Dear Parents/ Guardians:                                                                                                          12/09/10

As part of Be Your Best! our school is focusing on Breaking the Bullying cycle by clearly define bullying behaviors, stating that these behaviors are not tolerated, promoting activities that include everyone in the group, class, school, teaching the bystanders to become involved, and providing assertiveness training for the person (s) being bullied and bystanders.

Tips for Parents:

• Help your Child to be Assertive
• Tell a friend
• Tell an adult
• Walk Away
• If other kids are nearby join them so you are not alone
• Teach through conversation and example
• As soon as children begin to interact with others, we can begin to teach them not to be bullies and not to be bullied.
• Give them words for their feelings.
• Limit and change their behavior
• Teach them better ways to express their feelings and wishes
• Children do not learn to solve these kinds of problems and get along by themselves. We need to teach them.

If your child bully’s others

• Your first response will probably be defensive.
• Take a deep breathe and really listen.
• Bullying and aggressive behavior usually mask feelings of vulnerability.
• Look for what is going on in your child's interactions with others and what is going on internally, causing your child to behave that way.

Talking to your child about Bullying

• Bullying is not acceptable in our family or in society.
• Provide appropriate ways to express frustration and anger.
• Role-play, act out the new behaviors.
• Ask, “How can I help you with this? Who could you go to in school if you see yourself getting into this type of situation again?”
• Specify the consequences if the aggression or bullying continue.

The goal is to stop the behavior, understand your child's feelings, then teach and reward more appropriate behavior.

More information

www.safechild.org/program.htm                       http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp

www.clemson.edu/olweus/                               www.nea.org/schoolsafety/

P. S. I have attached the Tuesday evening's Bullying Prevention presentation. Also attached are the De-Bug System ( Self Assertiveness), How to Talk It Out ( Conflict Resolution), and How bystanders can help.

Thanks and have a great week!

Scarlett Williams, Barcroft School Counselor

Scarlett Williams, M.S.

Professional School Counselor, Barcroft Elementary School

Counselor's Office: (703) 228- 8114 | Main Office: (703) 228- 5838 | Fax: (703) 271- 0948

If you feel safe …

·       Go stand next to the person being Bullied.

·       Ask the person to walk with you away from the Bully.

·       Walk the person to an adult and explain what happened.

If you feel scared …

·       Go tell an adult what is happening

Thanks for helping keep our school safe!

 The De-Bug System

1.Ignore

2.Say “Stop It.” Calmly

3.Say “Stop It.” Firmly

4.Walk Away

5.Tell an Adult

*If you feel unsafe immediately tell an adult