Bullying Prevention Starts at Home, Officials Say

Special workshop discusses important role parents play to help reduce bullying in schools.

Changing children’s attitude toward bullying must begin at home. That is what George Scott, a licensed family and marriage therapist, stressed to parents and educators at a community forum at Wayne Hills High School Monday. Scott told the audience that parents, and educators, have a responsibility to create a culture where children feel secure, safe, and able to express themselves freely without fear of reprisals. “Kids want to succeed. They want to do well,” Scott said. “They want to hear things like ‘I am proud of you.’ A child’s greatest need is acceptance.” That acceptance, Scott said, must start at home. But several factors can make ensuring a child lives in a peaceful environment. Families are under more stress now because both …

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Daniel Hubbard

10:30 am on Friday, January 18, 2013

Joseph, These comments have no place on Patch. Please review our Terms of Use. Similar postings could result in possible suspension of your user account. http://wayne.patch.com/terms Daniel Hubbard   more ›

Anti-Bullying Strategies to be Discussed at Forum

District hosts special forum to discuss how it is fostering a culture of communication and trust between teachers and students regarding bullying.

Wayne educators want parents, teachers, and children to be on the same page regarding bullying. As part of that initiative, the district will host a special community forum on bullying at Wayne Hills High School Monday Jan. 14 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Naomi Conklin, the district’s anti-bullying coordinator, said the forum is part of the district’s overall strategy of reducing the amount of bullying in the district. Communication and trust are vital to components to that strategy, she said. “We need to promote a school culture and climate that welcomes and encourages communication between students and staff on a continual basis so that it wouldn’t take an extra-ordinary circumstance for a student to share information,” Conklin said. “Creating…

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School District to Host Community Forum on Bullying

Parents will have opportunity to meet anti-bullying specialists and district's anti-bullying coordinator.

A special community forum on bullying will be held on at Wayne Hills High School Monday, Jan. 14 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Naomi Conklin, the district’s anti-bullying coordinator, one of the district’s school resource officers, and several anti-bullying specialists from various district schools. A guest speaker will discuss the topic of “A Culture That Teaches Bullying: What Parents Should Know and Understand and What They Can Do.” For more information, contact Conklin at nconklin@wayneschools.com. — Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

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Plays Will Explore The Effects Of Bullying

Students will put on plays as part of a workshop sponsored by the Wayne YMCA.

High school students will have the chance to explore the issue of bullying at a special Act’n Teen Theater Workshop this fall at the Wayne YMCA. Using pieces from “Anthologies: The Bully Plays,” children will explore the emotional journey and what it is to be a bullying victim, bystander, a bully, and a parent. The first half of each class will be used to learn and refine students’ acting abilities through games and exercises. The second half will be dedicated to analyzing and blocking the scenes and applying the skills learned from the first portion. Students will also have a hand in directing their own scenes. Sessions are scheduled for Fridays in September and October. Enrollment fees are $100 for YMCA facility members and $150 for YMCA…

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Parents Sue Wayne School District Over Son's Alleged Harassment

Parents say their son was forced to leave the school district in 2010 due to escape from escalating abuse by his then-Pines Lake School classmates.

Teacher Bullying Video, $1M Coin Theft, State Police Escort Top NJ News

A weekly look at news in New Jersey

A Cherry Hill father who says his autistic son was tormented for at least six months by public school special education teachers and support staff has taken his case viral with damning, covertly gathered audio of the classroom where he says his son was abused. In a 17-minute video, titled "Teacher/Bully: How My Son Was Humiliated and Tormented by his Teacher and Aide," Stuart Chaifetz replays portions of audio he attributes to "Kelly" and "Jodi," whom he says are his son Akian's former special education and resource teachers. Brian Petaccio, a Toms River contractor who admitted to stealing more than $1 million from Hoboken parking meters between 2005 and 2008, was sentenced in Friday to five years in state prison, Attorney General Jefferey…

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Students Create Award-Winning Posters Aimed at Deleting Cyberbullying

Schuyler-Colfax students sweep contest.

Three students at Schuyler-Colfax Middle School understand the importance of eliminating cyberbullying. Emily Becker, Lindsey Kurtz, and Taylor Domico were the first-, second-, and third-place winners in Cablevision’s Delete Cyberbullying contest. The girls created posters aimed at raising awareness about preventing cyberbullying. Approximately 500 students throughout the state entered the contest. The girls were recognized at a special assembly Wednesday. Kurtz and Domico received a Flip camera and iPod, respectively. Becker received a tablet computer. Evan Zubiaurre, art teacher at Schuyler-Colfax, said that the lesson behind the project is an important one. “No one is held accountable for what is said and posted on the Internet,” …

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Resident Invents System to Teach Kids How to Manage Their Concerns

Howard Abraham: 'What I’ve learned is 85 percent of what we worry about never happens.'

Howard Abraham is using what he has learned from negative childhood experiences to help others. “We find out who we are through adversity in life," Abraham said. Abraham's invention, The Worry Chest, was born out of a moment of clarity he had while driving on Ratzer Road five years ago. He lost money in real estate and started to get anxious and worry. Abraham was a self-proclaimed worrier since he was a child because of his peers’ constant bullying but this was his breaking point. Enough was enough. Abraham decided to take control of his life through introspection, realizing that he could either succumb to stress or make positive changes. He started using a system to help him manage his stress that turned into a business.  “I didn’t want …

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