Programs Take Aim at Stress, Bullying

Changes and new initiatives continue to roll out for the Acton and Acton-Boxborough schools as students, teachers and administrators settle in to the school year. Here’s a look at a few ongoing or upcoming programs and events new to and geared toward helping students and families.

R. J. Grey recently initiated Second Step, a classroom-based social skills program to help students curb impulsive behaviors and practice various skills including empathy, communication, managing emotions and coping with stress. What's more, Second Step aims to reduce incidents of bullying by “getting to the root of the kinds of things that cause bullying and teasing,” said R.J. Grey principal Craig Hardimon. “It’s teaching healthy communication skills as well as life skills for dealing with conflicts, so the lessons will carry forward.”

About once a month, every student at the school will participate in hour-long Second Step lessons that include role playing, skills practice, and discussion, to be taught by all teachers and administrators, including Hardimon, “to lower the number of students participating in each” lesson, he said.

“We’re really excited about it,” he said.

Another new program related to teen stress at R.J. Grey is a new after-school yoga club. Started last Monday, the club aims to provide another way to help students manage stress as well as develop strength and flexibility, said the school's student supervisor, Kate Murray, adding that space is still available in the remaining five sessions and that organizers hope to offer another session after the Thanksgiving break.

Also upcoming is a forum by Dr. Robert Brooks, a noted author, speaker and child and family psychologist. On Oct. 25, Brooks will present “Raising Resilient Children and Adolescents in a Stress-Filled World," in which he which will provide strategies for helping parents nurture self-discipline, responsibility and resilience in their children. Sponsored by the (ABCHY) with support from Danny’s Place, the presentation will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the R.J. Grey auditorium.

Meanwhile, fall Saturday night activities at ABRHS started last weekend, with students participating in events that included intramural basketball at the upper and lower gyms, a movie at Student Center West and games, music and hot chocolate in the common area.

Initiated in response to a at ABRHS in which teen panelists said providing more school- and community-based activities could help alleviate the temptation to experiment with alcohol, the activities will run through Saturday, Nov. 19, and will include basketball and movies every week as well as special programs and some already-existing school events like the fall play and Cabaret Night, said ABRHS principal Alixe Callen.

“It’s a pilot program for what we hope could really be like a teen center right here,” said Callen.

On its inaugural night on Saturday, more than 170 students attended the activities, said PTSO co-chair Chris Renzi, who called the evening “a great success.”

Callen, who attended the event with several other ABRHS staff, agreed, saying, "I think (the students) had a really nice time. It was great to have various activities so students could choose what interested them."

In addition to ABRHS staff, twelve parents chaperoned the events and organizers are looking for several more for the remaining five weeks. Any parents interested in volunteering should contact Renzi through the PTSO website.