FRANKFORT— Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt has signed a proclamation declaring that October 16-22 is Safe Schools Week in Kentucky.
“Equipping every student to pursue a successful future depends on schools being safe places,” Pruitt said. “Yet, too often we hear about students who fall victim to bullying, crime or violence at school. This puts not only their education and well-being at risk, but also the well-being of teachers and staff.”
Safe Schools Week is designed to raise public awareness and improve the safety of our schools by educating students, staff and community members about bullying prevention, conflict resolution and relationship building.
“As Kentuckians, we all must focus attention on school safety not only during Safe Schools Week, but year round, and work to identify, develop and promote answers that will result in all of our state’s schools being safe places to learn, teach and work,” Pruitt said.
This year’s School Safety Week theme, “Be the hero; STOP the Bullying!,” encourages students, parents or community members, who know of an unsafe situation in school, to anonymously pass on that information to school personnel by using the online S.T.O.P! tipline, www.kycss.org/stop/resources.php, sponsored by the Kentucky Center for School Safety (KCSS).
In addition, students and others are encouraged to sign the following online pledge available at http://www.kycss.org/heropledge.php:
I pledge to:
Honor others and myself by not bullying or participating in bullying activities;
Encourage others to stop actions that could be perceived as bullying;
Respect the everyday heroes in authority around me;
Take Opportunities to become a HERO.
The KCSS website, www.kysafeschools.org/ssw.php, supplies a variety of teaching aids on bullying prevention and school safety including PowerPoint presentations, lessons, interactive websites and much more. Resources also are available for school administrators, parents and the community.