Parent Letter, October 9, 2018
Greetings, Parents and Guardians of ECHO Charter Students!
Hard to believe, but it’s October and Halloween events are right around the corner! October marks not only my favorite holiday, but more importantly, it marks Anti-Bullying Awareness Month at schools across the country. This morning, students, teachers, and I had an assembly and some straight talk about bullying and its harmful effects. Did you know that:
- More than one in five students in the U.S. reports being bullied?
- Of students who are bullied, 33% report that they are bullied more than once a month;
- Of students who are bullied: 13 are made fun of, called names, or insulted; 12% are the subject of rumors; 5% are pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on; 5% are excluded from participating with peers;
- Bullied students report that bullying occurs in the following areas: hallways or stairwells (42%); classroom (34%); cafeteria (22%); school grounds (19%); school bus (10%); bathroom or locker room (9%).
- Of students who are bullied, 43% report it to a teacher or adult;
- More than HALF of bullying stops when peers intervene (which we discussed at length in today’s assembly!);
- The reasons most reported for bullying include physical appearance; race/ethnicity; gender; disability; religion; sexual orientation.
- Kids who are bullied are at increased risk for poor school performance, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression (CDC, 2015);
- Students who at risk for bullying are at greater risk for both mental health and behavior problems;
- Bullying has a negative effect on how students feel about themselves;
- Cyber-bullying can occur both on and off-site (which is why we want kids to turn phones in each day, among other reasons);
- The percentage of kids who have reported cyber-bullying has DOUBLED since these statistics were first kept;
- 90% of kids who have been cyber-bullied have also been bullied offline; and
- About 40%-50% of cyber-bullying targets know who the identity of the person bullying them.
All month long at ECHO Charter we will having a number of events to bring awareness to bullying and how to help kids who have been bullied. Kids will have a locker decorating contest; poster contest; classroom meetings; and Rockets Groups will also make up their own skits to share with other groups.
Of special note, the end of Quarter 1 is October 17. Students should be actively monitoring their homework to make sure that they are current with assignments. Parents with questions are encouraged to contact their student’s teacher/s!
Have a great week!
Helen Blue-Redner, Director, ECHO Charter School