Students from D-G Elementary learned about stopping bullying with lots of activities for National Bullying Prevention Month in October.

In October, groups and schools across the country committed to stop bullying through efforts aimed at bringing awareness to this important issue facing our youth. October served as a reminder that bullying prevention must be addressed, and one way to accomplish this is through educating ourselves, our communities and the youth in our lives. Our goal at Union Community Schools is to create a positive school culture where all students are safe, supported, and have the opportunity to grow.

Students in the Union Community School District learned about bullying throughout October. Both the La Porte City Elementary and Dysart Elementary Schools use the same curriculum and teach lessons throughout September and October. Students learn the difference between being mean and being bullied (occurs repeatedly) as well as what bullying looks like. Elementary students also learn the four roles in the cycle of bullying and how to be an upstander (someone who stands up against a bullying situation) instead of a bystander (someone that witnesses bullying but does nothing about it). Lessons are presented through activities and videos.

The middle school is in its fifth year of participation in PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports). This program uses positive interaction and teaching rather than punitive interaction. In addition to teaching appropriate behaviors, teachers and bus drivers give “Got U”s to students who display appropriate behaviors. The “Got U”s can be used for a variety of special activities, from wearing a crown for a day, to watching a movie with friends during study hall, to challenging staff to a dodgeball game during PAL. PBIS promotes four areas of behavior: respect, responsibility, self-discipline, and pride. Instruction and programs promoting appropriate behavior are provided all year school-wide.

Union High School is in their second full year of implementing a program in partnership with the University of Northern Iowa called Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP). is based on a peer leadership model that targets not only potential perpetrators of violence, and associated behaviors, but the role of the “bystander” to these behaviors. The model seeks to empower those who might otherwise be silent observers to situations where bullying and violence is unfolding. The MVP program utilizes trained student leaders (MVP mentors) to guide discussions and activities around scenarios that depict harassment, bullying, and other forms of gender violence as well as other topics that are impacting our students’ lives such as stress, respect and responsibility. There are 28 MVP mentors that are in the junior and senior class. These students have been attending meetings and trainings since the spring of 2015.

This year, all buildings in our district participated in Unity Day which was a day for staff and students to show they care about students being bullied and that we all want to start making a change to end bullying in our schools. students and staff had to do was wear orange. We had a great turnout of students in every building that wore orange to support the end to bullying.

It’s great that our school district is trying to take a stand against bullying but it takes a collaborative effort between schools, students, parents, and communities.

Here are some tips of how parents and community members can help:

1. Talk to children about bullying including any of your own experiences and views.

2. Listen. Let children tell you what they see and experience around them.

3. Make sure children know who they can turn to for help whether it’s for themselves or a friend.

4. Become active in the schools through the parent teacher association or within classroom/school activities.

5. Stay active in your communication with your child’s teacher(s).

6. If you work with students through your church or community activities such as youth sport leagues, consider attending a training on bullying prevention.

7. Check out anti-bullying books from your local library to read together.

8. Stay aware of our school district’s bullying and harassment policy.

9.Intervene immediately if you witness bullying.

Want to learn more or see videos on the matter? Two great sites to visit include StopBullying.gov and TheBullyProject.com.