School, state say stop bullies

ENGAGEMENT and feeling connected with school is the key to preventing bullying, according to a primary school well-being officer.
Geelong East Primary School’s Dianne Bennett said a proactive, values-driven culture kept bullying “very low” at the school.
“Bullying issues come from kids not feeling connected – disengaged or disgruntled,” she said. “We have a lot for kids to be engaged with and make them feel important.”
The school is supporting State Government’s new Bully Stoppers campaign, which Education Minister Martin Dixon launched last Friday.
“Bullying can have long-lasting impacts – for both the bully and the victim – yet we know there is plenty we can do to help,” Mr Dixon said.
Ms Bennett said Geelong East primary’s initiatives included a leadership program giving older children responsibilities including roles as peer mediators and lunchtime “rovers” in iridescent jackets who tried to solve playground disputes.
“If they see a couple of kids arguing over whose turn it is with the ball or the monkey bars or if they see a kid looking sad or lost they proactively approach them,” she said.
Ms Bennett said students also completed each term an anonymous survey about bullying.
Teachers were now reporting a weekly average of five “yard-duty incidents”, she said.
“That’s out of 430 children, so we’re chugging along quite nicely.”