Tag Archives: Ontario Government

Five Basic Ways to Show Respect and Eliminate Bullying

St. Ann Catholic School in Ancaster Ontario was the location of our ‘Stand up For Respect’ programs yesterday.  The students were excited and it showed! (St. Ann School looks incredible with it’s regal white columns as you can see in the photo).

Unbelievable enthusiasm filled the gymnasium. Children at St. Ann Catholic School definitely understand the meaning of the word ‘respect’. They showed respect from the moment they walked into the gym.  Principal Mr. Mike Goffredo is obviously very proud of his students. Mr. Goffredo runs a tight ship and it was clear his students have great respect for their principal.

Children came into the gym to practice role-plays for the assembly. Several students told me how happy they were to attend a school where there is almost no bullying at all. Other children remarked about how safe they feel every day within the walls of St. Ann Catholic school. What a great testament to the administration, teachers and other staff. Parents of St. Ann  children must feel thrilled to send their students to such a great school.

The children were dressed for Earth Day, so the audience was a sea of green. Participation in their schoolwide spirit day was obviously high. If the students show as much respect for each other as they do for the Earth, it must be one of the most respectable schools around.

During the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assembly the children learned some strategies to use in order to maintain their level of respect. We watched a video which outlined some of the following respect tips:

Be polite
Include others
Share
Play fair
Use friendly language

The assembly featured ATFM radio with DJ Benny DL at the controls. He sang songs, played commercials, and talked about treating each other in a fair and decent manner. Children laughed at the humor in Benny DL’s Rockethead video. It featured a rocket blasting around the world. It also outlined all kinds of ways to show respect to each other.

More advanced strategies were presented in the grade 6 to 8 assembly which followed the break. Students acted out role-plays, watched videos and discussed pertinent issues. After the assemblies ended students went home and encouraged their parents to come back at 6:30 PM to learn even more about bullying, cyber bullying and relationships. The parent session was funded by a subsidy made possible by the government of Ontario through a PRO grant. The assembly was well attended, with more than 20 families from St. Ann being represented. Every family in attendance received a free CD containing 14 sample songs on the topics of respect and bullying. Students acted out skits and performed for their parents. We want to thank Mr. Goffredo along with teachers students and parents from St. Ann school. What a great day!

Bruce Langford, anti-bullying advocate – www.standupforrespect.ca

 

Parent Reaching Out Grants for Bullying Prevention Programs

Government subsidies can help with bullying  prevention. Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grants for Ontario School Councils are available for 2012 to help increase parent involvement in support of student achievement and well-being. Be sure to apply for 2013 funding once the applications are released, so that you can use your funds for a good cause within your school. Many school councils choose to fund bullying prevention programs as well as purchase anti-bullying books and resources for their school libraries. We have delivered many bullying prevention programs in schools, made possible with the funding from the Ontario Government’s Parent Reaching Out grants.

Great feedback has been received from parents, teachers, principals and students. Here are some comments:

“Bruce Langford’s Stand Up Now programs were excellent, filled with valuable content of benefit to our students. I would gladly endorse this program.”
Ms. Marika Boshyk, Principal St. Demetrius Catholic School Toronto  Toronto Catholic District School Board

“I was impressed with how each presentation was tailored to the needs and interest level of each division. The presentations were creative and interactive and they certainly captured the attention of the students. Thank you again for addressing such an important topic in such an engaging manner.”
Ms. Kim Moses, Teacher Trillium Woods Public School, Richmond Hill  York Region District School Board

“Bruce, we loved your interactive approach with the audience during your presentations, giving our students an opportunity to voice their concerns around bullying through the question and answer portion of the assembly. Your presentation fostered a comfort level with the students that encourage them to be open and honest during the assembly, qualities that tend to be lost when dealing with issues of bullying.”
Claudio Moschella (Acting VP) Earnscliffe Senior Public School, Bramption Peel District School Board

Bruce Langford offers bullying prevention presentations for schools and parent groups
www.standupagainstbullying.com  Phone 905-233-2102