Welcome Back!

At the beginning of each school year we enjoy meeting our new students in pre-first, first and second grades, as well as meeting all of our new kindergarteners! This year we had 27 new students who were included in our new student groups. They had the opportunity to meet other new friends, tour Nabnasset School, meet key support staff, share their experience of being new to school and participate in some fun activities!

Here is a picture of the bulletin board they helped to create!




We hope that our new friends are making friends and learning all about how to RISE to be a NAB STAR!!


Problem solving and Bullying Prevention lessons:

In addition to welcoming all students to Nabnasset School this month, September is also the time when we visit all the first grade classes and pre-first for 3 review guidance lessons. Our second grade lessons will begin in October. Below is a description of the concepts which we review in these first 3 lessons.

First lesson:

• SOLUTION WHEEL: Review/learn how to use 3 solutions before asking for help. 
• “DOUBLE D” RULE”: Our guide to help them decide when to tell an adult about a concern (if it is DANGEROUS or DESTRUCTIVE) and when to use the solution wheel.
• ASKING FOR HELP: Student can always ask for help if they are not sure or have tried 3 solutions and the problem is still happening. 

Second lesson:

• Focused on defining TEASING and BULLYING and the difference between NORMAL CONFLICT and BULLYING.
• TEASING: a single incident of someone using hurtful words directed at them which they might be able to handle using the solution wheel.
• BULLYING: Hurtful actions or words that are: Repeated; One-sided; unfair…that make you feel: Scared; Alone; Sad; or Unsafe.
• NORMAL CONFLICT: Happens occasionally between people of equal power; involves mutual emotional reactions, remorse and effort to take responsibility to solve the problem. Normal conflict is not serious or emotionally damaging to the other person.
• Students viewed a movie called “Sticks and Stones” which clearly showed the difference between a teasing incident which was solved using several solutions and a bullying incident which was solved by “talking it out” with the principal.
• Review: They can try 2 to 3 solutions for a teasing problem.
• If the problem keeps happening they can report the problem (see ASKING FOR HELP).
• UPSTANDER: We began a discussion about how to be an upstander. The 3 steps they learn are:
• If it is safe, tell the person to stop
• Ask the person being teased to come play
• Get help if the problem is a "Double D" or if it continues.

Third lesson:

•  Review of differences between teasing and bullying
•   Focus on how to be an “UPSTANDER” as opposed to being a “BYSTANDER”.  The book entitled Say Something by Peggy Moss is read in first grade/pre-first in order to help the children learn what an upstander is and how to be one. They learned that if they see bullying or teasing going on they can help out by going over to the person who is being teased. They should never fight, but they can tell the person being mean to stop, (if they feel safe), ask the person being teased/bullied to come play, and help them to get help from a grownup.
• The UPSTANDER poem they learned is: