Resources for Parents

Bullying

• Documentary film - http://rejectfilm.com/
• http://www.thebullyproject.com/
• http://micheleborba.com/blog/
• http://www.violencepreventionworks.org/public/index.page
• Westfield Washington Schools Anonymous Reporting

 

Emergency Preparedness

• Federal Emergency Management Agency – www.fema.gov
• Prepare your home & family -  http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security – www.dhs.gov
• Indiana Department of Homeland Security - www.in.gov/dhs/
• Westfield, IN Police Department - http://www.westfield.in.gov/department/index.php?structureid=129
• Westfield, IN Fire Department - http://www.westfield.in.gov/department/?structureid=126

Internet Safety

• NSTeens - Making safer online choices - http://www.nsteens.org/
• A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety - http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide

Tips for parents

Parents can help create safe schools and here are a few ideas that parents in other communities have tried.

 

• Discuss the school’s discipline policy with your child. Show your support for the rules and help your child understand the reasons for them.
• Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at home.
• Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television, in video games and possibly in the neighborhood. Help your child understand the consequences of violence.
• Teach your child how to solve problems. Praise your child when he or she follows through.
• Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others. When you get angry, use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it.
• Keep lines of communication open with your child even when it is difficult. Encourage your child to let you know where he or she is going and who will be there. Get to know your child’s friends.
• Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be exhibiting troubling behaviors. Share this information with a trusted professional, such as the school counselor, principal, or teacher.
• Be involved in your child’s school life by supporting functions such as parent conferences, class programs, open houses, and PTO meetings.
• Volunteer to work with the school-based groups concerned with violence prevention. If none exist, offer to form one.
• Talk with the parents of your child’s friends. Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your child’s safety.
• Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities.
•  Reprinted from: Early Warning, Timely Response: A guide to safe schools.

Transportation

• Bus Stops at Intersections - download
• American School Bus Council - http://www.americanschoolbuscouncil.org/
• National Coalition for School Bus Safety - http://www.ncsbs.org/
• Indiana Dept. of Education-Office of School Transportation - http://www.doe.in.gov/transportation

 

Bus stops at Intersections