“Say One Nice Thing” Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week, November 16 to 22, 2014
The Ministry of Education has designated the third week of every November as Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week to help promote safer schools and positive learning environments. During Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week, November 16-22, 2014, Ontario students, school staff, families and community partners are encouraged to learn more about bullying and its effect on student learning and well-being.
As in previous years, schools will be hosting a variety of bullying awareness events and activities throughout the week.
Introducing the Say Once Nice Thing campaign
New for this year is the introduction of the Say One Nice Thing campaign which provides a way for positive comments or stories about Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board to be shared at schools, the Education Centre and through families and communities.
Schools have been provided with the following items in advance of Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week:
- Say One Nice Thing posters, 11" x 17" in size, to display for awareness purposes;
- Say One Nice Thing post cards to use, as appropriate at each site; and
- Say One Nice Thing/Be Kind to Me peel-away stickers, enough for each student, to recognize Bullying Prevention & Awareness Week. Past practice has been for the central office to provide schools with giveaways to raise awareness of this provincial week.
Connection to the school board multi-year plan
At HPEDSB, the AiM-Achievement in Motion for Student Success System Plan, includes Promoting Well-Being for Students & Employees as a priority for the 2014-2015 school year. Actions within the AiM System Plan include providing regular professional learning sessions for school and department leaders about leading mentally-healthy schools and workplaces.
In addition, the priority for Communicating with Families & Communities includes actions to enhance public confidence in our schools and the school board through students and employees being ambassadors, and by engaging with families and communities.
Data from school climate surveys completed by students, parents/guardians and school staff in the fall of 2013 provided perceptions about students feeling welcome and included at school. Overwhelmingly, students indicated that welcoming behaviours, such as smiling, saying "hi' and asking how things are going outside of school all help them to feel welcome.
Municipalities throughout the school board jurisdiction have taken action to officially proclaim or support Bullying Awareness & Prevention Week within their region of Hastings County or Prince Edward County.
For more information, please contact:
Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, 613-966-1170 or 1 800 267-4350, extension 2354, [email protected]