Warrenton Middle School tackles bullying

Staff and students at Warrenton Middle School kicked off a new bullying prevention program with the hope that a unified approach will produce positive results.

The school is the first of Fauquier’s five middle schools to establish the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, which uses whole-school awareness to reduce existing problems among students and prevent the development of new bullying instances.

“It’s been very effective in schools that use it,” said Warrenton Principal Barbara Bannister. “I think if we go slowly and just make sure it’s part of our school community, it will be very effective here and eventually it won’t have a name, it will just be a part of who we are.”

Olweus involves all the stakeholders in its approach to preventing the problem and starts with a common definition.

“From students and parents, to teachers and administrators, it gets everyone involved and bring the issue to a high level of awareness and gives everyone an opportunity to contribute to the solution in some way,” said Frank Finn, assistant superintendent for special education and student services.

The program defines bullying as repeated or purposeful statements or actions that are hurtful to another person who has a hard time defending himself.

It also identifies four types of bullying: physical, verbal, cyber, and rejection or exclusion.

“Having a common definition of bullying will definitely help the school,” said Assistant Principal Christopher Johnston. “I think we have good kids here, and I think a lot of them think they’re kidding around with somebody and they don’t realize they’ve hurt their feelings.”

While the school has dealt with bullying issues before, Johnston doesn’t see it as a pervasive problem, but would like to see future occurrences eliminated altogether.

“One kid being bullied is one kid too many, and we want to stop it,” Johnson said.

Both staff and students attended information sessions on bullying prevention last week.

“For the first time, we’re all on the same page,” Bannister said. “The kids heard what the adults heard.”

During their assemblies, students were asked to report bullying and support the victim.

While they were not encouraged to put themselves in the middle of a compromising situation, students learned that support could be as simple as being a friendly presence and not turning a blind eye.

“We don’t want anyone to go in guns-a-blazing and try to stop it, but when there’s more than one kid, the bully is more likely to back off, so the support of other people just being there really helps,” Johnston said.

The bystander plays an important role in Olweus, part of what makes the program unique.

“The focus is not just on the victim or the bully, but also on the bystander,” said school counselor Pam Peterson. “The goal is to take those those who are admiring the bullying behavior and help them become more like those who are opposed to it.”

The program uses weekly classroom meetings to facilitate discussion of issues and responses that keep awareness alive among students.

As part of the kick off activities, students participated in a mix-it-up lunch last Wednesday, designed to facilitate conversation between unfamiliar students by randomly assigning them to lunch tables.

“It helps them realize that they have more in common than they do differences,” said Johnston, referring to the ensuing conversations.

While some were nervous and uncomfortable, others adapted right away.

“After a while we found out more about the people we were sitting with, and we started talking and learned that we had a lot in common we could talk about,” said Katie Johnston, 12. “I think that kind of activity helps the school because it introduces you to new friends, and you don’t want to bully someone who is your friend.”

Students say the Olweus’ greatest impact comes through knowing they can tell a teacher or administrator about a problem.

“I think it’s good for other kids to know that they shouldn’t be afraid to tell someone that they’re having problems,” said Jeremy Vest, 14. “I think it’s going to be safer for kids that have been bullied and that maybe never said anything.”

Bannister hopes the program will continue to decrease middle school jitters for those entering sixth-grade.

“Lockers, gym and bullying are the three things sixth-graders worry about,” she said.

Katie Johnston admits the thought crossed her mind before starting at Warrenton last fall.

“You hear all these stories about middle schoolers that have been bullied and the bad things that happen to them, and you worry that it’s going to happen to you,” she said.

While they feel it might be scary to stand up for someone else, students say it’s the right thing to do.

“They may not be your friend, but you can still support them,” said Molly McCarthy, 13. “You want to stop it as soon as possible because you never know how far it’s gone or how long it’s gone on.”

For students who’ve been bullied before, the program is a welcome addition to the school.

“Having the teachers come to us and make it a big deal and let us know that it’s okay to come and talk to someone really helps,” said Maddie Miller, 13, who was bullied in elementary school.

Eventually, the division plans to implement Olweus at all elementary and middle schools. Taylor Middle School will kick off its participation in the program later this spring, with more schools to follow next year.