| Olweus Bullying Prevention Program | ||
| Middlebury Community Schools | ||
Middlebury Community Schools is excited about the 2011-2012 school year! This is the first
year that all the elementary buildings, the intermediate building, and the middle school
will be kicking off the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program together. The activity filled
week begins on September 19, 2011. Schools will be promoting the week with planned spirit
days that their students may participate in if they wish. Also on Thursday, September 22,
2011, Tim Hannig from the ProKids Show will be giving a Family Presentation highlighting our
No Bully Zone program along with magic. This will take place at the Northridge High School
Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. You will not want to miss it! Here in the Middlebury schools and
community we take bullying actions very seriously. We want your child's education to be the
best possible experience, shaping them into well-rounded citizens. If you or the business
you are affiliated with, would like to donate time or materials to support this program, please
contact Kori Cripe at Heritage Intermediate School, 822-5307. Or if you are a parent that has
further questions, please feel free to contact your child's school.
Bully-Free Zone Rules
- I will not bully others.
- We will help students who are bullied.
- We will include students who are left out.
- If somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.
Bullying Questionaire Results
Schools with Pervasive Bullying have Lower Test Scores
At the recent American Psychological Associate Annual Convention (August 2011) researchers from the University of Virginia presented their study of 7,300 9th Grade student and 3000 teachers in 284 Virginia schools. The study found the student passing rate on standardized exams for Algebra I, Earth Science, and World History, were 3%-6% lower in schools where the students reported a more severe bullying climate. This difference is significant because it affects a school's ability to meet federal requirements for meeting annual yearly progress.
The researchers chose to study 9th graders because 9th grade is a pivotal year. Research has shown that poor academic performance in 9th grade is a predictor of students dropping out before finishing high school.
The researchers theorize that academic performance is affected in schools with pervasive bullying because students are less engaged in learning when they are afraid of being bullied. They suggest that bullying leads to greater level of disorder in the school. This may lead to teachers being less effective because they are spending more time disciplining students.
This research underscores the importance of treating bullying as a school-wide problem rather than just an individual problem. The study underlines the importance of improving school climate to facilitate academic achievement.
The study authors recommend providing help for the victims, counseling and discipline for bullies and teaching bystanders to not support bullying.
This information underscores everything we are doing in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Middlebury Community Schools. OBPP is designed as a systems-wide change approach that creates an environment that encourages pro-social behavior while quickly and firmly taking care of individual bullying situations when they occur.
www.apa.org 8/16/11