SHARE INFORMATION AND ENCOURAGE FEEDBACK
The exploratory team should give top priority to creating a portfolio of materials useful in ongoing communication with school staff, parents, students, community and business leaders, the media and other key audiences.
The portfolio should include the School/Community Climate Snapshot and background information on bullying and bullying prevention. The Best Practices section of the Resource Guide provides an assortment of information you can use to create slide presentations, talking points, handouts, two-page “discussion starters” and other material for communicating with diverse audiences.
These materials can be used in a variety of ways to reach out to and engage key stakeholders. For example:
Teachers and School Staff
Organize a brown-bag lunch for school staff that focuses on bullying prevention or add a workshop on bullying to your next teacher in-service day. A great way to make this lunch or workshop
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You may also want to consider arranging one-on-one interviews and/or small-group discussions to share information with and encourage feedback from school staff, including teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals, the school resource officer, coaches, bus drivers and cafeteria workers.
Parents and Students
Take advantage of opportunities such as parent-teacher conferences, back-to-school nights and sporting events to pass out tip sheets and information on bullying. You may want to arrange a series of focus groups with parents and/or students, or plan an open house focused specifically on bullying, with a mental-health professional or school-safety expert on hand to answer questions and offer advice.
Make a special effort to involve students in planning and publicizing such events and activities, and to reach families from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
Community Partners
Reach out to nonprofit organizations, community agencies, civic leaders and other prospective partners to see if they would consider co-sponsoring a roundtable discussion or other informal event focused on bullying prevention. Let them know about the variety of information and background material you can provide, and work with them to develop an agenda for the meeting.