November 18-22 is Bullying Awareness Week, and Lacombe County's School Resources Officers (SROs) are visiting several Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS) locations to promote anti-bullying messages to students. Their presentation will be targeted to all ages of students - from Kindergarten to Grade 12 - to educate them on what bullying is, and the impacts bullying has on their peers.
"Creating a safe and welcoming learning environment is of great importance for WCPS. We know that when students feel safe, they have better outcomes and experiences in school," said Jayson Lovell, WCPS Superintendent. "We are proud of the partnership we have with Lacombe County and the school resource officers that serve our students and schools. We know the value that comes with talking about bullying, that it is not okay, and with working together to find solutions."
"There are so many situations out there that we want to bring awareness and communicate to students that bullying is not acceptable behaviour," said School Resource Officer Dave Lahucik. "Our presentations over Bullying Awareness Week will provide tools to kids being bullied, so they know where to go and what to do to get help."
The presentations will run throughout Bullying Awareness Week in the elementary and high school grades in Bentley and Eckville, and the content delivered will differ between the older and younger students.
"We want to ensure younger kids understand what bullying is," said Lahucik. "As the students get older, technology will play a large role in their social lives, and they need to know how to exist in a digital world and how to deal with cyberbullying or other negative internet situations."
In September, Lacombe County assumed the role of School Resource Officer (SRO) for schools in Alix, Bentley, Clive and Eckville. The job of the SRO is to interact and positively influence students, staff and parents by providing current and relevant presentations, information, and resources on important safety topics and social issues.
About Bullying Awareness Week
Bullying Awareness Week (November 18 to 22, 2019) is the third week in November and is a time to promote awareness and understanding of bullying and its impacts. This year's campaign focuses on a wide range of year-round supports and services available to people experiencing bullying and bystanders. These include:
- The Bullying Helpline (1-888-456-2323), an anonymous helpline available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
- The Bullying Helpline Chat available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Alberta.ca/BullyingChat.
- Downloadable resources at Alberta.ca/Bullying.
