Cyberbullying--Some Quick Facts

A couple of weeks ago, Assistant Principal Brandon Slone and I attended a Cyberbullying conference held at Baker College in Owosso, MI. The event was free of charge and sponsored by the diploma and class ring company, Josten's. In all, there must have been about 400 teachers, administrators and counselors in attendance.

The presenter was very effective, Justin Patchin, Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and co-host of the website www.cyberbullying.us

These are just a few of the things we learned during that day:
• early research learned that only 15% of cyberbullying gets reported to adults
• 93% of teens go online regularly; 63% go online daily
• 75% of teens have a cell phone
• QIK - this is a new program that streams live video immediately to the web (think about the danger inherent in that technology)
• Twitter is not that popular with teens - only 6% use it
• Youtube - only 11% use it weekly
• almost 50% of teens use the internet for school work
• girls use technology more than boys

The Digital Divide exists--the adults are Digital Immigrants while the Adolescents are Digital Natives. No real surprise there.

Regarding the concept of Cyberbullying:
• it must occur repeatedly over time to constitute bullying
• willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones or other electronic devices
• informal--kids think 80% are cyberbullied; 60% bully others
• kids rarely use email anymore; but adults over 65 use it heavily
• online gaming is also used for bullying - up to 34%
• the average teen sends 3400 texts per month, or six per hour
• 45% say they are bullied via text messages
• latest research, 19 - 28% admitted they were bullied
• 8 - 20% say they bullied others; girls more likely than boys
• not much difference between the races; whites a bit higher
• middle school is the place where it is at its highest
• the bullies tend to be poor students; as are the victims
• bullies try to be anonymous; victims can usually guess who they are
• easier to be cruel through text rather than face-to-face
• there is a new website, Chatroulette, with pictures/dialogue and click ‘next’ if you don’t like the person

Technology
• 85% of teens have their Facebook account marked ‘private’; three years ago it was only 39% marked private so they are becoming better users
• once something is posted online, it really can’t be deleted, i.e. go to Google and look under cache; Facebook will keep it so it can sell the information later
• having a professional page is doable, but it should not be the public site with a personal profile, etc.
• sexting-12% say they have received naked images; 7% have sent them
• about 50% have had sex before leaving high school--which is worse?
• advice to teens...delete it immediately and send a note not to send it again, passing it along constitutes child pornography, a felony

Responding to Cyberbullying:
• it’s more than just turning the computer off...that's bad advice; flippant and dismissive to the victim
• why should the victim lose computer privileges?
• Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex
• Tinker v. Des Moines - freedom of speech; ability to protest (i.e. Vietnam War) but that doesn't give you license to bully someone via technology

Litigation regarding schools, teens, and computer use:
• was school equipment used? that makes a difference
• was it truly detrimental to the educational environment?
• was there a crime committed?
• still have to protect the rights of a school employee to a degree
• must also be aware of sexual harassment
• is it a one-time offense or repeated acts? once it’s on the web, it’s out there...

When Can A School Respond?
• if school equipment was used, on school grounds, via cell phones at school, etc.
• must demonstrate a substantial and material disruption on campus
• inability to focus on learning
• when it interferes with teaching
• repetitive disciplinary measures are needed
• freedom of expression - must not interfere with the school’s mission
• 44 states have cyberbullying laws--Michigan does not
• the policy should include off campus behaviors
• New Hampshire has a good law that includes off campus behaviors
• most incidents can be dealt with informally
• create a “teachable moment”
• they have an online survey available to be used with students
• they also have scenarios that can be used for discussion

I encourage you to go to the website, www.cyberbullying.us as there is a great deal of information available. The most lasting impression for me was that it should not be ignored. Being the victim is just plain hurtful and unfortunately we have teenage suicides in our state to prove it.

Transition Time

A long time ago a mentor of mine told me that running a school was "like changing a tire with the car still moving". Since I first heard that comment, I've often felt there was a lot of truth to it. However, I'm not naive enough to think the same couldn't be said for many businesses and organizations.

Anyway, here we are at the midpoint of the school year already. At the same time students are prepping for exams, they are also looking ahead to select classes for next school year. Today is a dichotomy of sorts. The hallways are unusually quiet because we have 90-minute periods to allow for a comprehensive exam, yet at the same time the counselors are scurrying to make sure everything is ready for the scheduling process.

Building a master schedule for a comprehensive high school is like putting together a large, complex puzzle. There will be over 11,000 courses requested by our students that we then divide into about 400 individual sections. And quite a few of those courses will be offered only once per day, i.e. Symphonic Orchestra, Pointe Singers, and AP Physics.

We will do our very best to make sure that these so-called "singleton" courses are not placed in the same class period if there are students that want both offerings. However, no matter how hard we try, there are always a few conflicts that are unavoidable.

So during this transition time, I ask for two things; 1) Assist your students with exam preparation as much as possible without placing undue pressure, and 2) Help them choose their courses for next year very carefully. Once the master schedule is assembled and staff are assigned, there is little wiggle room for schedule changes.

I wish you well with both endeavors.

When You Need It Most

For anyone that lives and works in and around GP Schools, the past few weeks have been unsettling and upsetting for many folks. I'm speaking particularly of a few employees, but the impact has also reached some of our parents. It simply hasn't portrayed our community in its best light and didn't lead to the positive Holiday Season many of us would like to have had.

So earlier today, after a succession of meetings dealing mostly with problems, I received an email from "out of the blue". It came from a former student-athlete of mine from more than 25 years ago. As far as I can remember, it's the first contact I have had with him in more than 20 years. His message was brief, but powerful for me, and it simply stated at the end that "you do hold a special place in my life".

That former student now has three kids of his own and lives in Indiana. He coaches his two oldest in a form of Neighborhood Club and uses some of the same drills that I used back when he was a player.

We also referenced a major project that he turned in for my World History class. Becuase of the uniqueness of the situation, I can still remember the title of his project and the substance of it.

This is my point in writing this now, I have often told teachers and coaches that we never know when we impact someone's life. We have to treasure our time with them, because something that might be inconsequential to us may turn out to be vitally important to them.

And the reason for the title of this entry? When I was most in need of a pick-me-up, it arrived with just a few words from someone long ago.

On A Quiet And Peaceful Day

As I sit here on December 21st, it's amazing how quiet and peaceful this big building can be. We have a few contractors here finishing up a couple of projects, but for the most part there are few distractions with little noise.

The solitude even gives me the chance to listen to some Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller music to kick off the holidays.

I can only hope that each of you have a peaceful and enjoyable Holiday Season. Best wishes to everyone for a Happy New Year!

The More I Learn, The More I Learn I Have To Learn

As some of you may know, I serve on the Board of Directors for the state principals' organization. We just completed two days of meetings in Lansing, and my head is swimming with some of the new information I have gleaned. And as I've mentioned in this space before, the level of accountability seems to have increased tenfold over the past 5-10 years.

At a meeting with the Assessment (Testing) Director for the Michigan Department of Education yesterday, we were apprised of new testing that will be here before we know it. While it sounds far off to say it won't take full effect until 2014, I can remember when Y2K sounded a long way off.

Recently, the state department "rolled out" new curriculum standards and benchmarks, primarily in the areas of English, Math and Science. The essence of these changes are that new requirements have been added to the curriculum and the curriculum is being pushed down to the lower grades. In other words, students will have to demonstrate that they know more than before, and they will have to know it earlier.

It won't be long before the MEAP that has been used at the elementary and middle school levels will be replaced by more rigorous tests. The testing style will also be dramatically different. Right now there are strict testing windows, by that I mean that everyone in the state is required to give the same test on the same day. The reason is that these tests are "computer-based", meaning everyone faces an identical set of questions so test security is of utmost importance.

In the future, the testing window will be the final 12 weeks of the school year. The reason for the flexibility is that the tests will be taken online and will be "computer-adaptive", meaning that the test questions will change based upon the ability of the student. The more able the student is, the more difficult the questions will be. The end result is that the tests will likely be shorter but the score will be much more reliable and a better gauge or true academic achievement.

In summary, much is changing. And as I stated earlier I have much to learn to stay on top of all of the changes. This much I know, the job of teachers and educators in general is far more difficult than ever before.

This Is Rare Air We're Breathing

This a great time to be a Blue Devil! While South has always been known as a great school academically, we haven't had a reputation for being dominant in some of the major sports. Sure, we have an outstanding newspaper, choir and instrumental music programs and other shining stars, but when it comes to athletics it has usually been the minor sports that have taken the lead.

I say this because tomorrow our football team plays in the Final Four. You have to go back almost 50 years (the '54 team was recognized as State Champs prior to a playoff system) to find a team that has reached this level.

This year's team has been on a rare journey to get where they are. First of all, we squeaked into the playoffs after losing our last regular season game, but have consistently played better as we moved through the playoffs. The experts always say that you should finish strong, and there is no doubt we have peaked at the end of the season.

Today, we will have a pep assembly. That in itself is a rare occurrence. Typically, our only 'pep assembly' is during Spirit Week and the purpose of that assembly is to honor all of the fall sports, the Homecoming court, etc. This assembly will be different because the primary focus will be the football team. The impetus for the assembly came from the student body at large, not the football players or coaches.

What is typical at South is the success of many of our other fall sport teams. The girls are competing today at the State Meet in Swimming and Diving, and the girls just completed an outstanding season in Cross Country. Our boy's Tennis team also finished very high in the state rankings. But maybe the best of the group is our girl's Golf team. Not only are they one of the top teams in the state, they are also young with even brighter futures in front of them.

All in all, it's been a most successful fall sports season. It's gratifying to see school spirit beyond the norm, and fun to watch student-athletes achieve such high levels of success. I hope everyone associated with the school is as proud as I am to be a Blue Devil.

Go South!

Day of Reckoning

Why the title? Isn't that kind of gloom and doom?

At South, it probably is. But for some students that have been underachieving or at least less than attentive, there may be a day of reckoning soon. I'm referring to the fact that report cards will be sent home with students for the 1st quarter in a couple of days.

By and large, South students do very well in their classes. There is strong support and high expectations from home, and that is carried over into the classroom by students. We are also blessed to have dedicated teachers that hold these same high expectations for students. The end result is a school where the majority of the student body is adequately and effectively preparing themselves for life after high school.

Since the advent of Pinnacle and Parent Connect, it is easy for parents to monitor the progress of their sons and daughters. If you choose, you can watch their attendance on a daily basis and make note of any missing assignments in class. For the parent that is invested in their child's education, the degree of transparency has never been greater. It's a far cry from the 'old days'.

I remember when the first update of a student's potential grade came with progress reports at mid-quarter. Until then, parents were often left in the dark unless they made a conscious effort to contact the teachers. And it was often too late by the time the progress report arrived home to make an improvement in the quarter grade.

Thankfully, those days are long gone. The level of accountability has dramatically increased over the last decade--for everyone. Students, teachers and even parents are held more responsible for the level of achievement, and much more promptly. It is a result of the "No Child Left Behind" legislation and the fact that technological advances makes access to data so much more available.

For your son and daughter, I hope it's a day of celebration at your house when the report card hits home. It will likely mean that all of us have been doing our job.