ANTI-BULLYING NEWS AND RESOURCES FROM THE COHOES CITY SCHOOLS
Cohoes City School District believes all children have the right to
be educated in a safe and supportive environment. This page will
serve as a resource for parents, providing updates on anti-bullying
efforts in our schools and in the community. It will also serve as a
resource for online educational tools designed to deter bullying,
online and elsewhere.
First Anti-Bullying Committee Meeting is September 19
The first meeting of the district's Anti-Bullying Committee will be
Monday, September 19th at 2:30 p.m. in the CHS Main Office
Conference room. This meeting is open to students and parents who
want to be involved in the district's efforts to combat bullying.
Read more on anti-bullying
here and
here
Students gather at CHS for "Respect Day"
May 4, 2011 — CHS students in every grade gathered on Tuesday, May 3
for an important anti-bullying assembly led by Dr. Stephen "Bird"
Birchak, a renowned leader in character development and conflict
resolution. A select group of students were also tapped to be part
of a peer leadership group that spent several hours in a workshop
with Dr. Bird to help them develop a cohesive team of students who
will help create a positive school climate and culture.
The peer leadership students were joined by Mayor John T. McDonald III and Superintendent Robert K. Libby. Among the topics that discussed were student-centered initiatives, peer mediation and conflict resolution. The leadership team included four to five students from each grade, including eighth grade, with plans being to have the group continue to work together into the 2011-12 school year.
In his comments to the student leaders, Dr. Bird stressed some attributes found in great leaders in history and in everyday life, noting that optimism and a willingness to exert power "with" people, rather than "over" people are important elements of leadership.
Dr. Bird helped fostering discussion of ways to improve the school setting and reduce incidents of bullying and intimidation among students.
He also offered strategies for students on how to know the difference between a crisis and an inconvenience, and then how to act appropriately. To demonstrate the difference, Dr. Bird introduced his big, green Fist of Rage - a prop that he artfully used to drive home his message that aggression or rage, at any level, is usually just a building block to resentment and cruelty.
To learn more about efforts to combat bullying and peer intimidation at Cohoes High School and other district schools, visit the website's Anti-bullying page.
More photos from Respect Day at CHS, Tuesday, May 3, 2011:
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President and Mrs. Obama tackle issue of bullying at White House forum
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a forum on the prevention of bullying among teens and online. For more information, visit the website.
CHS Anti-Bullying Forum draws big Crowd, media attention
Jan. 14 – Bullies don’t stand a chance in Cohoes after more than 100 students, parents and Cohoes community members packed the CHS library on Thursday, January 13, 2011 to hear from experts on how to best help teens protect themselves from being the victims of bullies, online and elsewhere.
The event featured two guest presenters: Dr. Amanda Nickerson, associate professor and program director, Division of School Psychology, School of Education, University at Albany; and Kelly Schermerhorn, model schools coordinator for Questar III. Some of the topics addressed by Dr. Nickerson and Ms. Schermerhorn included: when and where bullying is most likely to take place; the characteristics of bullies; strategies to combat online bullying tactics; the legal implications of bullying; and how to monitor a child’s activity on the internet.
Mayor John T. McDonald III was on hand to welcome participants to the forum and several school district administrators, including Superintendent Robert Libby, and faculty were in attendance. CHS Assistant Principal Bryan Wood facilitated the meeting.
“We have a responsibility as a school community and as a community of caring individuals to try to reverse the troubling trend of bullying among young people,” said Superintendent Libby. “Each school in the district has been making a tremendous effort this year to remind students that our schools and school personnel can offer them a safe haven where they can find support and resources if they feel they are being bullied. With this forum, we are extending our outreach to the community at large.”
Several local news outlets, including every
television station in the Capital District, gave the meeting
extensive coverage, noting the district has been at the forefront of
efforts to make kids more comfortable discussing the impact of
bullying and cyberbullying on their lives, their schoolwork and
their relationships with their peers.
POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS:
Dr. Amanda Nickerson (PDF)
Kelly Schermerhorn (PDF)
MEDIA COVERAGE:
News articles and resources for students/parents
Online Bullies Pull School into the Fray (New York Times, 6/28/2010)
There’s Only One Way to Stop a Bully (New York Times, 7/23/2010)
Governor Patterson Signs “Dignity for All Students Act”
Student Violence in America's Schools - A New York Times Issue in Depth: An in-depth examination of school violence from the New York Times includes News Summaries, a Web Guide (links), and Lesson Plans. Highly recommended.
Recommended anti-bullying websites
STOP BULLYING NOW: Good information on bullying including What Bullying Is, What You Can Do, Cool Stuff, and What Adults Can Do. The Cool Stuff section has animated webisodes on bullying along with 8 games. Appropriate for elementary/middle school students. Highly recommended.
ANTI-BULLYING NETWORK: A site for students, parents and teachers with excellent information on bullying. The Young People section has several characters who "discuss" bullying. The School Staff section has information sheets and a reading list. Recommended.
SCHOOL VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER: Check out the Resource Library for Fact Sheets, Articles, Briefing Papers, and more. Recommended.
Van Schaick students say: There's no room for bullies in our school
At Van Schaick Grade School, students, staff and parents sang and danced with The Hill Brothers at The Bullying Show during Character Education Week. Everyone was invited to join in and be a part of the "I Will Not Bully Anyone Crazy Dance."
The program empowered students to recognize and take a stand against bullying in all of it's forms. There was a special emphasis placed on techniques for responding to a bullying situation, both as a victim and as a bystander.
Special guest, Mayor McDonald, joined the festivities by reciting
his official Proclamation, declaring October as Bullying Awareness
month in the City of Cohoes. In addition, the Mayor was the first to
sign the school's pledge to "Stomp Out Bullying and Be Kind to
Others." Students, teachers, and CHS Football players also signed
the pledge vowing to work together to eliminate bullying at Van Schaick and in Cohoes.
Don't be mean. Get off the bullying team!
Van Schaick Grade School created its own anti-bullying slogan as part of the anti-bullying events during the month of October.
Almost 20 slogans were submitted by students from all grades and every slogan was read during the morning announcements.
We ended the month of October with the Student Council voting to select 2 finalists. The entire school community (staff, teachers and students) voted for the winner. And the winner is......fifth grader Kimberly Smith's anti-bulllying slogan: "Don't be mean. Get off the bullying team!"
Kimberly was presented with a certificate at the Monthly Celebration on Nov. 19.
The slogan will be incorporated in the morning announcements and displayed throughout the building.
District recognizes October 2010 as Anti-Bullying Awareness Month
Oct.
1, 2010 - To ensure that the entire Cohoes City School District
community is aware of the importance of bullying, the district's
Board of Education is recognizing October 2010 as Anti-Bullying
Awareness Month. (See the full proclamation below.)
Throughout the month, the schools will be featuring programs and events that seek to educate our students about the importance of treating each other with respect and dignity.
"We believe it is important to remind our students that having good character includes standing up for others and treating everyone with respect," said Superintendent of Schools Robert K. Libby. "I commend our board for its forward-thinking stance on stopping bulling among our young people."
Bullying, bullying make it stop!
Sept 28, 2010 – The students in Mrs. Ducharme's fifth-grade class had a unique opportunity to write and record a song for a local radio station this fall!
The station WGNA 107.7 FM, through its outreach program Readin', Writin', and Rhymin', sent Richie from the Sean & Richie Show to Harmony Hill School to write and record a song about bullying.
Students brainstormed words and phrases that came to mind when they thought about bullying, such as how it makes them feel and where it might happen, and then used those ideas to write lyrics. The students also decided it was important to include the school's three Bs, "Be safe, be respectful, be responsible."
With the help of Richie, they set the lyrics to music and recorded the song!
The song was played on the Sean and Richie Show during morning rush hour the day after the students recorded it.
To hear the song, click here.
The Bully Song
We're fifth graders from Harmony Hill,
We
don't like bullies, we never will.
Up the street, around the block
Bully, bully, make it stop.
Bullying, makes us angry, really really angry
Bullying, makes us sad, really, really, sad
At the lunchroom, playground or afterschool
Being a bully isn't cool.
Be safe, be respectful,
Be responsible, don't you see,
That's the three Bs!
Around the corner,
Around the bend
Bully, bully, make it end!
More information about bullying
Cohoes Middle School Counseling Department site about bullying
Stop Bullying Now! (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services site about bullying)
Updates and activities from around the district
Students stand UP for character... DOWN to bullying (CHS)
Watch a video made by Cohoes Middle School students featuring their thoughts about bullying...
Bullying, bullying make it stop! (HHS)
Cohoes High School to hold Anti-Bullying Week, Oct. 18-22 (PDF)
Tips for parents about bullying
Proclamation Recognizing October 2010 Anti-Bullying Awareness Month
WHEREAS, We must safeguard schools and communities for our children and, through our recognition of the serious issues that face them each day, offer our children an environment that holds promise and security; and
WHEREAS, Many organizations, school districts, educators and parents have publicly expressed concern about the bullying of children; and
WHEREAS, Each day an estimated 160,000 children refuse to go to school because they dread the physical and verbal aggression of their peers and the loneliness that comes from being excluded and made the target of rumors and cyber-bullying; many more students attend school in a chronic state of anxiety; and
WHEREAS, It is important that we acknowledge and heighten awareness about the serious issues and the negative effects of bullying, including the long-term damage it can cause in our youth as well as the risks of teenage suicide; and
WHEREAS, Providing a safe physical and emotional environment is a significant goal and a personal responsibility of each individual; and
WHEREAS, It is time to "Stand UP for Character - DOWN to Bullying!" now, therefore be it
PROCLAIMED, that We, the Board Of Education of the Cohoes City School District, designate the month of October 2010 as Anti-Bullying Awareness Month in the Cohoes City School District as a symbol of our commitment to the year-round struggle against bullying.
