For the last eight years, Northport has recognized the month of October as Bullying Awareness Month. Students are educated using a multi-pronged approach with a common message. We don’t tolerate bullying at Northport; we offer tools to cope using an individualized plan, and we promote a single school culture with kindness, civic duty, patriotism, service, care and concern as our bell weather teaching style. Our community always remembers to teach the whole child. We never forget that each child has their own learning style and each receives messages in their own way.
This year, we closely followed the SLPS Stomp Out Bullying, Change the Culture plan that was a collaboration between the Department of Student Services, Department of Social and Emotional Learning and the Department of Exceptional Student Education. We tailored the plan to fit the needs of our school. We honored “Be A Buddy Week,” “Make New Friends Week,” “Stand Up For Others Week,” and “Inclusion Week.” We utilized quotes on the morning announcements as well as specific conversation starters. We promoted “The Promise” pledge and read books related to bullying. We offered, in coordination with our PTO, real tools to cope and what to do if a child feels bullied. Parents have been involved with our specialized approach to deter bullying.
Many thanks to our resource/elective teachers who were integral in implementing our annual “BULLY WALK” around the school during each class period. Northport is a fascinating study in what a true public Title I school should be and, without exception, we are proud to call Northport “OUR SCHOOL!”
