Venetian Hills Elementary School

1. Venetian Hills Elementary School Principal’s Roundtable February 22, 2012

2. AGENDA • Welcome!! • School Overview • Title I Update • Upcoming Spring Assessments • 5th Grade Writing Assessment Tips • CRCT Parent Tips • Bullying Parent Workshop • 2012-2013 Planning • Principal Parent Survey • Top Three

3. Upcoming Spring Assessment • 5th Grade Writing

4. Upcoming Spring Assessments CRCT Parent Tips • Do praise your child for the things he or she does well, and be supportive of his or her efforts, especially in areas or activities that are challenging.  • Do limit your child's TV time.  Studies show that kids who watch fewer than three hours of television a day scored higher on the national reading test than those who watch more. • Do express a positive attitude about the test and confidence in your child's ability to do well on it. • Do encourage your child to read newspapers, magazines, food labels, recipes, letters, and instructions, in addition to fiction and non-fiction books.  • Do reassure your child that test scores are only one measure of his or her abilities, not the whole picture. Classroom grades also count. • Do ensure that your child gets a good night's sleep the night before the test and eats a nutritious breakfast the day of the test.

5. CRCT Test Dates • Spring Administration • April 17th – April 25th RE-Take • May 17th -18th

6. Take a Stand Against Bullying Parent Presentation

7. Bullying is….. • An act which occurs on school property, on school vehicles, at designated school bus stops, or at school related functions or activities, or by use of data or software that is accessed through a computer that is… • Intimidating or subjecting a person to hostility or ill treatment. • Involves actions which cause another person to feel afraid, humiliated, embarrassed, threatened or shamed • Occurs in a relationship in which there is an imbalance of power. • Is repeated over time.

8. Bullying Happens in Four Ways • Verbal • Teasing, jokes, ignoring/isolation, gossip, threats • Physical • Blocking someone’s path, physical restraint, pushing/kicking, hazing • Sexual • Teasing, touching, slapping, pictures, emails, graffiti, sexual assault • Property • Hiding belongings, theft, arson, extortion, vandalism, destruction

9. Differentiating Bullying from NormalPeer Conflict/Mean Behavior

10. Warning Signsthat your child may be the target of bullies • Frequently teased, taunted belittled, ridiculed, intimidated threatened, dominated or subdued • Has a derogatory nickname • Has belongings taken or damaged • Few or no close friends at school Talk with your child about bullying!

11. What To Doif you suspect your child is being bullied • Talk with your child • If your child is being bullied, they need to have a voice in how the situation is handled. • Contact the school • Set up a meeting with your child’s teacher(s) or counselor. • Find out what activities or counseling options are available for your child. • Contact police or school resource officer… • If the actions are criminal (assault, theft, serious threats, vandalism)

12. Recommendationsif you suspect your child is being bullied • Don’t encourage your child to fight back—two wrongs don’t make a right! • Listen to your child, do not ignore your child’s plea for help. • Don’t confront the parents or the other child directly. • Avoid bringing your child and the bully together to elicit an apology or resolve the issue.

13. Contributing FactorsAssociated with Bullying • Family Factors • Lack of attention and warmth • Modeling of aggressive behavior at home • Poor supervision • Individual Factors • Active, impulsive personality • Lack of empathy for others • Craves attention and approval from others

14. Warning Signsthat your child may be bullying others • Frequent name-calling • Regular bragging • A need to always get his/her own way • Spending more time with younger or less powerful kids • A lack of empathy for others • A defiant or hostile attitude; easily takes offense • Frequent misbehavior at school (e.g. name calling, teasing, intimidating, physical aggression)

15. What To Doif you suspect your child may be bullying others • Talk with your child • Never condone bullying behavior; speak up and tell your child that the behavior they are engaging in is considered bullying. • Encourage empathy for others • Remind your child that everyone has a right to be themselves, to choose their own friends and to feel safe at school. • Review consequences of bullying behavior • Both school and home discipline consequences • Reinforce respectful behaviors at home • Help your child deal with feelings in positive ways • Contact the school for help • Set up a meeting with your child’s teacher(s) or counselor. • Develop a plan for change.

16. School Interventions/Consequences for Bullying • Warning • Verbal and written • Permanently documented • Coaching/Intervention • Anger Management, Conflict Resolution/ Communication/ Problem Solving Skills provided by administrators or counselor • Detention before, during, or after school detention. • Suspension • Expulsion/Tribunal

17. Resources • APS Student Handbook

18. FYI… • Black History Program – Feb. 24th • Uniform School • Countdown to Promotion