your child's school. You can have a voice in having the school choose character-building reading materials, activities and speakers. Talk to your child's school counselor, teachers, coaches or principal about how you can contribute to the challenge of character development in all young people.

Rita and John Sommers-Flanagan are both counselor educators at the University of Montana. Their latest book is "Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice" (John Wiley & Sons, 2004). Published with permission from the American School Counseling Association Website under parent section.

Building Your Child's Character: Challenges and Solutions

We live in a time when teaching our children to be virtuous is especially challenging. Youngsters are surrounded by political sound-bites; outlandish promises from advertisers; and television programming and films filled with lying, gratuitous violence and sex as entertainment. As a parent, you might feel weary and overwhelmed as you try to help your children develop virtues such as honesty, respect for themselves and others, humility, courage and a generous rather than greedy heart. You're not alone. The challenge of helping humans develop high moral character has perplexed philosophers, psychologists and theologians for centuries.

Children are born with unique temperaments, needs and gifts. Some find it much easier to share their toys than others. Some feel horrible when they lie, while others seem to delight in deception. Some are timid; others show amazing courage and tenacity. But, no matter where children are born on these continuums, they have the potential to develop good character and become positive contributors to society. In fact, Aristotle, who wrote of such things about 350 B.C.E., believed humans were born to become virtuous, mature adults -- to be pillars of virtue for those younger or less developed than we are. And Immanuel Kant, writing some 2,000 years later, added his view that for an act to be truly virtuous, it had to be hard for us to do; it couldn't just come naturally.

What Can Parents Do?
Over the years we've had many parents ask us how to help their children develop positive personal qualities. We've heard questions such as: "My son is so selfish, how can I teach him to be generous?" "My daughter is always so angry and mean to her friends. What can I do to help her see that she should treat others with kindness and respect?" and "How can I get my child to be more honest?"

When it comes to character development, there is no more foolish philosophy than the old saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." Along with Aristotle, we believe your children first need to see virtue in action in order to try out their virtue-wings. Parents, relatives, siblings and childcare providers give children their first glimpses of courage, honesty, generosity, fairness and respect.

It's not enough for your children to see you and other important adults and peers behaving virtuously. They also need encouragement, praise and character feedback.

Encouragement: You can encourage your children with words or simply by showing faith in their positive potential. For the boy who is acting selfish, you might say, "I'm going to stop reminding you to share because I know you can do it on your own.â€Â You can also actively notice your children's behavior when they do something positive. For example, when you see your daughter share her toys with another child, you might just say, "Hey, I noticed you let Joannie play with your special toy." You don't even need to follow that comment up with praise, because just the fact that you noticed will have an affect.

A basic behavioral principle is this: Children will repeat actions that get them attention from their parents. What this means is that we need to worry more about catching our children doing something right than doing something wrong.

Character feedback: Most parents, us included, find it natural to give negative character feedback to our children. If a child is easily angered and reactive, we forget that she only sometimes is angry and mean, and so we tend to say things like, "Why do you have to be so mean?"

Unfortunately, when we repeatedly focus on the negative with our children, they may begin believing us. So, the girl who acts angry begins to define herself as "an angry girl." You can see how important it is to notice when your children behave kindly and to give them a positive character building statement such as, "You're the kind of girl who knows how to be nice to her friends."

Dishonesty: Children are often tempted to lie about their misbehavior. This isn't an easy problem, but one strategy that works is to separate the misbehavior from the truth or lie. In other words, when children are honest about the rules they've broken, they can receive "truth bonuses." Or, if they lie about breaking a rule, then they suffer two separate consequences, one for the misbehavior and one for the lie.

Good works: Character development is enhanced by opportunities to do good in the world. Volunteering to help at food banks, helping coach younger children, giving money to a family-chosen charity -- all these efforts instill important habits in your children. But don't force them to help at the soup kitchen alone. Join them, and have a talk afterwards. Of course it's hard to find time for such things, hard to interact with people who seem different and tempting to feel judgmental toward people who need help, but the payoffs can be enormous.

Character development begins at home and continues at school. As a parent, consider how you can bring some of your best character-building ideas to your child's school. You can have a voice in having the school choose character-building reading materials, activities and speakers. Talk to your child's school counselor, teachers, coaches or principal about how you can contribute to the challenge of character development in all young people.

Rita and John Sommers-Flanagan are both counselor educators at the University of Montana. Their latest book is "Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice" (John Wiley & Sons, 2004).

Temper, Temper, Temper

"I always tumble into trouble when I lose my temper".

-Robin Hood and His Merry Men retold by Jane Louise Curry illustrated by John Lytle.

"Funny thing about temper-if it's such a bad thing, shouldn't we want to lose it? Let the darn thing go! Good riddance! Not really. Because your temper, you see, is just that-your temper-meaning your stuck with it. If you let it loose, it's only going to circle around like a boomerang and come back and bite you in the butt".

A Quote from Eileen & Jerry Spinelli's book Today I Will: A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself.

What Do Elementary School Counselor's Do?????

When I have been asked what I do for a living and I respond that I'm an elementary school counselor, I cannot believe what I hear! "Why on earth do we need counseling in the elementary school? What the heck do you do all day? Kids that age don't have problems yet!"

Well let me tell you what I attempt to do on a day to day basis. I get to school typically 30 minutes before my first meeting or duty and prep for my small groups for the day. I then attend a meeting on a student either thru special education, 504, or response to intervention (RTI). Did I also mention that I am the 504 coordinator at my school and that I am on the RTI Core committee? Depending on the meeting either student, teacher, and possibly even parent support is given. Minutes have to be typed/prepared and placed in the students file for data purposes.

Then I enter classrooms to conduct safety, anti-bullying and career guidance lessons. In between I enter classrooms and observe identified students in which I have received parental permission to conduct an on task observation. I observe the student, compile the information, and have to contact the parents/teachers to notify them of my findings. Sometimes this is by phone, but the majority of the time it is explained in a face to face meeting.

I then see specific students that I have scheduled in with parent permission. I see students for various reasons such as, but not limited to: anger management, self control/impulse control issues, self-esteem difficulties, lack of self-advocacy, coping skills surrounding anxiety characteristics, social skills deficits (initiating conversation, initiation activities, staying on topic, turn taking in activities/conversations, waiting, being honest, eye contact, identifying how they as well as others are feeling, perceptions/differences, and more). Most student's that I see have an individualized rubric rating scale on what I am working with on them, that their teacher completes weekly or tri-mesterly (student depending). Teachers complete one when I first begin to see the student and continue weekly/tri-mester. If it was decided that the rubric was to be completed weekly, I show and review the completed one to the student to inform them of their progress or lack of. Now that is data driven instruction!

Parents/guardians, doctors, outside counselors, DCYF, and other schools of former students contact me with questions about students in which I need to follow up with them on.

Because of what I do on a daily basis, my job does not end. I am constantly collaborating with others about students to help them reach their potential!

School counseling programs are collaborative efforts benefiting students, parents, teachers, administrators and the overall community. School counseling programs should be an integral part of students' daily educational environment, and school counselors should be partners in student achievement.

November Anti-Bullying Classroom Lessons

I went into all classes and implementing the The Goffstown's Anti-Bullying Curriculum, which can be found on the district's website.

First Grade- The story The Sneeches and other Stories by Dr. Seuss was read. The story is about creatures who thought that their ONE difference was more important than ALL their similarities. They start out by thinking that they are very different, and realize that they are really very similar.

Second Grade- The story How to be a friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them, by Laurie Krasny Brown. This book emphasizes that differences don't matter to friends. You can be friends with someone who is different.

Third Grade-A Powerpoint was shown to the all third grade classes discussing what bullying is, which was followed by a quiz done together.

Fourth Grade- We started a writing project about bullying or cyberbullying in which they will continue to work on throughout the year and share with first graders in June.

How to Refer a Student to School Counseling

How To Refer A Student To Counseling At Maple Avenue

1. Talk to the student’s teacher about if they have any social, emotional, or behavioral concerns.
2. The student’s teacher will consult with the school counselor regarding the concerns.
3. If the teacher believes that the student’s education is being impacting do to social, emotional or behavioral concerns an RTI-Response to Intervention form will be completed by the students teacher.
4. The RTI core team will meet and discuss the student. Based on the discussion intervention’s or accommodations might begin. The student’s teacher will contact the parents to discuss the results of the meeting.
5. The RTI will meet again in 6-8 weeks as a follow up to discuss progress.

Back To School Tips

	Connecting with Your Child’s School Counselor for a Successful School Year 1. Understand the expertise and responsibilities of your child’s school counselor. School counselors make a measurable impact in every student’s life, assisting with academic, career and personal/social development. Professional school counselors are trained in both educating and counseling, allowing them to function as a facilitator between parents, teachers and the student in matters concerning the student’s goals, abilities and any areas needing improvement. School counselors provide services not only to students in need, but to all students. 2. Meet or contact your child’s school counselor at least three times per school year. The beginning of a school year is an excellent opportunity to initiate contact with your child’s school counselor and doing so can ensure your child’s positive school experience. Find out who the counselor is and what his or her experience and background are. By communicating with one another at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year, parents and counselors can have a definite impact on a child’s success. 3. Discuss your child’s challenges and concerns with the school counselor. As a parent, you know your child best. However, the school counselor can help you better understand your child as a student. It’s important to encourage your child’s expression of needs, hopes and frustrations. School counselors are trained to help your children. 4. Learn about your child’s school and social connections from the school counselor. When you need information or assistance, your child’s school counselor can help you get in touch with the appropriate school officials; learn about school policies on behavior, attendance, and dress; know the school calendar of important dates and stay connected with the school in many other ways. The school counselor can also help you locate resources in the community when you need them. 5. Work with the school counselor to identify resources and find solutions to problems. If your child is having a problem at school, it is important to work with your child’s school counselor to find solutions. Discuss resources available within and outside of the school, and get information on how such programs can benefit your child. Your school counselor can be a valuable partner in your child’s education and preparation for life beyond school. Suggested Web Sites Kids Health: Going back to school for kids http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/back_to_school.html Firstgov.gov: Back to School http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Back_to_School.shtml The above article is from The American School Counseling Association Parent Resources Link

Camps

New Hampshire Camps

www.camppage.com/newhamp.htm

www.nhcamps.org

• Grief Camp

Camp Phoneix

A weekend camp for Grieving families

For more information contact Gary Andy 663-4005

www.manchestervna.org

• Girl Scouts of Swift Water Council

1-800065401270

www.swgirlscouts.org

• YMCA

YMCA Camp Halfmoon

Goffstown, New Hampshire, USA Phone: 603-623-3558, (603)-497-4663

• YMCA Camp Merrimack

www.nmymca.org

Your child will have a great camp experience in our sports and special interest camps.

Camps include soccer, swimming, fitness, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, cheerleading,

media, ballet/tap, jazz/hip hop, theater arts, creative & visual arts and dance intensive.

All camps will also enjoy arts & crafts, swimming, games and outdoor play.

• YMCA Camp Sargent

www.campsargent.org

Let your child enjoy the great outdoors this summer at Camp Sargent. The joys of

camping as well as the introduction of new and exciting adventures and friendships

have been shared with boys and girls for over 80 years. Camp activities include

swimming, swim lessons, archery, canoeing, crafts, nature and drama. Camp Sargent is

the place where your child can grow and have fun.

• Waukeela Camp for Girls

Residential girls' summer camp

Eaton Center, New Hampshire

Tucked in New Hampshire's White Mountains, Waukeela offers a traditional, 4-week

camp program for 8-15 year old girls seeking challenge without pressure and

community without conformity. 115 campers and 55 staff from 25 states, 2 week

program also available for 8-10 year olds. Instruction provided in many individual sports

and artistic activities plus a strong adventure program featuring backpacking, canoeing,

and whitewater canoeing trips. www.waukeela.com, (207) 774-7777

• Melody Pines Day Camp

Manchester-Coed

www.melodypines.com

Melody Pines is a family owned private day camp located on Corning Road in

Manchester, NH and has been in operation for over 55 years. The daily program is from

9 to 3:45 with drop off between 7 and 9 and pick up between 4:00 and 5:30 pm.

Activities include swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing, waterskiing, sports games,

arts & crafts, archery, riflery, climbing wall, and many special events. Ages 5-13.

• Camp Naticook

Merrimack-Coed

www.ci.merrimack.nh.us

Our philosophy is one of learning and fun in a relaxed atmosphere. We care about each

child and do everything possible to meet individual, unique needs. Our goal is to help

each camper increase confidence and establish a more positive self-image. At

Naticook, every camper is #1. Ages 5-14.

• Camp Allen

www.campalle

Camp Naticook

Merrimack-Coed

www.ci.merrimack.nh.us

Our philosophy is one of learning and fun in a relaxed atmosphere. We care about each

child and do everything possible to meet individual, unique needs. Our goal is to help

each camper increase confidence and establish a more positive self-image. At

Naticook, every camper is #1. Ages 5-14.

• Camp Allen

www.campallennh.org

Camp Allen provides opportunitees for growth, friendship and fun for children and adults

with developmental disabilities and other challenges in an outdoor environment. Ask

about of Life Camp and Kids & Sids program. Ages 6+.

Bullying Update

Well the first year of the new bullying curriculum has almost come to an end.

First graders discussed differences between one another, and how that makes all of us diverse. However diverse we may be, we still need to remember to respect one another. We also talked about playing games online and making safe choices.

Second graders discussed friends, differences and traits of good friends. We also discussed in length what a bully, target, egger, bystander, and cyberbully are.

Bully: someone who hurts or scares kids on purpose.

Target or victim: the person getting bullied.

Egger: the kids who help the bully by laughing at targets and encouraging the bully to bully.

Bystanders: the people who see bullying happen. "Witnesses".

Cyberbully: Bullying that happens thru technology. ie. e-mail, social media's MySpace, Facebook, texting, pictures on the computer or on cell phones, and/or Pictochat on DSI etc...

Third graders discussed bullying, what it is, who is involved, what to do if you ever see bullying or are involved in some way. They are currently finishing a project where they were asked to create a comic involving bullying or cyberbullying.

Fourth graders have been working extremely hard on an anti-bullying book to read to first graders at Maple Avenue. They will be completing their projects this month.

If you have any questions on bullying, please feel free to contact me. The bullying curriculum is also posted on the Goffstown SAU website under resources-anti-bullying committee.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

The American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, (DSM-IV) defines oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as a recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that persists for at least 6 months. Behaviors included in the definition are losing one's temper, arguing with adults, actively defying requests, refusing to follow rules, deliberately annoying others, blaming others for one's own mistakes or misbehavior, being touchy, easily annoyed or angered, resentful, spiteful or vindictive.

The most effective treatment for children with ODD appears to be social competence training, the teaching of specific emotional, behavioral, and social skills.

How to best interact with such children.

• Use short explanations of ten words or fewer.
• Say exactly what you want.
• Speak calmly and clearly.
• Make eye contact and control your facial expression, posture, and gestures.
• Talk about what is happening right now.
• Focus on solutions, not problems.
• Ask questions and get feedback.
• See the child as a whole person with strengths and weaknesses.

What is anxiety???

Everyone experiences anxiety in their lives at some point, whether it's before taking a test, the start of the school year, moving to another school, etc... These feelings are healthy and normal.

For some students however, anxiety takes over their everyday activities or lives and becomes a constant condition that can impede their daily functioning. "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, describes people with anxiety disorders as those who experience intense worry, fear, or uneasiness to a degree that interferes with their everyday lives over an extended amount of time". Children who are anxious will also display at least one of the following: difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, irritability, or muscle tension.

If you believe your child may have anxiety, it would be best to consult with your child's pediatrician.

December Bullying Update

Well December is here. The following are some examples of what grade levels have been discussing regarding bullying.

Fun Fact: 72% of all first graders used a computer weekly during the summer.

Bullying Lessons with Mrs. Oljey

1st grade- We read the story The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss. The story is about creatures who thought that their ONE differences was more important than ALL their similarities. They start out by thinking that they are all different, and realize that they are really very similar. A discussion is held about the book and about real life.

2nd grade- The lessons begin by talking about friendships. The book How to Be a Friend and Keeping Them by Laurie Krashny Brown is read. A discussion about various good and bad friendship qualities are discussed.

3rd grade- A powerpoint presentation is a cartoon format is reviewed with the students. It talks about what a bully is. This includes cyberbullying, what a victim/target is, along with a bystander and egger. Discussions are then held with the class about the cartoon and how the various types of bullying could be stopped.

4th grade- a review of bullying is held. Students are instructed to come up with a bullying situation that they will be creating a story about to share with a future 1st grade "buddy" classroom.

The "New" New Hampshire Bullying Law

This past June Governor Lynch signed House Bill 1523, (The Bullying Bill). This stronger law requires that within nine months of July 1, 2010 all school district employees and volunteers receive annual training on the district's local bullying policy. Cyberbullying is now part of statue, and districts are required to provide educational programs for pupils and parents in preventing, identifying, responding to and reporting bullying.

For bullying tips go to www.cyberbullying.us. That should take you to Cyber Bullying Research Center. ANother source is the book titled; "Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard" by Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin.

(Thank you to Esther Asbell for the above information).

You can also stay current with how the Goffstown School District intends to follow this new law by the following:

1. http://goffstown.k12.nh.us/SAU19/

2. Scroll down the left side of the page and look for Resources.

3. Click on Anti-Bullying Project

With only 10 more school days to go, Summer is just around the corner! Does you family have Summer plans yet? Are your kids begging you to send them to camp? How do you pick out the best camp that will suit them? What camps are close to your home? What camps are run only during the day? Do you think your child is ready for an overnight camp? Is there financial aid?Check out the following website for a NH directory of kids camps.

www.directorynh.com/camps/new-hampshire-summer-camps.htm

Career Awareness

Who would ever think that I would be talking to fourth graders about their future? All 4th graders had three classroom lessons with me to explore various occupations that are out there. A discussion was held on the differences between a career verses an occupation. The objective was to research different occupations that students did not hear about before and explain them to their classmates. Students were asked to brainstorm various jobs out there. The lists they came up with was quite extensive!

The second meeting we had was to explore occupations by using the following website. www.knowitall.org. Students were able to explore occupations by clicking on the job and viewing a brief video about it. Towards the end of the class, students were asked to discuss what they viewed, describe what the job entailed and if they found it interesting.

The final lesson again was technology driven by going to the website: www.bls.gov/home.htm. Click on career information for kids. Students were able to research various occupations, see how much money one makes in that occupation, how much education is required, a description of the job, as well as view pro's and con's of the job. This lead into some interesting conversations.

A bystander? What is that?

A bystander? What is that? Students may get teased, threatened or picked on by a bully. But, if another student observes this going on what choices do they have? A bystander is someone who witnesses bullying occurring. Bystander have two choices: help the victim or not help the victim. We hope that students would choose to help by either confronting the bully confidently in a safe way or getting help from an adult. This also reinforces our universal behavior program Second Step. We want to treat others how we want to be treated. If someone is being unkind to you, would you appreciate it if someone helped you out?

Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship Program

Recognizing kids 6-18. Stand up kids who deserve to stand out.

Visit www.kohlskids.com for more details to nominate a deserving young volunteer. Nominations accepted Feb. 1st-March 15th, 2010.

Second Grade Diversity Lessons

Mrs. Oljey, school counselor, will be entering all second grade classrooms to discuss diversity with the students. Diversity is differences between other people that make us special and unique. This includes opinions of others. The discussion will also incorporate respecting other’s differences including opinions.

This will occur through 3 classroom lessons lasting 30 minutes each in the month of January or February. This is done by lecture, book reading, followed by discussion, and various activities.

Activities include having each student come up with one way that they are diverse and drawing a picture of that. Another activity includes students walking to various sections of the room based on their likes and dislikes. In the last activity, students are shown various optical illusions. They will have an opportunity in 4 centers to view optical illusions independently and discuss what they see with their group. Again, the emphasis will be on respecting others opinions. Students will then complete a drawing that is partial done. Everyone will have a chance to share and see how different their project is compared to others.