Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s appeal to principals to stamp out bullying in the schoolyard has been heard at Dubbo College.
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Staff and students have not waited for Friday’s National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence to undertake anti-bullying activities, set to continue for weeks.
On Tuesday, Delroy Campus students took part in what support officer Esther Behsman called a “special lesson” that honoured the life of the late Amy “Dolly” Everett. On Wednesday night, South Campus hosted an ant-bullying information session for parents after formally running an anti-bullying assembly last Friday.
Ms Behsman said students taking part in Tuesday’s lesson had “worked through a newspaper article about Dolly’s death and then used this article to start a conversation about the consequences of our behavior”.
“We discussed the need to ‘speak, even if your voice shakes’, which are Dolly’s own words, and talked about the importance of leaving a positive digital footprint,” she said.
“On Friday, which is the national day of action, our well-being lesson will focus on a seven-minute video. We expect to discuss aspects of the power and control of the bully, as well as the need for resilience.
“We will also talk about the resources, people and organisations within the school that can really help to overcome bullying. All students will be presented with Bullying No Way wristbands and information cards as well.”
South Campus deputy principal Suzie Foran said the information session for parents included addresses from school psychologist Alicia Rowan and principal Ross Gorrie. “Earlier this term our students received a talk from Dubbo Police school liaison officer Craig Skene and Craig will return in two weeks to talk further with students in year meetings about bullying issues,” she said.
On Friday students at Dubbo College Senior Campus will stage a march and make a verbal pledge against bullying during their lunch break.
In February Mr Turnbull wrote to every principal in a bid to get schools to join the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence, which also targets cyberbullying.
"We believe all students have the right to be safe at school,” he wrote. “Bullying and violence has no place in Australia.
"This is our chance to stand together. Together we can reduce the incidence of bullying, whether inside the school gate or online, and eliminate it wherever we can."