Bully Awareness and Prevention Week
Ontario has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday of November as Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week to help promote safe schools and a positive learning environment. During Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week – November 15-21, 2020 – Ontario students, school staff and parents are encouraged to learn more about bullying and its effect on student learning and well-being. Here at St. Nicholas we will be participating in various initiatives over the course of the week and remainder of the school year;
“Have you filled a bucket today?”, we will be using this book written by Carol McCloud as our theme of the week to promote bullying prevention. Students will listen to the book and discuss the concept around being a bucket filler. Throughout the week, month and year students will master the art of bucket filling! Whether in JK or Grade 8 the principal of kindness is universal. Students will also add their messages of inspiration to the front foyer bulletin board.
“ Kindness Blooms at St. Nicholas”. In this initiative each class will receive a stencil of a flower to decorate and incorporate messages of kindness and friendship. Once complete, these flowers will be placed beside the entrance door to their classroom. This will serve as a visual reminder to their commitment to creating a bully-free environment. In the spring, we will ‘plant’ our flowers and create a kindness garden in the front of the school.
Upstander Day: Tuesday November 17th: What is an UPSTANDER? Becoming an upstander is about moving from silence to action. Bystanders contribute to the problem. Upstanders stop the problem. Upstanders are heroes! They stand up. They don’t stand by. Students will discuss in their classroom what an effective upstander does. Students will recite the Upstander Pledge.
SNS Rise Up Against Bullying – Be an Upstander!
Pink Day: Wednesday November 18th. The pink t-shirt has been associated with anti-bullying and prevention. On Wednesday, students are encouraged to wear a pink t-shirt OR accessorize with pink.