Effective Ways to proactively manage Bullying

1. Effective Ways to proactively manageBullying Presented by: Marissa Rex Professional School Counselor

2. Background Information • Marissa Rex Professional School Counselor • Hiawatha Elementary School Toledo, OH • 2nd Year as School Counselor • Additional License: Early Childhood Education • Chi Sigma Iota (Alpha Chapter) President at Ohio University • Hiawatha Elementary, Washington Local Schools • 340 Students • 50% labeled as “Economically Disadvantaged” • School closure in the district • District lines changed---1/3 of our students reassigned, gained slightly more

3. Washington Local Schools’ Definition of Bullying • Definition: • Intentional • Verbal, Physical, Cyber, Relational • Has happened before (aggressor targeting this student) • Causes physical or mental harm • Severe, persistent, pervasive • Creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the target • How I describe it to my students: • Over and over again, same people, on purpose, hurt

4. School Counseling Services • Individual Counseling • Formative Assessment • Play • Games • Art • Sandtray • Every 1-2 weeks • Every month • “As needed” • Counseling notification form

5. Services • Small Group Counseling • Games • Team-Building • Challenges • Happy cup, sad cup • Every week, 6-8 weeks • Every week, rotating group • Counseling notification form • Counseling permission form

6. Services • Classroom-Based Counseling (lessons/units) • Menu of services • K-6 • Sample lessons • Primary (K-2) • Intermediate (3-6+) • 3 lesson unit • 1 lesson per month • 1 lesson “unit”

7. Services • Staff Professional Development • Jim Bisenius techniques

8. Services • Staff Professional Development • Student Bullying Video

9. Services • Counselor Mail • 2 letters per student each school year • 1 letter per classroom each week During the last week, some classrooms get more (it keeps the Counselor Mail cycle even) • Includes: • Hand-written letter • Word search, funny picture, etc. • Reminders during Monday announcements

10. Services • Monthly Newsletter • Message • Description of Counseling Services • Web Resource • Helpful Hints • Book List (Monthly Topic) • News • Etc…

11. Services • Quarterly and Annual Reports • Individual Counseling • Small Group • Classroom-Based • Professional Development • Meetings • Misc. Tasks • Summary

12. Overview of School-Wide Programs • Main Programs: • PAWS- Pride, Attitude, Work Habits, Self-Control • Cooperative Games (Fall and Spring) • Mix it Up at Lunch Days • No Name-Calling Awareness Week • Bully Free Awareness Week • Be the Change Day • Focus: • Specifics of the Programs • How Hiawatha Organized the Programs • Recognition and Feedback • How to Apply for Awards

13. PAWS Cards Student’s Name: ________________ This student made a difference, showing excellence in… Pride Attitude Work Habits Self-Control • Goal: • Help students recognize their PAWSitive behaviors • Make connections between good behaviors and positive recognition • Reward System: • Each month, we hold a drawing for students and teachers. • Prizes are pencils, certificate • Grand prize winners get a gift certificate to a book store

14. Cooperative Games • Goal: • Improve school climate • How it Works: • Divide students into groups (K-6) • Play cooperative games • Have picnic lunch • Fall and Spring • Student Leaders, 1 adult per group • Organization: • PE teacher, volunteers, committee

15. Cooperative Games

16. Mix it Up at Lunch Days • Goal: • Help students get to know each other on a more meaningful level. • Improve school climate, students interactions • How it started: • Teaching Tolerance website • Building off Cooperative Games (Fall) • Wanted to improve SWIS data

17. Scheduling • Sub-committee • 2 Groups (A and B) • 1 grade level per group • Divide students evenly among teachers • Use the regular lunch schedule • Students eat on their Mix it Up Day teacher’s schedule. • Discuss with cafeteria manager • We did this on a “one choice” day for buyers • Packers can take their lunches with them or you can line up lunch bins in the cafeteria based on regular classrooms

18. Wall of Intolerance Classrooms created bricks Wall under bricks was covered with class pictures and our district’s core values

19. Cooperative Games/Recess • Built on what we just did with Cooperative Games • Older students are the leaders • Had to change schedule to lunch then recess • Recess supervisors call out group numbers (room numbers) instead of grade level when recess is over • They all had a checklist of when groups arrived at recess and when they would need to be picked up

20. Lunch • Students eat based on their Mix it Up Day teacher’s schedule • Our cafeteria manager was very willing to work with us on this program • Give everyone plenty of notice!

21. Classroom Time • The time during the lunch/recess block when a group is not at lunch or recess. • 11:50-1:15 (lunch/recess block) • Groups most often have “sandwiched” time • Classroom  Lunch  Recess  Classroom

22. No Name-Calling Awareness Week • Goal: • Continue to improve and maintain building climate • Events: • Classroom lessons (sign-up) • Creative Expression Contest • Pictures • Songs • Sculptures • Stories • Poems

23. Bully Free Awareness Week • Goal: • Continue to improve and maintain building climate • Events: • Classroom lessons • Door Decorating Contest • Student-driven • Celebration of each classroom’s effort

24. Be the Change Day • Currently aimed at our intermediate students • Eventually we hope to incorporate this message in our school-wide efforts • Similar to a “Challenge Day” • If You Really Knew Me • http://www.challengeday.org/mtv/ • Provides students with an opportunity to get to know each other and break down barriers

25. Surveys • Jim Bisenius • http://bullyproofingyouth.com/ • Code Survey: 1, 1v, 2, and 3 • Administer to K-6 • K-2 have alternative version (yes/no) • K-1 complete one-on-one, 2 completes as a class • Results to staff (as needed) • Refer to handout

26. Surveys • Counselor • District-Wide • Staff complete an annual survey of their school counseling services • Zoomerang • Can use a free survey system, such as Survey Monkey • Analyze the results • Refer to handout

27. Surveys • Bullying (4-6) • District-Wide • Zoomerang • Students 4-6 completed • Computer lab or mobile lab • Analyzed results for staff meeting/bullying presentation • Refer to handout

28. District Policies • Anonymous Reporting System • Box on the wall, form • All students trained • Handout • Administrative Investigation Form • Primarily for principals • School counselor version for anonymous reporting

29. Recognition and Feedback • Awards (2009-2011) • Model School Award (National) • Promising Practice Award (State and National) • 2011 “Honorable Mention” State School of Character • Grant (2009-2010) • Ohio School Counselor Association • Staff Feedback

30. How to Apply for Awards/Grants • Model School Award • http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up/model-schools • Character Education Partnership • Promising Practice Award • http://www.character.org/applicationprocess • State School of Character • National School of Character • http://www.character.org/nsocapplicationprocess • OSCA Grant • http://www.ohioschoolcounselor.org/Default.aspx?pageId=536895

31. Free Materials! • Sesame Street Workshop • www.sesameworkshop.org/initiatives • Teaching Tolerance • www.teachingtolerance.org • Operation Respect • http://operationrespect.org/index.php • Stop Bullying Now! • www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids • Other websites: • www.storybird.com • www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org • www.athinline.org • www.stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html • www.schcounselor.com

32. Conclusion • Whether you are a new counselor or a veteran, you can help proactively manage bullying! • A positive attitude and strong work ethic goes a LONG way and can change people’s view of the counseling field. • You do NOT have to do this alone! Contact information: Marissa Rex (419) 473-8266 mrex@wls4kids.org