It's that time of year again! Children and teens around the country are returning to school with new classes and teachers, and maybe even new peers. Many students are back together again in person, while others remain virtually connected, or in a hybrid format. Regardless, the beginning of a school year can be a fun and exciting fresh start for students to reconnect with friends, begin new projects, join clubs or activities, and form new friendships. Every school year is a great opportunity for schools, parents, and students to make improvements on bullying prevention efforts.
10 Ways to Recharge Bullying Prevention Efforts
- School personnel can assess bullying to determine how often it is happening and where –including online. Schools can also train staff to help them spot bullying and address it.
- Enhance bullying prevention efforts such as monitoring bullying "hot spots" around the school.
- Be aware of your child's social media and other digital platform use.
- Parent, students, and schools can review different cyberbullying tactics and work on preventing and addressing cyberbullying.
- Talk to your child about appropriate online behavior and appropriate websites for their age.
- School personnel and teachers can refresh their bullying rules and policies and communicate them to the entire school community.
- School personnel and teachers can find free training resources, such as working with stakeholders and trainings for educators, at StopBullying.gov.
- Schools and communities may integrate social emotional learning into the school culture and curriculum.
- Engage parents and students to include them in bullying prevention efforts.
- Schools, teachers, and parents can all work together to create a safe and supportive learning environment
By working together to recognize and prevent bullying, schools can help students have a safe and successful school year.