Let’s TALK Bullying-Free NZ Week 14 –18 May 2018 and we are participating as a school.

At Parkview School we encourage respect, value opinions, celebrate difference and promote positive relationships via our school values in order to make it difficult for bullying behaviour to thrive or be tolerated.   The following is from the campaign:

"Bullying affects everyone. Bullying can negatively affect children and young people’s physical health, mental health, social development and academic achievement. Often dismissed as an unpleasant part of growing up, research shows bullying is a learned behaviour and harmful to the development of all involved – the initiators, targets and bystanders who witness it,  we all need to do something about it! 

What is bullying?  Bullying is a word that can have a lot of different meanings for different people. Making sure everyone in your school shares the same definition of bullying is important.  Bullying is deliberate – harming another person intentionally.  Bullying involves a misuse of power in a relationship.  Bullying is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated over time.  Bullying can be verbal, physical and/or social; it can happen in person or online; and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). 

Not every unkind thing is bullying students, especially young children, who are still learning how to get along with others. They need parents, teachers and other adults to model kindness, inclusion, conflict resolution and responsibility. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying. These behaviours may be just as upsetting and serious, but may need to be dealt with in a different way. "  

As a school our value of Manaakitanga is integral to having a happy and safe school. This means being kind, caring and thoughtful of others and we will be working really hard on teaching and recognising these behaviours in our school.  Next week each teaching team will be working through material on defining bullying, what we all can do about it.

Our student council will also begin working through our recent student survey to address some of the key issues our students face in our classrooms and playground.   Look out for updates from them in the coming weeks.