Warning Signs That Your Child Is Being Bullied, Is a Bully, Is Using Drugs or Alcohol

“School Bullying is Nothing New, But Psychologists Identify New Ways to Prevent It,” American Psychological Association, Research in Action (p 236 - 237)

Warning Signs That Your Child Is Being Bullied

* Pattern of withdrawal, shame, fearfulness

* Onset of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem

* Persistent, vague, unexplained physical complaints

* Damaged or missing belongings

* Unexplained bruises or injuries

* Diminished social contacts

* Excuses to avoid school; decline in grades

* Trouble sleeping or eating

Warning Signs that Your Child Is A Bully

* Angers easily

* Demonstrates a need to dominate

* Acts our impulsively

* Lacks empathy toward others

* Defiant toward adults

* Aggressive behavior

* Has unexplained belongings

* Makes hypercritical remarks about other students

Warning Signs That Your Child Is Using Drugs or Alcohol

* Rapid loss of weight

* Paleness of the skin

* Discoloration

* Dark circles under the eyes

 * Shaky hands

* Dropping grades

* More absences from school than you know about

* Sudden mood changes

* Rise in anger at family members

Teaching by Example

But parents need to do more for their children than just talk to them.  The biggest influence on a child’s development is the behavior of the same-sex parent.  And the lessons they learn from watching how their parents behave, for good or ill, will last them a lifetime.

Remember that “stranger danger” accounts for only 10 percent of child abuse.  Ninety percent results from people who parents bring into their children’s life or who are already there…

Violence Risk Threat Assessment in school systems/schools: 6 ?s

Violence Risk Threat Assessment (VRTA): process in which school administrator, law enforcement official, mental health counselor, and teacher or school employee involved TOGETHER investigate, examine, evaluate and report the threat

1) Should NC implement a uniform, mandatory Violence Risk Threat Assessment for NC public schools?

 

2) Should NC require that each NC public school system implement a mandatory Violence Risk Threat Assessment?

 

3) What are the pros and cons of implementation and accountability of a mandatory Violence Risk Threat Assessment in our NC public school systems/schools?

 

4) Who should have access to the mandatory Violence Risk Threat Assessment for NC public schools?

 *4b) Who should have access to the information derived from the Violence Risk Threat Assessment for NC schools?

5) Who should be responsible for implementing the mandatory Violence Risk Threat Assessment in each NC public school system/school?

 

6) Check acts in our NC public schools that warrant a Violence Risk Threat Assessment?

_verbal threats of violence                     

_written threats of violence                   

_bomb threats

_trespassing                                           

_damaged property                               

_assault

_disorderly conduct                               

_affray                                                     

_larceny

_alcohol violations                                 

_drug violations                                       

_weapons on school property

_robbery                                                

_sex offenses                                          

_arson/fire

_other: please specify

*7) What is the penalty for not implementing the Violence Risk Threat Assessment and for not investigating, examining, evaluating, and reporting adequate and correct information?

* Questions added from initial survey feedback from parents, teachers/staff members, law enforcement, and community members.

Are you receptive to sharing your school system/school Violence Risk Threat Assessment?

saferschools@yahoo.com

Anti-Bullying video: Bars and Melody, Charlie Lenehan and Leondre Devries, Britian’s Got Talent

http://blog.petflow.com/their-powerful-performance-brought-an-audience-to-their-feet-you-must-hear-this-song/#6bzy2uVQuE5ZlYBe.01

Mon., May 5: 5 - 7pm: Restorative Justice: Concrete, Steel, and Paint

Mon., May 5: 5 - 7pm

Concrete, Steel, and Paint

Site: UNC-G: Stone 186

Join us for the documentary film screening of Concrete, Steel, and Paint, a film that tells the story of men in a Pennsylvania state prison join with victims of crime to create a mural about healing, their views on punishment, remorse, and forgiveness collide. Finding consensus is not easy – but as the participants move through the creative process, mistrust gives way to surprising moments of human contact and common purpose.

Following the film we will have a conversation about restorative justice, crime and reconciliation, and how art can facilitate dialogue about difficult issues. The discussion will be facilitated by Amy Knorr and Sarah Roth Shank, who bring years of experience working in restorative justice practices, and more recently, related to this film.

For more on the event, visit:

http://hhs.uncg.edu/wordpress/cps/concrete-steel-and-paint-film/

To see the trailer, visit: http://concretefilm.org/index.php/about-the-film-21/view-the-trailer

To read more about how the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies is engaging with restorative justice, visit: http://hhs.uncg.edu/wordpress/cps/save-the-date-cps-annual-speaker-series-continues

Sun., 4-13-2014: 9:45 - 10:45am: Conflict Resolution from International to Local

Presenters: Jeremy Rinker, Visiting Assistant Professor, Peace & Conflict Studies, Guilford College & his Student(s)
Site: New Garden Friends Meeting: Parlour
801 New Garden Road (across from Guilford College)

Jeremy briefly will talk about his research internationally, then move the discussion towards what we can do here in our community to support just community with important connections...

Instead of separating the complexities of just community "over there" from the complexities of just community "here and now," the discussion will move from some theory/ideas behind his own research trip to India to some practices here on the ground in Greensboro...a robust discussion about how understanding Hindu-Muslim violence is not so different than understanding local violence...

Sat., 4-5-2014: 1-5pm: Annual Citywide Earth Day Celebration

Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library
1420 Price Park Road, Greensboro, NC

 

Free Eco-Fun for Everyone:

live entertainment - hand-on nature & eco-exhibits - hayrides - STEM activities - eco-art - gardening - solar & technology displays   - face painting - alternative vehicles - live animals - nature crafts - scout activities - nature photography contest - and more

Great American Clean-UP: 9am - noon

Join Greensboro Beautiful and the City of Greensboro as we clean up our streets, waterways and communities. 
http://greensborobeautiful.org/cleanups/great_american_cleanup.php

Back Pack Beginnings

2014 Newsletter Vol. 1

Annual Fundraising Announcement One BackPack Can Make Such an Impact. During the month of April we will be mailing out our annual fundraising letters. We have expanded the number of schools and the number of children we serve and yet we are only reaching a small portion of children who need our help! With your support we can continue to sustain and expand our programs to ensure we can meet the food and comfort needs of children in our community …one BackPack at a time. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

December Matching Campaign