"October 2013
Dear Parents,
Enclosed please find an activity your child completed at
school in collaboration with our Bully Free Beverly community wide initiative.
October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Bullying is a societal problem that we wish
did not exist. However, unfortunately,
it does exist in both child centered and adult environments as a way that
certain individuals look to have their power needs met at someone else’s
expense.
The Bully Free Beverly Initiative was first created by the
Blossom Boys, and now we (a team of therapists at Beverly Therapists) are
carrying this important idea forward.
Our hope is to educate the community about the basics of bullying
dynamics so when situations come up, children and adults will be able to get
help.
If you have current concerns about bullying, please reach out to us – we
want to help – see our contact information at the end of this letter.
With our current
initiative, “I AM AN UPSTANDER”, we are also trying to create a proactive and positive
awareness and response at the very roots of bullying – when it occurs. “Upstander” is a new term that refers to a
compassionate, assertive bystander who “takes a stand to help” in the face of
unjust, mean behavior. We have
confidence that most bystanders in bullying situations are compassionate and
want to act when unjust situations occur. We asked teachers to talk to local
students about bullying and upstanding.
We hope you will also talk with your child at home. We hope this will help your child know they
can talk to you if a difficult situation presents, and that you can talk
together about positive, empowered ways to help and advocate for oneself and on
behalf of others. Acts of upstanding include:
·
interrupting the bully from picking on a target
·
showing kindness and friendship for the person
getting picked on· telling adults who can and will help
· showing respect in words and actions
We want all children to feel safe and respected. Please emphasize to your child that if a
situation looks or feels out of control or dangerous, he/she should get adult
help immediately and not intervene on his/her own. For more information on bullying and what you
and your child can do in bullying situations visit www.stopbulling.gov and visit our website
page at www.BeverlyTherapists.com
.
We hope you and your child will help us with our goal of
increasing bullying awareness and positive reminders of upstanding on the community
level. Hang the picture in a prominent
place at home, as a way to remind that your home is a “BULLY FREE ZONE”. Also, please submit a color copy, or email us
a scanned image of your child’s “I AM AN UPSTANDER” picture. With your permission, we hope to make some
posters to hang around the community and to post all submissions (one a day) on
our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BullyFreeBeverly. Please like our page, and stay connected!
Mail/drop off (simply slip through our mail slot!) submissions
to:
Lisa Catania, LCSWBeverly Therapists
10725 South Western, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60643.
Or email images saved as a .pdf, .ai, .psd or .jpeg to Beverly-therapists@comcast.net .
Include your permission to use the picture for poster and/or
Facebook use, and let us know if your child would like his/her name to be
included, or to be anonymous.
Thank you for your consideration in supporting this
initiative.
“Never doubt that a
small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)
With gratitude and peace,
The Bully Free Beverly Team @Beverly Therapists
10725 South Western, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60643
Email: Beverly-therapists@comcast.net
Lisa Catania, LCSW Jennifer
Lara, LCPC Michelle
Wood, LCSW
773-719-1751 773-251-8016 773-307-8365"
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