Winter Activities

Here are some great articles for winter activities for families.

8 Fun Winter Activities for Families
http://childparenting.about.com/od/funcelebrations/tp/winteractivities.htm

Be a Super Dad
http://fatherhood.about.com/cs/fatherhood/ht/Super_Dad.htm

Winter Activities for Dads and Their Kids
http://fatherhood.about.com/cs/activities/a/Winter_Ideas.htm

Tips on Gift-Giving and Receiving

With the major holidays approaching, parents face two challenges: first, how to find the perfect presents for their children—the gifts that will be loved for years, not just hours—and perhaps more importantly, how to make sure their children are kind and grateful recipients, no matter what they get.  Here are some ideas to try.

Teach them what they are thanking people for.  What your children need to learn is that the thanks they give is not necessarily for what is in the box—it’s for the effort and caring that went into it.  Their thanks needs to show that they recognize that someone cared enough to select a present just for them, pay for it, wrap it, and bring it to them.

Understand that disappointment is part of life.  It is a guarantee that at some point your child is going to receive something he or she does not like or want.  Explain this to your child ahead of time.  Laugh about some gifts you have gotten that were unusual.

When to write thanks, when to say thanks.  Let your children know that if a relative is in the room when they open their present, that a sincere face-to-face thank you (and a hug) is great.  For everyone else, a thank you note is an absolute must.

Appeal to their desire for “more.”  Sometimes children need to think of things from their own, slightly selfish, perspectives.  Tell them that people may be less inclined to give them a nice gift if they do not seem grateful for the gifts they have received in the past.

When they are the “giver.”  One of the best ways to help children realize the significance of giving is to make sure they spend time finding and wrapping the gifts they give to others.  Give them odd jobs to help them earn the money to buy gifts.  Help them get excited about choosing just the right gift for each person.

Give to others.  Help your children help those less fortunate.  Save money for charity bell-ringers, adopt a less-fortunate child through anonymous giving programs, or work in a food kitchen.  Show your children that giving is more rewarding than receiving.

Give gifts that expand their interests.  Among the best gifts for children are things that introduce them to new activities: origami, tie dying, model planes or cars, scrap booking, photography, cooking, or basic woodworking.

Look for presents that help them stay active.  Any kind of sports equipment helps kids have fun and get exercise.  Either give the child something you know he or she wants and needs (a new glove), or introduce him or her to a brand new sport (tennis racket and balls).

Practical gifts can be fun, too.  A sleeping bag for overnights, or a small overnight bag or suitcase can be wonderful presents.  Look for designs that will appeal to the child for years to come.

Spin the wheel, roll the dice, and deal the cards.  Card and board games are classics for a reason—they have been fun to play for decades.  Look for games that children can play with just one or two others, as well as those that are for family-sized groups.

Open up to books.  When you give a child a book, you are giving both of you a present.  Younger children will enjoy the time they get to spend reading it with you.  Older kids will be quietly building their reading skills and vocabulary, as well as their imaginations.

If you are really stumped about gift-giving, talk to friends or relatives who have children slightly older than yours.  Ask what gifts their children really played with—gifts that lasted in appeal long after the “newness” wore off.

This coming season can be a stressful time for many and we, at Oviatt, hope everyone takes the time to enjoy being with family and friends.

Oviatt Elementary Wins Recycling Contest-----Thanks to the Norwalk Community

Pictured from left to right:  Amy Hock (Metro Waste Authorities), Bryan Greiner (Fareway Foods), Mary Gillaspey (Metro Waste Authorities), Dave Murillo (Norwalk City Council), Jerry Fleagle (Executive Director of Iowa Grocery Industry Association), Dr. Denny Wulf (Superintendent of Schools), Julie Brincks (Oviatt Chair of Recycling Program), Dr. Laura Sivadge (PK-K Principal), and Rodney G. Martinez (1^st and 2^nd Grade Principal.)

Iowa Grocery Industry Association and Metro Waste Authority Announce Build with Bags School Challenge Winners

IGIA and Metro Waste Authority team up to stress importance of recycling
to elementary school students

November 15, 2010 – Iowa Grocery Industry Association (IGIA) and Metro Waste Authority today announced that Mitchellville Elementary in Mitchellville, Lovejoy Elementary in Des Moines and Oviatt Elementary in Norwalk won the Build with Bags School Challenge.  Each of the winning elementary schools will receive a piece of outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic for winning the challenge. 

This year the participating schools competed within three size categories: small (1-299 students), medium (300-599 students) and large (600+ students).  The small category winner, Mitchellville Elementary from the Southeast Polk School District, recycled 610 pounds of plastic shopping bags and received credit for 367 reusable bags.  Lovejoy Elementary, from the Des Moines Public School District and the medium category winner, recycled 466 pounds of plastic shopping bags and received credit for 146 reusable bags. The large category winner, Oviatt Elementary from the Norwalk School District, recycled 821 pounds of plastic shopping bags and received credit for 949 reusable bags.

Oviatt Elementary wants to say thank you to everyone who participated in this year's challenge!  Mrs. Julie Brincks has chaired this endeavor for the past two years.  Everyone’s joint efforts helped us move from last year’s 2^nd place to 1^st place this year!  Thank you to our students, their families, and community members that kept bringing the plastic bags to school so we could recycle them.  The community also used their reusable shopping bags during this challenge.  Please continue to be good role models for our children and recycle those plastic bags and bring your own bags when shopping!

In addition, Oviatt wants to thank everyone at Scott’s Foods, especially Scott Havens and Nancy Hildreth, as well as Fareway Food employees, especially Bryan Greiner because both stores took our bags to weigh and communicate with Metro Waste Authority.  They also promoted the use of reusable shopping bags to earn credit for our school during this challenge.  We could not have won without such great community support.  Norwalk Community always steps up whenever the school district needs help.

The Build with Bags School Recycling Challenge started October 4, 2010.  Twenty-nine schools competed to see whose students could recycle the most plastic bags and/or use the most reusable shopping bags over the five week period. The program was developed to educate students about the importance of recycling or reusing shopping bags while localizing America Recycles Day.

"Iowa Grocery Industry Association was proud to team with Metro Waste Authority to offer this great program to elementary schools to help teach children about the importance of recycling," said Jerry Fleagle, Iowa Grocery Industry Association President.  "IGIA launched the Build with Bags program in our stores statewide in August and this local School Challenge was a great way to bring attention to the importance of recycling the plastic shopping bags."

Tom Hadden, Executive Director of Metro Waste Authority continued, "The program received a great response from participating schools.  Our goal was to raise awareness about the issue of plastic shopping bags becoming litter, and teach skills to begin to divert that waste.  Participating schools recycled approximately 6,800 pounds of plastic shopping bags, which is equivalent to 408,000 plastic bags, in just five weeks.  Those numbers are incredible and we couldn’t be more pleased."

Participating schools that recycled at least 100 pounds of plastic shopping bags and received credit for using 75 reusable bags will get a $100 store gift card.

The plastic bag recycling challenge is in its fourth year and this is the second year that Metro Waste Authority and IGIA have partnered.  This program was successful in educating students about the importance of recycling and environmental stewardship.  Area elementary schools collected used plastic shopping bags and delivered them to their local grocery store for recycling.  The participating elementary schools got credit for the weight of the plastic bags they recycled at the stores. 

###

About the Iowa Grocery Industry Association

The Iowa Grocery Industry Association is a state trade association that represents the food industry, including chain and independent supermarkets, convenience stores, mass merchandisers, wholesalers, brokers, manufacturers and distributors. Founded in 1899, the IGIA has long served as a resource to its members, the food industry and the general public through education, legislative, partnership and philanthropic programs. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, the IGIA can be found online at http://www.iowagrocers.com/.

About Metro Waste Authority

Metro Waste Authority (MWA) is an award-winning regional government agency that manages the Metro Park East Landfill, the Metro Park West Landfill, the Metro Compost Center, the Metro Recycling Center, the Metro Transfer Station, and the Regional Collection Center for Household Hazardous Materials.  MWA also coordinates recycling programs for its member communities and is a leader in many environmental issues in Central Iowa.  Metro Waste Authority is self-funded through fees charged to those who use the landfill and its other services.  The agency does not receive tax dollars. http://www.mwatoday.com/

About Build with Bags

The Build with Bags program is a cooperative effort of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, Keep Iowa Beautiful, Metro Waste Authority, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and The Des Moines Register. Over the course of several months, representatives of each of these organizations witnessed focus groups convened to discuss plastic bag issues and then met to develop a program aimed at demonstrating how Iowa grocers could help to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bags. In addition to reducing the environmental footprint of plastic bags, the goal of the group was also to provide an effective alternative to plastic bag bans and the unintended consequences that often result from bans and other related regulatory efforts.



From the Mentors

Bullies:  From the Mentors

When I was in elementary school, I was constantly tormented by a bully. Even now, I still find that at times I'm teased and mocked, for reasons that I can't understand. When I look back on it all, it begins to make sense to me. I was a quiet child who was not too social, and younger children don't like things that are "different." Since that was what I was, they ignored me instead of trying to get to know me. As a result of this, I grew to dislike them as they grew to dislike me. Although I was never mean to them, I did have my part in not entirely giving them a chance. As I grew older, I found my first few friends and tried to open up to people. People fear what is different, people fear what is better, people dislike what they can't have, and hate those who have it. Bullies are just expressing basic human qualities, and even though it's painful, just try to find people who appreciate you and who you can be comfortable with, and remember that bullies will eventually go, whether you graduate schools or they lose interest, etc. Friendships last a good deal longer, so spend your time seeking the company of people you like and ignoring the ones who bully you.

From Danielle
Bullies are usually people who are just as uncomfortable as you are. Usually it's hard for them to make friends and the only way to get to know other people is by bullying them. Don't worry if you are being bullied, there are a lot of things you can do. You can talk to your parents and tell them what is going on. You could also go and talk to your teacher; your teacher is there to help you with your problems. You could also try to talk to the kid, maybe the bully didn't even realize that he (or she) was hurting you.

From Paulina
Bullies just don't have anything better to do than to ruin our day. I just ignore them, and eventually they get tired of it.

Online Bullying

Bullies:  Online Bullying

A big, mean kid knocks a smaller one down in the schoolyard. A snobby girl laughs at what someone’s wearing. A group of boys trash another kid’s locker. These are obvious and classic images of bullying. As you probably know by now, they aren’t the only way to be a bully anymore.

Technology has brought a lot of really cool things to our lives: We use e-mail, Instant Messaging, message boards and blogs to stay in touch with our friends, keep up with what’s happening in the world, and just have fun. But being connected all the time leaves us open to a special kind of bully: the online bully.

Online bullying, often called online harassment, is a serious issue, and it’s getting more common. Let’s take a look:

What is it?
Online bullying can take many forms:

• Sending threatening, taunting or teasing e-mails to someone.

• Using a computer or any other tech to spread gossip or rumors, or to make someone’s private information public.

• Pretending to be another person online so you can post or e-mail things that will  embarrass or get that person in trouble.

• Being a “pretend friend” online so you can later hurt or humiliate someone.

• “Ganging up” on someone in a chat room or on a message board.

• “Griefing” someone in an online video game by constantly picking on a new or inexperienced player.

• Texting hurtful or rude comments to someone’s phone or Blackberry.

• Using chat, IM, or a blog to exclude people, pick on people, or divide the “populars” from the “unpopulars.”

Why do people do it?

It’s anonymous. The Web lets you hide behind a fake user name or alias, and many bullies feel protected by this “false identity.” Because they feel hidden and shielded, bullies might do and say things they would never dream of doing to someone face to face.

They want revenge. If a person is bullied in school, he might decide to fight back online. You don’t have to be a typical “bully” to be mean with IM or e-mail. Many tweens who are good with technology see online cruelty as a way of getting even with people who push them around in the real world.

They think everybody’s doing it. Being mean online may seem like something that kids just do…simply a part of life these days. A person may see her friends do it, and think it’s okay.

They get caught up in it. Sometimes online bullies start out small, with a funny comment or a joke. Then things slowly get out of hand. They start posting meaner and meaner things, and before they know it, they’re really hurting people with the things they write.

They don’t understand how much it hurts. When you’re cruel to someone online, you can’t see her cry, so you might not understand just how bad you’re making her feel.

What can you do?
If you feel like you’re being bullied online, try these strategies:

Don’t retaliate. If someone is mean to you online, don’t hit back. It might seem natural to give them a taste of his or her own cruelty, but this will just keep the war going.

Ignore it. Face to face, it can be very hard to “walk away” from an insult. Online, it’s actually much easier. Turn off your computer and walk away. Do not go back to Web sites or chat rooms where you’ve been bullied.

Tell an adult. Let a parent or guardian know that someone is bullying you online.
Block the bully. If someone bullies you through e-mail, block that person’s e-mail address or ISP address. If you don’t know how to do this, ask an adult to help.

More tips:

• Don’t go to Web sites that you know are unsafe or are favorite hang-outs for bullies.

• Never share private or personal information with someone you don’t know or don’t trust.

• Never post your e-mail address on a public message board or in a chat room. E-mail is only for people you absolutely trust.

• Don’t be a victim, but don’t be a bully either. Never post a comment or send an e-mail when you’re angry.

For more info and advice about online bullying, check out these Web sites:

Stop Cyberbullying
www.stopcyberbullying.org

NetSmartz
www.netsmartz.org

Remember:
Always tell a parent or other trusted adult if you feel threatened or victimized online, or if someone sends you any inappropriate violent or sexual content.

Bully-Free Zones

Bullies:  Bully-Free Zones

Do think your school does a good job of dealing with bullies? Do students get the support they need when they go to teachers or counselors with bullying problems?

If they don't, then...why not change that?

With the help of parents and community leaders, kids all over the country are making anti-bullying programs happen at their schools. Here's how to start.

Start small:

• Raise the issue of bullying with student council and try to set up a "bullying prevention" or "student respect" group. You can also get a few friends together and talk to a counselor about setting up these groups.
• Work with a guidance counselor to develop an anti-bullying workshop that can be done in your class, grade, or school-wide.

Start bigger:

• Talk to your parents about whether the school's PTA can raise the issue in meetings.
• Hold a meeting with the principal, along with any friends, parents, and teachers who support you, to talk about starting a bullying prevention program at your school.

If you have trouble getting something going at your school, you can try working with a youth group, like Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc., to put together a workshop for people in the community.

Great Books About Bullies

Fiction Books
Attack of the Killer Fishsticks
by Paul Zindel
A fun-loving group of fifth graders confronts the Nasty Blobs, two of the meanest kids in school, and they help a new kid run for class office.

Blubber
by Judy Blume
A classic! Jill goes along with the rest of her fifth-grade class in tormenting a classmate and then finds out what it's like when she, too, becomes a target.

The Hundred Dresses
by Elinor Estes
Wanda Petronski stands out in her class--she has a Polish name, lives in a poor part of town and has only one dress to wear to school. To defend herself against her classmates, she brags that she has one hundred beautiful dresses in her closet.

Joshua T. Bates In Trouble Again
by Susan Shreve
The third book in the "Joshua T. Bates" series. After repeating third grade, Joshua struggles to fit in as a fourth-grader. Soon Joshua's uncertainties combine with a couple of bullies to get him in trouble.

The Night The Bells Rang
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
During the final year of World War I, Mason's secure Vermont farm life is disrupted by Aden, a teenager who bullies him. After Aden runs away, joins the army, and is killed, Mason deals with his feelings and his confusion.

The Skin I'm In
by Sharon Flake
Thirteen-year-old African-American Maleeka has suffered through lots of teasing because of her dark complexion. Into her life walks Miss Saunders, a teacher whose rare skin condition also sets her apart.

Stepping On The Cracks
by Mary Downing Hahn
Set during World War II. When best friends Margaret and Elizabeth spy on the sixth grade bully Gordy, they discover that he is hiding his brother, Stuart, a deserter from the army.


Non-Fiction Books

LETTERS TO A BULLIED GIRL: Messages of Healing and Hope
By Olivia Gardner, Emily Buder, and Sarah Buder
Olivia Gardner is a northern California middle school girl who was subjected to merciless bullying after suffering an epileptic seizure at school. It quickly escalated when an "Olivia's Haters" page was created by classmates on a popular teen networking site. Unlike many bullying stories, OliviaÕs has a happy ending, thanks to Emily and Sarah Buder, two teenage sisters who read about Olivia's plight in the newspaper and decided to take action. Initiating a campaign to get their friends to write Olivia encouraging letters, their efforts took off beyond their wildest imaginings. This book collects some of the most powerful and inspiring of "Olivia's Letters," featuring the recollections of bullying incidents of every kind and for every reason.

Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain
by Trevor Romain (Illustrator) and Elizabeth Verdick (Editor)

Cliques, Phonies, & Other Baloney
by Trevor Romain

How to Handle Bullies, Teasers and Other Meanies : A Book That Takes the Nuisance Out of Name Calling and Other Nonsense
by Kate Cohen-Posey and Betsy A. Lampe (Illustrator)

Why Is Everybody Always Picking on Me? : A Guide to Handling Bullies
by Terrence Webster-Doyle

Bullying has been around for a really long time, but that doesn't mean it has to exist forever. Whether it's happening to you or someone else, you have the power to stop bullying now...and for the future.

Now let's look at how to deal with Online Bullying.

Are You A Bully?

Bullies:  Are You A Bully?

Are you a bully and don't know it? Maybe you know you're a bully, but don't know how to change your ways? Never fear! Help is here!

How do you know if you are or have ever been a bully? Ask yourself these questions:

• Does it make you feel better to hurt other people or take their things?
• Are you bigger and stronger than other people your age? Do you sometimes use your size and strength to get your way?
• Have you been bullied by someone in the past and feel like you have to make up for it by doing the same thing to others?
• Do you avoid thinking about how other people might feel if you say or do hurtful things to them?

If you have bullied other people, think about why. Think about how or what you were feeling at the time. Think about how you felt afterwards.

How can you stop being a bully?

• Apologize to people you've bullied, and follow it up by being friendly to them. They may not trust you right away, but eventually they'll see that you're for real.
• If you're having a hard time feeling good about yourself, explore ways to boost your self-esteem. Pick up a new hobby, do volunteer work, or get involved with a sport.
• If you feel like you're having trouble controlling your feelings, especially anger, talk to a school counselor about it.

There are many reasons to kick the bully habit. Many bullies grow up into adults who bully their families, friends, and co-workers, causing all sorts of problems with relationships and careers. It's hard to think about the future when you're feeling something here and now, but take a moment to see how your behavior may be laying down some pretty negative groundwork.

Next up: How to make your school a Bully-Free Zone.

Innocent Bystanders

Innocent Bystanders

In a bullying situation, there are usually bystanders, but they aren't exactly "innocent".

Bullying usually happens with other kids around, right? Having an "audience" is very important to a bully. She wants people to see what she's doing, and that she has power over the person she's bullying. It's usually because a bully wants a reputation for being tough or strong, or because she thinks it'll make her more popular.

So what about the people watching the bullying? Why are they letting it happen? Here are some possible reasons:

• The bully is someone other people look up to and want to hang out with.
• They want to "side" with the bully because to do that makes them feel strong. Siding with the bully's victim, on the other hand, would make them feel weak.
• They're entertained by the bullying.
• They don't think speaking up will help.
• They're afraid that if they say something, the bully will turn on them.
• Watching the bullying is a way to bully "vicariously." This means that they feel like they're getting their frustrations out by hurting someone even though they're not doing the hurting, just watching the hurting.

Did you know that if one person watching a bullying situation says "Stop it!", half the time the bullying will stop? This can be hard to do, but it's important to try. When you stand by and do nothing, that's saying that bullying is okay with you. It makes you no better than the bully himself.

Here are some things you can do if you see someone getting bullied:

• Tell the bully to stop. Examples: "Cut it out!", "That's not funny!", "How'd you like it if someone did that to you?" Let the bully know that what he or she is doing is stupid and mean.
• If you feel like you can't speak up, walk away from the situation and tell the nearest adult. Get them to come help. This is not tattling!

If you see someone being bullied over and over again -- whether that person is a friend, sibling, or classmate -- you can make a big difference in helping to stop it:

• If your school has a bullying reporting program, like a hotline or "bully box", use it.
• Make sure the kid who's being bullied tells his parents, or a teacher. Offer to go with him if it will help.
• If she doesn't want to talk to anybody, offer to talk to someone on her behalf.
• Involve as many people as possible, including other friends or classmates, parents, teachers, school counselors, and even the principal.

Do NOT use violence against bullies or try to get revenge on your own. It's possible that by speaking up or helping someone, you've made the bully want to come after you. Be prepared for this, and hold your ground.  You already have adult support on your side.

Try to remember the Golden Rule:
Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Stand up for someone when he or she needs it, and when you need it, someone will stand up for you.

In the next section we ask: Are You A Bully?

How to Handle It

Bullies:  How to Handle It

Bullying is a serious problem. It makes people feel lonely, unhappy, and afraid. It makes them feel like there must be something wrong with them. It even makes some kids not want to go to school or play outside. If extreme bullying goes on for a long time, it can lead to violent cases of revenge, like you may have seen in the news. Many people who are bullied a lot as kids grow up with low self-esteem and all sorts of other problems.

In other words, it's very important to deal with bullying and not let it ruin your life!
Okay, so there you are, and someone is bullying you. What do you do "in the moment"?

• Ignore the bully. Pretend you didn't hear him. Don't even look at him. Walk right past him if you can.
• Don't cry, get angry, or show that you're upset. That's the bully's goal. Don't give her the satisfaction. Even if you're feeling really hurt, don't let it show. You can talk about or write down your reactions later.
• Respond to the bully evenly and firmly. Example: "No." "That's what you think."
• If you can, turn a comment into a joke. Example: The bully says, "Stupid outfit!" You say: "Thanks! I'm glad you noticed."
• Turn and walk away, or run if you have to. Remove yourself from the situation. Go to a place where an adult is present.
• Remember that you are not the one with the problem. It's the bully who has the problem.
• If you're being called names or teased, try "The Fog Tank." Imagine that you're inside a huge fish tank filled with white fog. Then, imagine that the insults are swallowed up by the fog before they reach you. Nothing touches you. Practice by thinking of the worst things a bully can say to you, then letting the fog eat them up.

If you're being bullied again and again, there's one "Most Important Thing" you should do: Talk to an adult. This is so important, we'll say it again.
Talk to an adult!

• Start with your parents. It's not "tattling". It's asking the people who love you to give you help when you really need it.
• If the bullying happens at school, make sure your parents discuss it with a school official, not with the parents of the bully.
• If you feel you can't tell your parents, or your parents don't give you the support you need, talk to another adult you trust: a teacher, principal, school counselor, or someone at your church or synagogue.
• If you feel you can't talk to anyone, try writing a letter about what's happening. Keep a copy for yourself and give it to an adult you trust.
• If you don't want to talk to someone alone, bring a friend, sibling, or parent. It especially helps to bring someone who has seen the bullying.
• Make it clear to the adult that you are really upset by what's going on. This is especially true if the bullying is "verbal bullying." Many adults don't take verbal bullying seriously, but the truth is, this is the kind of bullying that can hurt the most.

Discussion questions for kids to bring up with adults
What's your definition of bullying?
Were you ever bullied when you were younger? Did you ever act like a bully yourself? Where? Who was involved?
Adults can bully each other too. Do you feel like you're bullied by anyone, either at work, in the neighborhood, etc.?
I see you get angry sometimes. What's the difference between being angry with someone and bullying them?
When I'm being bullied, what should I do?
When I'm seeing someone being bullied, what should I do?
How can I change what's going on in my school? Can we talk to my teacher or counselor? Can we try to set up a bullying prevention group or program?
Remember:
--Make it clear how much bullying upsets you, whether it's happening to you or to someone you know. Tell your parents about all the feelings you're having. Tell them simply that you need their help.
--You can have the same discussion with an older brother or sister. They probably know the territory and have their own experiences to share.
--If you want to include younger brothers or sisters in the discussion, that's great-they probably have something to contribute too. But if you'd rather talk to a parent in private, you have a right to request that.
--This doesn't have to be a one-time discussion. Once you break the ice, come back to the subject whenever you feel you need to, so you and your family can explore it together over a long period of time.

If the bullying is physical or violent, you can ask the adult to whom you speak NOT to reveal your name.

Do NOT keep it inside. Do NOT plan revenge against the bully or take matters into your own hands
Now that you've spoken to someone about the problem, there are lots of things you can do to prevent future bullying.

• Don't walk alone. Travel with at least one other person whenever you can.
• Avoid places where bullying happens. Take a different route to and from school. Leave a little earlier or later to avoid the bully.
• Sit near the bus driver on the school bus or walk with a teacher to classes.
• Don't bring expensive things or money to school.
• Label your belongings with permanent marker in case they get stolen.
• Avoid unsupervised areas of the school and situations where you are by yourself. Make sure you're not alone in the locker room or bathroom.
• Act confident. Hold your head up, stand up straight, and make eye contact.
• Brainstorm bully comebacks ahead of time, and practice them in the mirror. That way you'll have them ready when you need them!

Sometimes, a situation with one bully is settled, but then another bully comes along and takes his or her place. There are many things you can do to make sure that doesn't happen.

• Bullies are really good at making people think they deserve to be treated badly. That's absolutely wrong. Keep telling yourself that you're a great person who deserves respect and kindness from others.
• Learn to be proud of your differences. Why would you want to be like that bully anyway? Never be ashamed of an illness or disability. The sooner you feel okay with it, other people will too.
• Spend lots of time with your friends. If you don't have any real friends, work on making new ones by developing interests in social or physical activities.
• Keep a journal about bullying incidents and how they make you feel, as well as bullying that happens to other people. You can also fill a journal with positives: all the things you like about yourself, your plans for the future, etc.

Journal Pages:

Bullies:

A Pep Talk to Myself:

If none of this helps and the bullying you're experiencing is making your life very difficult, talk to your parents about the possibility of changing schools. You and your family might feel like this is giving in, but in the end, it may be worth it to get on with your life and be happy.

In the next section, we talk about bullying and Innocent Bystanders.

Red Ribbon Week

October 25-29 is Red Ribbon Week at Oviatt Elementary. The following activities will happen during the week and students are encouraged to participate.

OUR SCHOOL ROCKS DRUG FREE!!!

Monday – “You Stay Strong and Healthy”
Wear a jersey or your favorite team shirt.

Tuesday – “You Look and Feel Better”
Dress like a music or movie star.

Wednesday – “You Show Good Character”
Wear Red to show you “can” say NO to drugs.
*Bring a can or non-perishable food item to school.
Thursday – “Your Future is Brighter”
Wear bright colorful clothing.

Friday – “You Make Your School and Family Proud”
Wear Purple and Gold Norwalk Warrior clothing.

Who's A Target?

Bullies:  Who’s A Target?

Do you feel like you have a big target on your forehead, or maybe a sign on your back that says "Bully Me!" You're not alone. People who do research about bullies found that roughly 25% (that's 1 out of 4) kids experience bullying.

What makes someone that "one" out of the four? Here are some possible reasons:

• He's a different size -- smaller or bigger -- than most of other kids their age.
• She falls into some type of "minority": African-American kids at a mostly white school, girls in a shop class that's crowded with boys, etc.
• There's something that makes him stand out, like a disability that makes him walk or talk differently, or even just his name.
• She gets anxious or upset very easily.
• He doesn't have any or many friends and is usually alone.
• She doesn't have a lot of confidence and doesn't seem like she'll stand up for herself.

Some kids get bullied as a result of a single thing that happened, like an embarrassing moment that took place in front of other people.

You may even find yourself a bully target for no particular reason! Maybe the bully ran out of people to pick on, or you were in the wrong place at the wrong time when someone was feeling particularly mean.
Usually, once someone is singled out by a bully, other people will know that person is a target and start bullying her or him, too.

If you're a bully "target," you have something in common with famous people like Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, and Michelle Pfeiffer. These celebrities have all talked about their own experiences with being bullied. It happens to the best of us!

In the next section, How To Handle It, we look at ways to deal with bullying when it happens and after it happens, as well as how to prevent it from happening in the first place!

Thursday, October 7, 2010 (posting 2)

Happy Thursday to all and I hope to see everyone at Friday’s football game against Carlisle in Carlisle.  The Warriors and Wildcats are both 6-0, so this should be an exciting night of high school football.  Please remind your students of expectations while attending athletic events.  All Students are expected to be seated in the bleachers during the play of the game, act appropriately, not to loiter in open spaces, and cheer loudly for the Warriors. 

We had another great week at Oviatt, did your students tell you about Mr. Martinez's first school tube posting?  Ask them if they haven't.  School tube is a website used to be able to talk with students weekly and they seem to love it.  Mr. Martinez is ready to start handing out his autograph, but no one has asked yet.  HA

The month of October is National Bullying Prevention Month and at Oviatt Mrs. Chittenden and I have created PowerPoints teachers will share with students and then Mrs. Chittenden will follow up during guidance with booster lessons.  We are working hard through PBIS to engrain the appropriate skills for the students to use daily.  

Bullies:  What is Bullying?

Bully. What does the word make you think of? For some people, it's that girl at school who always makes fun of them. For others, it's the biggest guy in the neighborhood who's always trying to beat them up or take their things. Sometimes "bully" means a whole group of kids, ganging up on someone else. No matter what situation or form it comes in, bullying can make you feel depressed, hurt, and alone. It can keep you from enjoying the activities and places that are part of your life.

Bullying happens everywhere, whether it's your town or Paris, France. It happens all the time, and it's happened since forever. Because it's so common, many adults think bullying is just a normal part of growing up. You've probably heard parents or teachers say things like: "Don't let it get to you" or "You just have to be tougher."

But why should something that can make a person so miserable have to be part of growing up? The answer is, it doesn't! Each and every one of us has the right to feel safe in our lives and good about ourselves. So IML put together this guide to give you all the basics of dealing with bullies.
Let's start by looking at the different kinds of bullying:

Physical bullying means:

• Hitting, kicking, or pushing someone...or even just threatening to do it
• Stealing, hiding or ruining someone's things
• Making someone do things he or she don't want to do

Verbal bullying means:

• Name-calling
• Teasing
• Insulting

Relationship bullying means:

• Refusing to talk to someone
• Spreading lies or rumors about someone
• Making someone do things he or she doesn't want to do

What do all these things have in common? They're examples of ways one person can make another person feel hurt, afraid, or uncomfortable. When these are done to someone more than once, and usually over and over again for a long period of time, that's bullying.

The reason why one kid would want to bully another kid is this: when you make someone feel bad, you gain power over him or her. Power makes people feel like they're better than another person, and then that makes them feel really good about themselves. Power also makes you stand out from the crowd. It's a way to get attention from other kids, and even from adults.

So why would someone need to hurt someone else in order to feel good about themselves or get attention? That's what we explore in the next blog, Who's A Bully?

Did You Know... The word "bully" used to mean the total opposite of what it means now? Five-hundred years ago, it meant friend, family member, or sweetheart. The root of the word comes from the Dutch boel, meaning lover or brother. Big change!

Bullies:  Who’s A Bully?

Wouldn't it be great to peek inside someone's head, reading his or her thoughts? Let's take a look inside a bully's head. It helps us understand why he or she acts the way she does, and also helps us know how to deal with it.

Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Some are bigger or taller than everyone. Some get in trouble a lot. Some are popular kids who seem to "have it all," with lots of friends and good grades. But look inside their heads and you'll find one thing that they all have in common: Something or someone is making them feel insecure, so they're bullying to make themselves feel better.

Remember, though, that everyone is different and lives with different experiences. If we looked even more inside a person's head, we'd probably find some extra reasons why he or she is acting like a bully:

• She's having problems in other parts of her life, like something going on in her family or struggling with school.
• He may not feel like he's getting enough attention from parents or teachers.
• She's watched her parents or older siblings get their way by being angry or pushing other people around.
• He's being bullied himself, maybe by another kid or a brother or sister...or even his own parents.
• Her parents have spoiled her or haven't taught her about not hurting others.
• He's getting exposed to a lot of violence in movies, TV, and video games.

What about the person who's always nice to you when he's alone, but will join in when his friends start teasing you? Well, as you probably know, peer pressure is a powerful thing. People like to do what their friends are doing. They might think they're just having fun and not even realize they're bullying someone.
Some people act like a bully for a year or two, and then grow out of it. It can also go the opposite way: some people are bullied when they're younger, and then once they're a little bigger and more confident, become a bully themselves. Some kids only act like a bully to one person, like they have their own personal punching bag.

Some bullies set out to hurt someone, with the goal of making him or her cry. Others don't even know that their behavior is doing so much damage. In fact, you may be a bully yourself and not know it! We'll talk more about that later.

So, wow. Lots of different types of bullies out there. The good news is that we can deal with all of them in the same way.

Next up: Who's A Target?

Rodney's First Post

I am attempting my first blog and excited to try.  I am taking a class with Mrs. Anderson titled Technology Boot Camp through School Administrators of Iowa (SAI).  The training is Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday all day.  Look out technology world; we will leave this training tomorrow being technology savvy.  I hope to use this as a form of communication with parents, please feel free to leave comments on my blog or email me at rmartinez@norwalk.k12.ia.us.    

Remember that Monday will be a professional development day for the staff. You may ask yourself, "What in the world do teachers do during full day training?" The teachers will be trained on assessment measures in Reading and Math. They will also start working with Tony Wagner's book, Global Achievement Gap.  Reading that book has really changed my thinking about some of the teaching practices that we choose to do. I hope that it makes your child's teacher think also.

A compliment to our kids and parents about being respectful during the National Anthem at home games. I have been to some of the away football games and have noticed how other schools’ students can be disrespectful during this ceremony. I am proud to say how respectful our kids have been during this part of the game.

The beginning of the year has be a great start at Oviatt.  I feel both teachers and students have transitioned very well both socially and academically. Thanks for your support in allowing this to happen.

Here are some important dates that you need to be aware:
October 11th- NO SCHOOL
October 20th- Early Out

As always, if you have a concern, please feel free to email me a call.

Go Warriors,
Rodney