CIRMA Workshop: A Climate of Respect: The Best Remedy for Bullying; December 6, 2007

Workshop:

A Climate of Respect: The Best Remedy for Bullying

December 6, 2007
CT Association of Schools, 30 Realty Drive, Cheshire, CT
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Registration 8:30 AM

SUMMARY

This workshop explores the issues of school violence, bullying, and intimidation. Attendees will learn practical ways of creating a climate of respect, thereby preventing emotional and physical violence in their school.

School Districts

A Climate of Respect is one of the many practical workshops CIRMA provides to its members. For more information about this and other CIRMA workshops, please email CIRMA at cirmaworkshop@ccm-ct.org.

"Bullying, harassment, assault, battery: all are found along the violence continuum. All interfere with a student’s right to a safe, secure, and disruption-free learning environment."

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

No longer are bullies regarded as an inevitable part of growing up. While they have long been a hazard of the schoolyard—one study estimated that 10% children are regularly victimized each year—Connecticut schools are now required by state statute (Public Act 02-119) to have a policy addressing bullying behavior.

But a policy alone does not protect victims from their tormentors; nor does it protect Connecticut school districts from legal liability. Staff indifference to bullying behavior remains grounds for liability claims within Connecticut.

Educators know that a safe and respectful emotional climate is a prerequisite for learning. Fear disrupts learning and is linked to lower scores, and increased absenteeism, and dropout rates. Worse, bullied children are five times more likely to develop clinical depression than others.

This CIRMA workshop provides attendees the practical understanding and strategies they need to create a climate of respect in their schools; it is the ultimate antidote to childhood cruelty. A respectful environment is one of the most effective ways of improving the overall lives of students, preventing violence, and creating the conditions for optimal learning.

Topics include:

The effect of stress on learning.
The relationship between bullying behavior, school violence, and school shootings.
Managing the “student code of silence.”
Discipline practices, including suspension, expulsion, and “zero tolerance” policies.
Creating a “caring majority.”
The role of character education, modeling, and the responsibilities of adults.
Effect of technology.
Identifying children at risk.

AUDIENCE This workshop is designed for:

Boards of Education members
School administrative staff
Classroom teachers, special education teachers,and para-professionals
School Social workers, school psychologists
PTO/PTA Board Members

SPEAKERS Jo Ann Freiberg, Phd Ed.
Connecticut State Department of Education Jo Ann is an associate education consultant with the Connecticut State Department of Education. She has worked as a classroom teacher and as a teacher educator, and has held faculty appointments at a number of universities, including Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, the University of Hartford and the University of Connecticut. Jo Ann holds a Ph.D. in philosophy of education from Ohio State University. She served on the statewide task force on bullying, and served as an educational consultant around the nation. WHERE CT ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS
30 Realty Drive
Cheshire, CT 06410
(203) 250-1111 COST per attendee This seminar is open to CIRMA members only and is free of charge.

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A Climate of Respect: The Best Remedy for Bullying - December 6, 2007 - This seminar is open to CIRMA members only and is free of charge.

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By submitting your on-line registration, you will be immediately registered. Payment (if required) is expected no later than 10 days prior to seminar date. You will automatically be sent a registration confirmation form to print out and send along with your payment.

Download Registration Form

For more information, please call Martin Connelly at 203-946-3743 or email cirmaworkshop@ccm-ct.org.

DIRECTIONS

FROM HARTFORD: Take I-91 South toward New Haven. Take Exit 18 to merge onto I-691 West toward Waterbury/Meriden. Take Exit 3 for CT-10 toward Milldale/Cheshire. Turn left onto CT- 10/Highland Avenue. Go approximately 1.7 miles and turn left onto Realty Drive.

FROM NEW HAVEN: Take I-91 North toward Hartford. Take Exit 10 to merge onto CT-40 toward Cheshire/Hamden. Take the CT- 10 North Exit and merge onto CT-10/Whitney Avenue. Proceed north approximately nine miles, going through Hamden into Cheshire. Turn right onto Realty Drive, just past Cheshire Park.

FROM BRIDGEPORT VIA MERRITT/WILBUR CROSS PARKWAY: Take CT-15 North to Exit 61/ Whitney Avenue toward Hamden. Turn right at end of the ramp onto Whitney Avenue. Continue on Whitney Avenue for about five miles to Cheshire—Whitney Avenue/CT-10 becomes South Main Street. Go approximately five more miles and turn right onto Realty Drive, just past Cheshire Park.

FROM WATERBURY: Take I-84 East toward Hartford. Take Exit 27 to merge onto I-691 East toward Middletown/Meriden. Take Exit 3 for CT-10 toward Cheshire. Turn right onto CT-10/Highland Avenue. Go approximately 1.7 miles, then turn left onto Realty Drive.

For more directions, please go to www.casciac.org and click on "Directions" at the top right of the page.

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
900 Chapel Street, 9th Floor
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: (203) 498-3000
Fax: (203) 562-6314