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Dear Beth,
With this issue of OH! News we send the families, friends and
communities who suffered from the many national tragic school
violence incidents during the fall our deepest sympathies.
When events occur such as these we, as a collective nation,
search our hearts for answers and wonder: what can we do to keep
this from ever happening again? That’s especially true for all of us
at MindOH! because we’re in the business of providing tools that
successfully help our Nation’s youth, educators and parents address
these tough issues and more on a daily basis.
We’ve decided
to dedicate this issue of OH! News to school violence and bullying
prevention tools and techniques you, as a caring adult, can freely
take to use or pass along as you feel appropriate. These tools are
designed to help the kids you care about understand there are a
plethora of positive options available when faced with challenging
issues such as school violence and bullying. Click
here for the tools.
You’ll also find important links to
additional resources from our recent participation in The White
House Conference on School Safety, held October 10th in Chevy Chase,
Maryland. This bi-partisan conference of invitation only invitees
from around the nation of federal officials, parents, law
enforcement officials and other experts gathered to discuss the best
ways to keepour schools safe.
The importance of communication was a prominent theme of the
conference, and is a cornerstone in preventing violence from
occurring. We're proud that our proven research and experience in
character education, and related issues such as bullying and school
violence, greatly contributes to the national discussion and informs
the future course of action.
From that sense of action, let us hear your thoughts and
suggestions to curb acts of school violence. Let us know if you like
these tools and how you used them or let us hear from you even if
it's simply feedback for other items you believe would be helpful
for the kids you love and care about. Write us at feedback@mindoh.com.
Sincerely,
Beth Carls and Amy Looper
| Family Connectivity Activity: Violence Prevention,
Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention Tools |
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Get the communication flowing and stop the violence
now! These free online resources include activity sheets,
discussion generators, and professional advice on how to
prevent bullying.
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| The White House Conference on School Safety: Resources
from the Conference |
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This conference brought together experts across the
United States to discuss methods to improve school safety.
Find out more about it by clicking on the link below.
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| Plugged In: Bully On Board, One Parent's
View |
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Bully On Board: What to Do if Your Child Is Being
Bullied
I’ll never forget the first time my child
stepped on to the school bus alone, and headed off to school.
It was a defining moment for both of us, a symbol of the apron
strings untying, and wings sprouting. I’ll also never forget
the first time she stepped off the bus, and dissolved into
tears, sobbing as she choked out, “No one wanted to sit by me,
she said I was too ugly.” Another defining moment. We’d both
have to learn how to handle bullying.
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| In Their Own Words: Kids Share Bully Stories With Real
Recommendations – fundraiser for The MindOH!
Foundation |
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“Everything seems to occur on the back of the bus. Away
from supervision.”
Heather Dyer, teenage author
The collection of essays I Wish I Knew What to Do, Teens
Tell It Like It Is on What To Do To Get Bullies to Leave You
Alone, written by teens from across the nation, shares the
first hand struggles that adolescents encounter facing
bullies. The authenticity of their experiences, and the pure
narrative voices presented, will be an instant hit with middle
school and high school students.
The book provides a wonderful way to have a conversation
with your child about bullying, and to encourage your child to
share their own experiences.
Fourteen-year old student author Heather Dyer, shares
her experiences about bullying on the bus and makes
suggestions for improving safety in the essay “The Back of the
Bus” from the book I Wish I Knew What to Do, Teens Tell It
Like It Is On What To Do To Get Bullies to Leave You Alone.
Download the free student essay and book Table
of Contents here
Courtesy of The MindOH!
Foundation
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| Fast Facts: Statistics That Will Shock You |
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Bullied students miss school
It is estimated
that 160,000 students stay home each day because they're
afraid of being bullied (Pollack, 1998).
Bullying
is linked to serious school violence
Bullying has been
linked with serious school violence and shootings (Nansel et
al., 2001; U.S. Department of Education,
1998).
Bullying often occurs in unsupervised
areas
Bullying often occurs in unsupervised or
“undersupervised” areas such as the school bus, bus stop, or
school hallways.
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