from The Derrick:
FOXBURG, PA — Allegheny-Clarion Valley Elementary School students and staff will start a new bullying prevention program this week that was made possible through the Center for Safe Schools.
Lori Kersey, who is coordinating the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program at A-C Valley, said students will be participating in a weekly meeting with their classroom teacher to learn the effects of bullying, what to do if they are bullied, and how to work with adults at school to put a stop to bullying even as a bystander.
Program funding was provided by the Highmark Healthy High 5 Initiative.
A special kickoff event is planned for Friday.
Officials say the Olweus research-based program is the best-known bullying prevention program available in the nation and has been used successfully not only in schools across the United States but also worldwide.
Schools and communities that have implemented the program have reported a 20 to 70 percent reduction in bullying.
“This program is about changing the school climate as a whole to make it a safe, more positive place to learn,” Kersey said. “It is difficult for a child to concentrate in school if he or she is afraid or if others are bullying them.”
This program is not a curriculum in which students participate for only several days or even weeks.
Rather, it is a daily coordinated effort by all adults in the school to supervise and intervene when bullying is seen occurring.
A certified Olweus trainer instructed a 23-member core team committee of volunteers during a two-day training.
This team consists of the elementary principal, elementary guidance counselor, classroom teachers, instructional support teachers, special class teacher, bus drivers, a member of the First Program, and parents and community members.
The core team then trained the remainder of the entire elementary school personnel to prepare them on how to implement the program with students beginning this month.
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