The Graydonian Sentinel Vol. #6

TH E GRAYD O N IAN

SEN TIN EL Vol. #6

PREFECTS WEEK

GRAYDON SEALY CONTINGENT AT QUEENS COLLEGE FOR THE START OF PREFECTS WEEK

PREFECTS’ WEEK PROGRAMME 2019 Sunday October 13, Prefects Service Queen’s College at 9:30 a.m

Monday October 14, Prefects conduct assemblies at their schools

Tuesday October 15, Day of service to communities around schools

Wednesday October 16, Prefect exchange day 1

Thursday October 17, Prefects exchange day 2

On Tuesday 15th September 2019, the prefects of Graydon Sealy will visit the Geriatric Hospital. They will spend time with the residents assisting in any way that is needed. Graydon Sealy P.R.I.D.E. will be in action.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2019 HOST SCHOOL

ANNUAL PREFECTS EXCHANGE

CHRIST CHURCH FOUNDATION

GRAYDON SEALY QUEEN’S COLLEGE

VISITOR 1 GRAYDON SEALY FOUNDATION ALEXANDRA

VISITOR 2 ST. LEONARD’S QUEEN’S COLLEGE GRAYDON SEALY

VISITOR 3 ST. MICHAEL’S ST. GEORGE HARRISON COLLEGE

THURSDAY OCTOBER 17, 2019 HOST SCHOOL ST. GEORGE SECONDARY

VISITOR 1 DARYLL JORDAN

NOTICES

VISITOR 2 GRAYDON SEALY

VISITOR 3 ST. LEONARDS

THURSDAY

BSL Athletics training session – 3:00p.m. at the Garrison Savannah.

MONDAY

Submission of CXC May/June 2019 entries to HODs.

Mid-Term Grades and comments to be entered by subject teachers.

Remind the students that there is NO SCHOOL on Friday.

TUESDAY FRIDAY BSL Athletics training session – 3:00p.m. at the Garrison Savannah.

Teachers’ Professional Day – Venue is the school’s auditorium.

WEDNESDAY Submission of CXC May/June 2019 entries to Deputy Principal.

End of Week 6. Have a GREAT WEEKEND.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS Happy birthday October borns.

Tanya Jones 15th October

Vernon Williams 17th October

David Hurdle 18th October

HAVE A GREAT WEEK

Six Steps for Schools to End School Violence

Have a read.

What causes a child to walk into a school with an intent to harm?

It is back to school again, and this year parents, children, and school officials are

What do you think?

feeling tremendous anxiety. Will there be another onslaught of school violence?

There is a rush of activity to put in place the best kind of security system each school can devise. Some are hiring more security officers, others are creating training programs for students. Not only will this advanced preparation potentially cut down on harm to students, but it gives students, teachers and parents a feeling of control. Something is being done.

At the same time, student survivors of school violence are renewing their campaign for greater gun control. Preventing children from access to guns can surely make a huge difference. But it’s important to be aware that studies have shown that in gunless cultures, children use knives to attack other students.

The message seems to be that even if we seal up the school’s windows and doors this violence will continue. The enemy is within.

What causes a child to walk into his or her school with an intent to harm the students and adults? Rage, a sense of powerlessness and despair. Therefore, the key to ending school violence is to provide children with emotional help. Though I believe school violence is a societal issue, and we all share some responsibility in the cause and it’s solution, schools are at the forefront of the crisis, so they must step up and take the major responsibility for now.

Here are some steps that schools can take to help end school violence. The programs I have described are based upon my experience as a school consultant for over 30 years, They are doable and they work.

2. Schools must have mental health professionals on their staff.

A trained counsellor, social worker, or psychologist understands children and is skilled in intervening in their problems. They can help

1. Schools must identify children with problems who are at risk for committing school violence.

children before it’s too late. This is a necessity, not a luxury. And there needs to be sufficient coverage for the size of the student body. The

As students file into the schools this year, educators must focus on students who have a particular emotional profile. If you review prior cases, you will find that a child who commits this violence, is often one who is being bullied, is a loner (or he may spend time with another child with similar problems) is depressed, angry and isolated. Sometimes a child who turns to violence is a child who characteristically acts out aggressively at school. He might bully others, or respond in a volatile

children returning to school this year are frightened and these professionals can provide them with support. They can help identify children at risk for school violence, and educate the teachers and children on how to be alert for warning signs. Professionals can observe the children each day in their classes, the lunchroom and the halls to monitor the children’s emotional status.

fashion to students and teachers. There's usually a confluence of factors stemming from home, school and social issues upsetting the child that propels him in this direction.

Once a child is identified with emotional or social problems, the professionals can counsel the children, find out the source of their distress, and help them find solutions. Or they might

It is essential to identify these children as early as possible. As a school consultant, I have worked with three year olds who walk into preschool, and from day one exhibit rage. These tiny children constantly harm other children and even the teachers. As they grow, their teachers and the administration have a hard time

refer the child to an outside source, when needed. The teachers, professionals and administration must work as a team sharing information and making decisions, and can contact the authorities if a child is an imminent threat to the school.

controlling their behaviour, and often respond harshly.

As a result, the child slowly builds up feelings of rage and resentment towards the school and administration

As part of the assessment process and the cure, it is crucial that the professional meet with the

and could become vengeful. Identifying these problems

parents to discuss a child’s problems and

early on, and giving children the help they need, can

explore any possible causes for a child’s distress

change the course of events in a child’s life and aid in preventing acts of violence in schools.

within the family environment. For instance, maybe someone is bullying the child at home, so he tends to bully others, or ends up as the victim in relationships. Parents have the most information about a child. What does the child talk about at home? What posts is he making online? What does he complain about? Is his behaviour at home very aggressive?

If problems are overcome within the family, a child’s rage and unhappiness generally dissipates.

There should be workshops to raise the children's sensitivity to each other. For

3. Schools must educate and support their teachers.

Teachers are under tremendous stress each day. In the event of an attack, they know they must handle the situation alone, and make quick decisions that will greatly impact upon the children’s welfare. They need to learn skills for handling these emergencies.

instance, there might be a presentation about bullying with a series of short plays in which children act out different roles such as the bully, the bully’s supporter and the victim.

This exercise will heighten the children’s awareness to each child’s experience and give them insight into their own behaviour.

The school can end children’s social isolation by establishing a buddy system

Teachers also need training sessions on how to work with problem children; how to

whereby each child has a partner or is a member of a small group, for support. A

intervene effectively in bullying and how to

teacher might be in charge of this group and

communicate positively with children. There

monitor each the children's emotional well-

should be weekly team meetings with the

being. A child who is not alone with his

teachers and professionals to discuss children

problems is less likely to act out negatively.

with problems and develop strategies for handling challenging situations.

5. Schools must create policies that foster a nurturing, caring environment.

4. Schools must provide emotional support for the students.

Today’s schools must reframe their mission.

They can no longer be focused only on educating children from the neck up, and

They should stress positive values with the students such as inclusion, positive communication and respect, and a group responsibility for each child’s welfare.

producing children with high grades. Schools must concentrate on the whole child and attend to the emotional and social needs of the students. There should be weekly group discussions with the children to talk about their emotions and any social problems they are experiencing. The children should learn skills for expressing their emotions positively, and strategies for solving conflicts. When a problematic issue comes up in these discussions, the child can then receive follow up help from a staff professional.

If children feel cared for and valued, they will build a positive attachment to the school, and feel less alienated and angry.

There might be posters in the hallways with messages such as: “We care about every student” or “We care about our school.”

Each student can be involved in school and community service projects. The old model of education of punishment/reward should be replaced by positive communication and emotional support.

Every school should have an established system

They can monitor the hallway during class

for communicating about children who express

times or patrol the area around the school in

wishes to harm others or themselves. For

cars during class time.

example, there can be an “alert box” where kids can anonymously place the name of another

The schools should provide parents with

child that worries them, report bullying

educational workshops. Parenting is one of

incidents, or talk about their own distress. There

the hardest jobs in the world. Parents need to

should be specific staff members the children

gain an understanding of their children and

can report to, as well.

learn positive communication skills. They need tools for coping with children’s anger,

There should be a zero tolerance policy towards

depression and social problems. Parents

bullying in the school with specific known

should have the opportunity to meet with the

consequences, such as the loss of privileges. But

professionals on staff to learn how to handle

the approach should also include counselling,

difficult situations at home as they arise.

meetings with parents, service to the school, and

Positive parenting based upon

educational tasks to raise the child’s

understanding, love and support, creates

awareness. Schools must change the message

children who feel good about themselves.

that a child who is bullied has to deal with it

They will not cause harm to others.

alone.

The burden of school violence lies 6. Schools must educate and support parents.

ultimately upon everyone’s shoulders. There needs to be an understanding of the urgency

The school must view the parent as having a

of providing adequate federal and state

major role in ending school violence.

funding for mental health services in schools. This is where children spend at least

Parents are extremely upset about school

twelve years growing up and their futures

violence. School professionals should provide

are being fashioned.

them with emotional support, include them in devising plans for keeping their children safe,

Along with heightened gun control, there

and give them guidance on how to talk to their

must be greater supervision of the films,

kids about the problem.

video games and television shows available to children. Our children are being spoon fed

There should be workshops for parents to alert

a tolerance for violence. They literally spend

them to the key elements involved in the profile

hours shooting the characters in violent

of a shooter, so parents can identify these signs

video games. Even the most benign sitcoms

in their children, and inform the school. There

on TV contain phrases and behaviours that

should be discussions about how parents can

promote a harshness in relationships.

monitor their children's computer usage, and restrict their access to negative materials.

The societal bar on how people should treat

Parents can also become involved in protecting

one another has been lowered to such an

the children at school.

extent, that bullying is increasing, as well as

violent crimes. Our social and political environment must become one that dissuades individuals from bullying one another and promotes the highest regard for human life. If not, these episodes of school violence will not go away.

The societal view of children must improve, as well . We must cherish children, treat them with utmost respect, and constantly search for more positive ways of communicating with them. They must not be treated as secondclass citizens because they are small and lack power.

We must also recognize that every harsh word that adults say to a child, not only harms a child’s self-esteem, but may end up creating an angry, unhappy child, who strikes out and harms others.

Article posted 26th August 2018 and taken from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ how-raise-happy-cooperativechild/201808/six-steps-schools-end-schoolviolence