Tag: counseling

Kindness Week begins at DGS to prevent bullying

District Strategic Goal #2: Create a Satisfying and Productive Classroom Learning Environment

Submitted by: Mrs. Bailey, School Counselor

This week we began our school-wide Kindness and Anti-Bullying Awareness Month. The message shared this month will help us take a preventive stance against bullying and continue to provide a safe, peaceful place for your child to learn, work, and enjoy their journey through elementary school.

Over the next two weeks our staff and students will be discussing the importance of kindness and saying no to bullying. Along with this positive dialogue, I will be visiting classrooms to teach a guidance lesson focusing on kindness along with an age appropriate explanation of bullying.  It is important to help our students recognize bullying, be able to distinguish unkind acts from bullying, as well as learn ways to address bullying and unkind acts. I encourage you to continue this dialogue at home helping to make this message last. If you have any questions please feel free to contact your school counselor!

 

WHAT IS BULLYING?

It is behavior by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group, either physically or emotionally.  IT IS ALL ABOUT BIG ON LITTLE, MANY ON FEW, SMART ON LESS SMART, OLDER ON YOUNGER.  In other words, an IMBALANCE OF POWER.  BYSTANDERS who witness these behaviors and do not report them to adults risk the possibility of negative consequences.

Students have been encouraged to Say No to Bullying and unkind acts by:

Step 1:  Talk Friendly

– Use a friendly voice, face, and body language

-“I don’t like it when you do that, please stop”

-“I don’t like when you talk to me that way, please stop”

Step 2:  Talk Firmly

-Use a firm voice, a firm face, and body language

-“Stop it.  I don’t like that”

-“I said stop”

Step 3:  Get Help

-Ask for help to solve the problem.

-Don’t ask an adult to solve your problem for you

-To an adult say:  “I need your help solving a problem. This person is bothering me by using unkind words.  I asked them to stop in a friendly way, I asked them to stop in a firm way and they keep bothering me. Can you help us solve this problem?

New Counselor Hired

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Recently, Mrs. Kelly Bailey was hired as one of two new counselors to the elementary level as part of the Social, Emotional, Behavioral Learning Initiative that you can learn more about on a previous district blog post here. Dunlap Schools now has three counselors at the elementary level. Mrs. Bailey will serve students at DGS and HGES, deliver counseling services, and help to lead the implementation of the Social/Emotional/Behavioral Learning Curriculum, Second Step at all grade levels.

Seven years ago Mrs. Bailey moved from Ohio to Peoria, IL to begin her teaching career. She has served as a primary teacher in Peoria Public Schools District 150 for the past seven years. During that time she taught Pre-K and was an Encore teacher with emphasis on science.  She is a 2005 graduate from Ohio University where she received her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education.  In May 2010 she graduated from Bradley University with a Masters in School Counseling.

Mrs. Bailey looks forward to sharing her passion for social emotional learning and working with students, staff, and families to create a safe and supportive learning environment where all students succeed.  Her goal is to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development to all students, enabling them to become life-long learners, independent thinkers, and responsible individuals.

Mrs. Bailey lives in Peoria, IL with her husband Scott. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, and outdoor activities. “I am so excited to be your school counselor and to become a part of Dunlap Grade School this year.  I look forward to meeting you!”

Welcome to the team, Mrs. Bailey!K_Bailey