Lace Students Pledge to Make School a Bully-Free Zone

is making a special effort this year to ensure its students feel safe in the classroom. During the , students will take part in monthly assemblies and work with teachers on special lessons on the importance of kindness.

Third-grade teacher Emily Heise is heading this year's anti-bullying program. Patch sat down to chat with Heise on the students' latest project — signing a pledge to treat each other with respect.

Patch: How did you get the idea for the bully pledge ribbons?

Emily Heise: October is National Bully Prevention month. We wanted to do something that would make a statement in the school — something that the students would see every day as a reminder that our school is a Bully-Free Zone, and something they could easily connect to. When I was young, I remember
"Red Ribbon Week" as a standout activity, and I carried that over with the ribbon idea. Orange is the color for Bully Prevention Awareness.

Patch: What's the value of having an anti-bullying symbol like the ribbons?

Heise: The value is in the fact that EVERY student walks under the ribbons and thinks about the pledge every day. They are reminded that they made a promise to be a kind person and to report any bullying that they see happening. Many students already know that ribbons are used to raise awareness, such as pink breast cancer ribbons or purple pancreatic cancer ribbons. Orange bully ribbons are something they can relate to on a deep level. They all know the seriousness of bullying and have pledged to take a stand to help stop it.

Patch: Do the kids write their own message on the ribbons or do they sign a
pre-written pledge?

Heise: The orange ribbons that were hung up were pre-written. They say "I will NOT be a bully! I pledge to stand up for my friends and tell an adult if I see bullying happening." The teachers are doing their own bully messages and notes in their classrooms. We have pulled many resources that we've found online that have proven to be great conversation starters for our students when talking about this issue.

Patch: How have the kids responded to this and other anti-bullying
programming you've done so far this year?

Heise: In my classroom this year I've noticed a kinder, gentler student population. Many students are using the Bully Prevention buzzwords such as "Get Along Classroom," "Respectful Listening" and "Breathe Deep" to calm down. I've heard teachers in the hallways in passing using these words with their students as well! It's nice to have a common vocabulary to use with students who I don't work with on a daily basis, and it's great that the students can talk to each other about any issues using these terms as well.

We look forward to continuing with our Bully Prevention lessons this year. The assemblies have been very well received by students and staff. The staff is on board, and I've received many positive emails about how the students are opening up and discussing bully issues. I'm proud to be part of a school that is creating a safe and caring environment!