No Bully Zone!

Excelsior Middle School, Union, South Carolina 29379
			Officer C. A. Mauney School Resource Officer
	Excelsior Middle School is a "No Bully Zone". Through a grant, our school has class sessions with our school resource officer to learn constructive ways to deal with bullies. Students also learn to evaluate their own behavior to avoid bullying others. Take a look at these topics. They will help you learn more about bullying.
Click to jump to the following topics:
	What Is Bullying?
	School Grant for Bully Awareness Classes
	Students: How Can I Stop a Bully?
	Teachers and Staff: How Do We Effectively Handle Bullies?
	Parents and Staff: Tell-Tale Signs That A Child Is Being Bullied
	Books for Kids About Bullying
	Internet Links

	What Is Bullying?
Bullying Behavior has four characteristics:
			It is being aggressive and hurtful to another person, through words or actions. (physical, verbal, nonverbal, sexual, electronic (cyber-bullying using cell phones and the Internet)
			It is intentional--the bullying student or students know that their behavior is hurting another student.
			It involves an imbalance of power. In some cases, the bullying student may be larger or stronger than the victim. He may have more confidence or more friends.
			It tends to be repeated over time, causing the victim to live in constant fear.

	How Can I Stop a Bully?
			If someone is bullying you, advise an adult. Your teacher, your SRO, and a parent would be a good start. Remember! You are not tattling when you discuss bullying with an adult. You are protecting yourself and your friends when you take action to stop a bully.
			When a bully confronts you, just smile and walk away.
			When you are in the hall or on the playground, avoid eye contact with bullies. Steer Clear!
			Stay positive without showing any negative emotion when dealing with a bully. The bully will attempt to go on to another "victim" if he/she does not get a rise from you. Do not feed your emotions to the bully. That is what he is wanting--power over you and your emotions.

	Teachers: How Can We Effectively Stop Bullies?
		Teachers should enforce all school rules against bullying.
		Teachers should have regular class counseling sessions on ways to deal with bullies.
		Teachers should find positive ways to reinforce student action as they talk to you about bullying problems they have or have witnessed, or by preventing bullying.
		Teachers and staff should provide adequate supervision of any area of the school where bullying might take place.
		Teachers and staff should swiftly intervene in bullying situations.
		Administration--General faculty and staff meetings where staff role plays ways to handle bullying situations will be beneficial. An ongoing discussion should occur where all adult members of the school (faculty, cafeteria workers, custodial staff, substitute teacher force, etc.) work together with the students and parents to stop bullying.

	Parents and Staff: Tell-Tale Signs That A Child Is Being Bullied
		Your child does not want to go to school, claiming to be sick, with no obvious signs of sickness.
		Lately, you notice that your child wants to spend more time alone at home.
		Your child stops wanting to eat regular meals with your family.
		Your child suddenly stops talking about school and friends at school.
		Your student spends time with adults only at school instead of spending time with his peers during free activity.
		Your student distances his/herself from other students during any school activities.
		Your student does not use the restroom privileges during the appropriate time. They usually want to go during class time alone.

	Links
		Bully Police-USA
		South Carolina Director--Bully Police USA--Sandra McKinney

	Books For Kids About Bullying (Click on the book title to go to summary.)
		The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, Louis Slobodkin (Illustrator), Helena Estes (Foreword by), ages 6-10
		Jake Drake, Bully Buster by Andrew Clements, Amanda Harvey (Illustrator)--ages 7-9
		The Berenstain Bears And The Bully by Stan Berenstain Berenstain, Jan Berenstain
		Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain by Trevor Romain, Trevor Romain (Illustrator), ages 8-13
		Stop Picking on Me: A First Look at Bullying by Pat Thomas, Lesley Harker (Illustrator), Lesley Harker, age 5-8
		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, Betsy A. Lampe (Illustrator)
		Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story about Bullying by Becky Ray McCain, Todd Leonardo (Illustrator), Todd Leonardo (Illustrator), ages 6-9
		My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig, Abigail Marble (Illustrator), Abigail Marble (Illustrator), ages 5-8
		Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, David Catrow (Illustrator), David Catrow (Illustrator), ages 5-8
		Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill, Laura Huliska-Beith (Illustrator), ages 4-8