Bully Prevention and Character Education Mandated
by Mr. Randy Wagoner
Last spring’s Senate Bill 68 has added a mandate for schools to develop a bully prevention plan and consider a program for character education. As important as these are, it places additional burdens on our already busy schedules. Bully prevention and character education have always been a part of our programming. In light of this legislation, USD 447 has begun work on formalizing these programs. The District Advisory Council and community will be asked to add suggestions to this issue. Some of the parts of this program that we are already performing include: TEAM/Families a cooperative approach that encourages our students to respect and honor one another, bully prevention awareness activities, solid behavioral expectations, frequent and consistent adult supervision, digital security cameras, relationship and character lessons, and quality counseling services. We hope to add data collection on how the programs are working. Bullying is taken very serious as a threat to our quality educational environments and will be addressed. It is and has been our intent to create a safe and protected school environment. Although instances of bullying and student disruption may occur and the potential for future incidents exist, Cherryvale-Thayer Schools will make every attempt to lessen and stop such activities. Incidents of potential bullying should be reported to the building administration so that it can be addressed. Our students deserve to be educated in a safe school.
