Pub. 3 2013-2014 Issue 2

19 CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 school makes many students feel more connected and more likely to inter- nalize the messages taught at school about appropriate social behavior. Having parents in the school build- ing seems to help them be more aware of what is going on in the school. It also increases communication be- tween parents and teachers. Teachers keep in close contact with all parents via email and phone as well so that families know what is going on in the classroom. With this communica- tion, parents seem to feel comfortable talking to their child’s teacher to make him or her aware of any problems that occur between students. ELA’s culture is also defined by its Desired Results of Student Learning. The first listed DRSL is “ELA students will be responsible leaders.” With the expectation of having students in leadership roles, they seem to feel more in-control of their education and are aware that faculty and staff trust them to take on various tasks that would typically be done by adults. Students are not only leaders in their classes or their grade levels, but across the whole school. Many junior high students have a period scheduled to work as teacher assistants in elemen- tary classrooms. Third grade students read weekly with their first grade reading buddies. Sixth grade students are excited when they teach social skills lessons to younger elementary classes. These opportunities not only al- low students to act as leaders in the school, but allow younger students to have positive student role models. When students see these acts of lead- ership, they are aware that there are many people who are invested in the school and its positive culture, which may encourage them to be part of the positive school culture as well. In the elementary school, students are taught to be leaders by identifying students at recess and lunch who are by themselves or seem lonely. They invite these students to play a game with them or sit with them. With all students feeling included, those who would otherwise feel isolated are involved in activities with their peers. When students are involved in posi- tive interactions with peers, they seem less likely to be bullies or targets of bullying. Some students at ELA also take leadership roles to specifically help the school in its efforts to prevent bully- ing. Phoenix Defenders, named for the school’s mascot, is an anti-bullying group created by sixth grade students and advised by the school counselor. Students in this group meet to discuss bullying and how they can prevent it. In junior high, students choose a committee to be on that will benefit the school. This in itself promotes the idea of having students as leaders as- sisting them to see themselves in a role in which they can make a difference for the school. One specific committee is the kindness committee, identifies ways to foster the culture of kindness at ELA. The transition from the elementary building to the junior high building in seventh grade is recognized as a potentially difficult transition. To encourage a feeling of community and connection among junior high students, sixth grade students transi- tioning into seventh grade take part in a “moving-up” day in which they take part in activities with current junior high students and learn junior high routines. During the first week of seventh grade, the class is taken to a challenge course to perform activities as a class and discuss difficulties that they foresee about junior high. This experience also allows students to get to know the peers and new teachers outside of the classroom. All junior high students participate in a 30-minute class four days per week that is a mixture of seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students. In these classes, students get to know peers of other grade levels to further develop connections among junior high students as well as between stu- dents and their teachers. Sometimes they directly discuss bullying and pro- social skills in this class. ELA also uses multiple programs to help students develop social competence. Specifically, the Second Step program is used to directly teach emotion management, assertive com- munication, empathy, compassion, and problem-solving skills. Lessons from the Second Step curriculum are taught weekly in kindergarten through sixth grade and reinforced by teachers when difficulties with these topics arise. Conversations on how the skills that are taught in Second Step relate to bullying often become part of the lessons. Students give examples of times when they and other students have used these skills. The skills taught in the program are integral components in preventing bullying from the point of view of the bully, the bystander, and the person being bullied. By sixth grade, direct instruction and specific discussions about bullying are incorporated into the Second Step curriculum in addition to building onto broader social skills instruction. Students learn the definition of bul- lying, different types of bullying, and Having parents in the school building seems to help them be more aware of what is going on in the school.