Last Friday Medbury staff were invited to support Pink Shirt Day by wearing pink and promoting kindness, inclusiveness, celebrating diversity and working together to prevent bullying.

It was wonderful to hear about the activities that were promoted on Pink Shirt Day, including students using compliments posters and staff handing out compliment cards. This of course builds on the amazing work that already happens at Medbury, where our school values and shared beliefs aim to create an environment in which we hope all students feel safe and supported to be the person they are.

Kindness and inclusiveness is promoted and celebrated in all that we do but particularly in activities such as Kindness Cards, Buddy Classes, Tuakana (Big Brother) for new boys, the school values being discussed in assembly, chapel and class, and of course in the culture that is created within each classroom, extracurricular activity and sports team.

Celebrating Diversity is promoted through curriculum areas such as Social Studies, Te Reo, and Hauora, which includes the Aristotle Programme and Life Education, but also through extra-curricular options such as Community Service, Kapa Haka and the Global Citizenship Group.

Working together to prevent bullying is the focus of the KiVa programme, which includes lessons and the ability to report and stop bullying, and to be supported through the process. Working together to prevent bullying is also supported through Peer Mediators and curriculum areas such as Hauora, in particular Life Education and Keeping Ourselves Safe, as well as through the Counselling Service.

Parents also have a vital role to play in developing a culture of kindness and inclusiveness. For example, through your relationship with your child’s teacher and the school. There are many opportunities to strengthen your relationship with the school, such as Connect Day, Parent BBQs and Parent Interviews, not to mention the numerous cultural and music activities and sports events you are able to attend. Please make every effort to feel connected with your child and their activities at Medbury, including if you need to talk to a staff member about support for your child. Unfortunately unkind behaviour does happen and working through this with students can provide rich learning and valuable life experiences, and a key part of this is parents communicating with school so that we can put support in place.

Another way parents can play a vital role in developing a culture of kindness and inclusiveness is to role model this behaviour and to have the same culture in your home. The Pink Shirt Day website has some amazing resources which can be used at home, as well as at schools and workplaces. I would encourage you to visit the website and to use, or adapt, these materials for your own home, for example, the Compliment/Teacher cards pictured above could be used by the whole family. Even though Pink Shirt Day has been celebrated for another year, promoting kindness, inclusiveness, celebrating diversity and working together to prevent bullying is a 365 days of the year role!

Image sourced from: Pink Shirt Day

Jenelle Hooson

Jenelle is a Registered Provisional Member with NZAC (New Zealand Association of Counsellors).

If you wish to discuss the services the School Counsellor can provide, please see your son’s homeroom teacher or Scott Johnson: scott.johnson@medbury.school.nz.