Does VVSD Have a Bullying Problem?

As  continues to fine tune the details of what will eventually become a community-wide effort to reduce incidents of bullying, schools throughout the district are making plans to observe “No Name Calling Week” the last week of this month.

The week is designed to call attention to the negative impact of bullying on students.

Among activities scheduled is a 6:30 p.m. Jan. 26 Parent Resource Night gathering at  in Romeoville focusing on recognizing the warning signs of bullying and what parents can do to help combat the dangerous behavior.

In , students will create posters with poetry, sayings, or drawings reflecting their desire for a safe school environment on a daily basis;  students will create a banner on Jan. 24 and build a kindness chain on Jan. 25; students will attend Jan. 27 anti-bullying assemblies conducted by the ; and  students will sign pledges on Jan. 24 and will write letters of apology to other students on Jan. 26.

BMX cyclist Matt Wilhelm will conduct character education assemblies at Irene King and  in Romeoville.

Other plans throughout the district include:

: Jan. 24 is Band Together Against Bullying Day with students receiving “Be a friend, not a bully” bracelets; Jan. 25 is crazy socks Sock It to Bullying Day; Jan. 26 is a “friends stick together” lunchtime event; and Jan. 27 is hat day, Hats Off To You For Being a Good Friend.

: Activities will include poster or poetry contests as well library book displays and morning announcements.

: Jan. 24 is Put A Lid on Bullying hat day; Jan. 25 is Be Strong, Name Calling is Wrong sports attire day; Jan. 26 is Be Tacky Cuz Name Calling is Wacky tacky clothing day; and Jan. 27 is Say Goodnight to Name Calling pajama day. Lunchtime activities each day will range from surveys on student perceptions of bullying to an arm wrestling contest and posting of baby pictures to say “we’re all beautiful from the start.”

: Activities will be sponsored by various clubs or groups including a writing/art contest, morning announcements, a library display, Spirit Days, and signing of a no-name-calling pledge.

: Jan. 24 Let Your True Colors Shine bright color day, Jan. 25 Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff sweatpants day, Jan. 26 Sock It To Bullies crazy socks day and Jan. 27 Make School a Comfortable Place for Everyone pajama day. Poster pledges and coloring packets are also part of plans.

: Jan. 24 is Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes day, Jan. 25 is Words Hurt and You Can’t Take Them Back backwards clothes day, Jan. 26 is Let’s Appreciate Each other’s Differences mismatched clothing day and Jan. 27 is We’re United Against Name Calling red, white and blue clothing day. Students will also do several activities including signing a bullying pledge and creating positive name posters.

: Jan. 24 is Make School a Comfortable Place for Everyone” pajama day, Jan. 25 is Don’t Sweat The Small Things sweatshirt day, Jan. 26 is Team Up Against Name Calling team shirt day and Jan. 27 is Be Bold, Be Yourself bold colors day.

: Jan. 26 will include “stop, walk, talk” lessons in each classroom that will help students recognize when another student is being bullied, and on Jan. 27 everyone will sign a no name calling pledge.

: Jan. 24 students will work on charts with one side detailing what it means to be disrespectful and the other side detailing what it means to be respectful. They will also create posters. On Jan. 25 they will view videos on bullying and cyber bullying. And on Jan. 26 poems from Bullies to Buddies will be read in each classroom followed by the signing of no name calling pledges.

: Jan. 24 includes the signing of no name calling pledges, Jan. 24 is Stop All Name Calling wear red day, Jan. 26 is Put a Lid on Name Calling hat day, and Jan. 27 is No Name Calling at Pioneer spirit wear day. The school will also collect money on Jan. 26 to donate to the National Bullying Prevention Center.

Plans are still in the works at other VVSD schools.