The week of November 18-22, 2013 has been designated Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week and the Halton District School Board has numerous activities and initiatives planned during the week to encourage and promote respect for everyone.
To kick off the week, a Safe and Inclusive Schools Conference for teachers and administrators will be held in Oakville on Friday, November 15, led by Dr. Wendy Craig, a Queen’s University psychology professor and scientific co-director of Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet). Dr. Craig will work with teachers and administrators to develop a deeper understanding of research and practices that result in positive, inclusive and healthy relationships that will reduce incidents of bullying and aggression.
The Halton District School Board and Halton Regional Police Services will introduce the 2013 Give Respect Get Respect Movement at James. W. Hill Public School in Oakville on Monday, November 18, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.
"We are firmly committed to ensuring all students and staff members can learn and work in a safe, inclusive environment, and have worked together with staff, student and parents to implement safe and inclusive school strategies," says David Euale, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board.
Events and activities at schools include:
Gladys Speers Public School will hold student focus groups to hear their views and ideas about their feelings of safety and belonging at school. In preparation, student representatives will be gathering feedback from classmates to share within the focus groups. The data from the groups will be collated, shared with staff, and discussed in an assembly.
Brookville Public School will host speaker Chris Vollum of FACEBOOK 101, who will talk to students and parents about respect, integrity and boundaries around social media use as well as Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday, November 20, in which people wear pink to symbolize taking a stand against bullying.
The Halton District School Board’s commitment to empowering students and staff to stand up to bullying and inequity, as well as standing together to build safe, equitable, caring and inclusive environments in all schools will continue throughout the upcoming school year.