Schools throughout the Halton District School Board have numerous activities and initiatives planned for November 17-21, 2014 to recognize Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. The goal of these activities is to encourage and promote respect for everyone while increasing awareness and prevention of bullying.
“The Halton District School Board is committed to both student achievement and student wellbeing, and our safe and inclusive schools initiative links these two goals together,” says David Euale, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “Fundamental to student achievement is feeling safe and welcome at school. We appreciate the dedication of staff, students, parents and the community to this critical goal.”
To kick off the week, Halton Police is launching its 2014-15 Give Respect Get Respect bullying prevention campaign. Open to Grade 6-12 students, this year's theme is Healthy Relationships and Mental Health Promotion. Categories include Best Poster, Best Video and Best Original Song. Secondary and elementary student submissions will be judged separately.
Winning entries will be part of an on-going bullying prevention campaign and displayed publicly across Halton region. The deadline for schools to submit their entry is Thursday, March 5, 2015 and a recognition gala will be held in April 2015.
The event being held in Oakville is at White Oaks Secondary School, where students have been invited to work with an artist to collaboratively make an art project to be shared at the YMCA Oakville's Peace Breakfast on Wednesday, November 19. Called Red Flags, this project aims to bring attention to the problem of bullying and suggest proactive ways of addressing it.