Distinguishing Between Bullying and Discriminatory Harassment
In 1999, there were exactly 0 (zero) state laws in the United States dealing with bullying. Post Columbine, state legislatures began to develop laws and school districts began to implement polices to address the issue of bullying that was now on the public’s radar screen. Now, 16 years later, there are 49 states with laws; […]
Why Do I Think Art Is Important
Why do I think art is important in the lives of our youth? I truly believe art creates points of connection. I’m talking about creative choices leading to experiences and relationships. As a kid, you have the ability to absorb so much in the right environment. As you grow, your mind wanders to so many […]
What We Can Do – Eating Disorders Awareness
By age 6, the majority of girls start to express concerns about their weight or shape. Between forty and sixty percent of elementary girls are concerned about their weight or becoming too fat. This anxiety carries into their adult lives, and can manifest into an eating disorder (NEDA). What We Know About Eating Disorders The […]
The Need for Restorative Practices in Schools
Now that you have an idea of the field of Restorative Practices (if you missed last week’s post, before you continue reading, check it out first), we can discuss why it is important for schools to start looking at different disciplinary practices and switch to healthier methodologies to repair relationships. The Office for Civil Rights […]
Defining Restorative Practice and Restorative Justice
Since 2000, our STARS staff have worked with a more restorative approach to the issue of conflict resolution and discipline by utilizing Restorative Practices. Last year, the entire STARS staff was trained by the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) in Restorative Practices, with seven of our staff members now certified as trainers in Restorative […]
Growing through Generosity
Julie Albee (STARS Counselor), along with a few teachers coordinated a fundraiser last month for a former FHS student, Ify Nonyelu. Ify was involved in a accident that left him paralyzed. Here is a Ify’s story— Ify Nonyelu: Growing through Generosity It began with a story we had heard from a local news channel about former […]
Rock Random Acts of Kindness Week – #STARSRAK
Rock Random Acts of Kindness Week Hey, you rock! Monday, February 9th is the opening day of Random Acts of Kindness season! Established in 1995, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, inspires people to practice kindness and to pass it on to others. They are dedicated to providing resources and tools to encourage acts of kindness […]
National School Counseling Week – Guest Post #2
How are you celebrating National School Counseling Week? We are celebrating by hearing from some of the influential school counselors we partner with through programs like Kids on the Block, MOVE2STAND, Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse, Services for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and our Student Assistance Program! Here are some words from […]
National School Counseling Week – Guest Post
To welcome National School Counseling week, we wanted to start out with a guest blog post from Debora Finch, a elementary school counselor and counseling educator who has worked closely with our Kids on the Block program. You rock, Debora! Kids on the Block means so much to our school counseling program at Lipscomb Elementary […]
No Name-Calling Week
No Name-Calling Week: January 19th-23rd of 2015 No Name-Calling Week was inspired by a young adult novel entitled The Misfits by James Howe. In the book, students organize a “No Name-Calling Day” at their school. This small idea motivated GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing to take the idea and make a powerful statement […]
