State's Attorney | Page 44

school awareness and outreach Responding to Bullying Bullying is an integral part of school conflict and violence. There are many ways to raise awareness on this widespread problem. The following ideas are just a few ways your school can address potential dangers, provide training, and establish relationships with your students on bullying. Create a school protocol to build victim safety and offender accountability • Establish clear roles and responsibilities of school staff. • Provide consistent school response. • Define the issue and outline training procedures. • • Create victim support groups to help them understand they are not alone. Establish bullying awareness club. Create an evaluation of abuse • Students who use health services and/or counseling programs can be given a questionnaire/screening tool to evaluate needs/problems. • • Establish support services. Conduct confidential surveys in classroom discussions. Make public service announcements on bullying • Identify the problem. • Provide statistics. • • Explain where to go for help. Refer to school resources. Make awareness of the topic a priority in education • Encourage Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office Bullying Awareness Poster Contest participation in your school. • • Teach about bullying in health class, P.E., etc. Hang posters in your school or on community bulletin boards. Participate in Bullying Prevention Month in October • Distribute flyers/anti-bullying materials. • Organize school assembly. • Have daily announcement/activity. • • • Suggest recommended outlets/encourage healthy relationships. Bring in speakers. Write an article about bullying for school paper. Use school library as a resource center • Have bulletin boards with bullying information. • Have suggested reading and website list on topic. • Have books on bullying. • • Have brochure display with information. Have school policy on file to review. Offer parent meetings/parent awareness outreach • Provide breakfast sessions. • Provide resources at parent/teacher conferences. • Create opportunities for evening conversations with students, teachers, and parents. • Require personnel to be familiar with bullying protocol. Develop youth outreach programs • Assign youth to develop strategies and outline goals for preventing bullying. • Create peer-to-peer groups. Educate school personnel on bullying • Make personnel aware of committee list and resources available. Develop advisory team in conjunction with bullying protocol to include a group of local experts from community organizations • Local Police Department • Media • State’s Attorney’s Office • Civic Groups • Mental Health Service • Youth • Substance Abuse Service • Youth Organizations • Teachers/Coaches Incorporate bullying prevention in student clubs • Lead students to address the issue. • Require group involvement in programs that assist the youth. 40 • community outreach - Rise Above/Anti-Bullying Campaign Raise funds for bullying prevention.