BKW students take the lead to fight bullying - Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District

The BKW Elementary Student Council and the High School Student Senate joined forces to combat bullying during the district’s anti-bullying week Oct. 22-26. Each day was filled with activities reinforcing the simple message—there is no place for bullying at BKW.

Elementary events included:

Daily anti-bullying messages read each morning during announcements.
Principal Annette Landry read “How Full Is Your Bucket?” to each kindergarten class. Felix learns that every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well.
High School students read “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” to the first graders Spookley is bullied because he is not round like other pumpkins. But his “difference” allows him to save the day.
Dr. Katrina Emmerich did a lesson on empathy with second graders.
Guidance Counselor Lauren Larkin read “Nobody” to third graders who then made anti-bullying posters.
School Resource Officer Deputy Bray presented a lesson on cyberbullying with fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.
Wednesday, Oct. 24 was Unity Day (everyone wears orange), part of National Bullying Prevention Month . Student Council members made a giant, orange paper chain with each student’s or teacher’s name written on a link. The finished chain rain from the lobby down the cafeteria hallway.
Thursday, Oct. 25 was Blue Day (everyone wears blue) to represent Anti-Bullying Awareness. Student Council members wrote encouraging messages on the sidewalk in front of the school with sidewalk chalk.
The entire school created a human BKW in the parking lot.

High school events included:

Wednesday, Oct. 24 was Blue Day everyone wore blue, the official color of bullying prevention.
High School Student Senate placed sticky notes with positive messages on student lockers.
High School Students wrote out pledges, committing to help stop bullying,

“Research shows that more than half of bullying incidents stop when a peer intervenes. This student-led effort will go a long way in our district’s fight against bullying,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Timothy Mundell.

black dog wearing blue anti-bullying shirt in front of poster — Even our therapy dog Maggie helped deliver the message that bullying is not acceptable.

Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and an act the blind can see.

Positive messages on the sidewalk welcomed all visitors.

about 20 students wearing blue anti-bullying t-shirts — First graders received blue “BKW Knock Out Bullying” t-shirts

Note on a locker reading "there is no shame in falling down. The shame is in not trying to get up — Notes like this adorned the lockers in the high school.

students reading sticky notes on a locker — Students came to school on Friday morning to discover encouraging notes left in the night on their lockers.

student pointing at a picture on a whiteboard in an elementary class room. — High school students read “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” to first graders.

three high school girls in an elementary classroom — High schoolers were positive anti-bullying role models for young students.

Individual pledges on a wall committing to stopping bullying — Secondary school students signed pledges promising to stand against bullying.