Stop Bullying

As previously stated, October is a very busy month for Team Selma.  In addition to recognizing and appreciating principals and custodians, it is also the National Bullying Prevention Month.  Bullying is real, and it is a serious problem for educators nationwide.  Selma City Schools is no exception.

In an age where social media allows everyone access to, well, just about everyone, our schools grapple with how to keep up with technology.  Technology has provided new outlets for school bullies to strike.  From the Internet and instant messaging to apps that appeared to be designed for the purpose of intimidating. Threats or harassment from bullies is no longer limited to school playgrounds and hallways. Our scholars can be “cyberbullied” through e-mails, text messages, blogs, vlogs, social-networking Web sites and a variety of other digital means of communication.

So what are schools to do?  As a leader, I want to ensure that every scholar within my charge feels safe in every class, every day.  I want to be able to ensure parents that our schools are safe.  Social media creates a challenge, as schools cannot control what our scholars do when they are not in school.  So what do we do?

Did you know that the state of Alabama recently passed an anti-bullying law?  State lawmakers tackled the issue during the 2018 regular legislative session by passing HB366, also known as the Jamari Terrell Williams Student Bullying Prevention Act. The bill, which was authored by Rep. John Knight (D-Montgomery) was named in memory of a fifth-grader in Montgomery who took his own life last year after being bullied.

The act amends the Code of Alabama to include language that specifically mentions “cyberbullying,” or using an electronic means to bully or harass and acknowledges that bullying and intimidation can occur “on or off school property, online, or electronically.”

With this new legislation and as part of National Bullying Prevention Month, I want to announce that Team Selma is forming an Anti-bullying Task Force.  The primary goal of this group will be to thoroughly review HB366 so that we can not only ensure compliance but also go above and beyond to protect our children.  Within our Framework for Excellence strategic plan, this work will fit squarely as part of our Social Emotional Learning Framework.

Over the next two weeks, I will dig a little deeper into our work of addressing bullying.  Next week, I will focus on the bully.  Why do students bully others?  What do parents do when their child is the bully?  The following week, I will focus on the bystander.  How can our scholars be advocates for their friends? 

This is a complex issue that I look forward to addressing.  Student safety is a priority and we must stop bullying.

For more information, email me at avis.williams@selmacityschools.org.

Thank A Principal

October will be a busy and exciting month for Team Selma.  One thing that I am extremely elated about is that October is a month to celebrate our amazing school leaders.  National Principals Month is our opportunity to say “thank you” to principals everywhere and to share with the community all the great things that our principals do.  Having served as a principal at all levels, I know first hand how dedicated and committed our team is and how hard they must work for their schools to excel.

The key to student success is a great school, and the key to a great school is a great principal.  Research supports that school leaders account for as much as 25% of a school’s academic success.  Principals are nurturers and leaders. 

Principals open the schools each day and ensure that our scholars have hot meals, clean facilities and high-quality teaching and learning.  Arne Duncan said, “There are no good schools without good principals.  It doesn’t exist.  Where there are good principals, great teachers come, and they stay, they work hard, and they grow.”   For these and many other reasons, I salute our principals. 

Thank you, principals, for caring with your whole heart for hundreds of children who you did not birth.  Thank you, principals, for being the lead learners in your schools and ensuring that our scholars have a wide variety of opportunities for growth.  Thank you, principals, for connecting with your school community and being a valued member of Team Selma.  Finally, I thank you principals for your selflessness and understanding what it means to keep students first!

If you Tweet, use #ThankAPrincipal to share stories and pictures that honor a principal.  There will be a number of Twitter chats using this hashtag on October 3^rd.  Join the celebration!

In addition to thanking our principals this month, we are also recognizing our hard-working custodians.  Today is National School Custodians Day.  Clean and safe learning environments are important and contribute to the overall culture of our schools and district.  I thank our school custodians for their unwavering efforts.  By far, not an easy job!

At our board meeting on October 3, we will recognize both of these amazing groups of professionals.  Team Selma is blessed to have members who embody excellence and who continue to strive to provide our scholars their very best.  If you know a principal or a school custodian, please join me in honoring them.  Not just this month but routinely for the important work that they do.