NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Three City School District of New Rochelle schools made it loud and clear that bullying has no place in the New Rochelle community, and that inclusion and positivity are more than welcome.
Isaac E. Young Middle School and Daniel Webster Magnet School both celebrated Start with Hello Week, a program that teaches students how to include peers who may be dealing with chronic social isolation, a growing epidemic in the U.S., whereby students experience overwhelming feelings of being left out, lonely, or treated like they’re invisible. Albert Leonard Middle School was visited by representatives from STOMP Out Bullying, which recognized the school’s anti-bullying efforts.
IEYMS kicked off its week with Say “HEY” Day, challenging students to say hello to five people they’d never talked to before. On Tuesday, smiley face stickers, decorated lockers and handwritten notes were everywhere for Make Someone Smile Day. Wednesday’s Positivity Challenge charged students to leave messages of positivity throughout the building for all to see. And, Mix it Up Thursday had students sitting next to someone new during classes and lunch, along with a Get to Know You Scavenger Hunt.
“Isaac is fortunate to have an amazing group of students,” said Dr. Tawanda Robinson, Assistant Principal at Isaac E. Young, who was decked out in green on Friday (with the rest of her school) to show school pride on Wear Green Day. “They truly embody the spirit of what we want for all of our children – to be respectful, loving, kind people who take care of one another.”
Webster’s Start with Hello Week began with Everyone Says Hello Monday, when students donned name tags and greeted one another by name. They were encouraged to make new buddies on No One Eats Alone Tuesday, and more green pride was on display for Everyone Wears Green Wednesday. Play with Someone New/Alone Thursday continued to foster the school’s sense of inclusion.
“Start with Hello empowers students by giving them the know-how and techniques to be proactive in creating a culture of inclusion and connectedness in their community,” said Webster Principal Melissa A. Passarelli.
The week at Webster culminated with teachers discussing the book Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? by author Carol McCloud. Students will spend next week “filling their buckets” by doing acts of kindness in their school community.
At Albert Leonard Middle School, a hallway nicknamed “Anti-Bullying Lane” was plastered with posters that encouraged students to celebrate differences, deescalate tense moments with humor, and to exercise respect when using social media. An adjacent corridor, “Upstander Boulevard,” reflects the school’s motto: Be An Upstander, Not A Bystander. A once stark wall in a stairwell now features a mural by father-daughter artists Larry and Cassidy Minetti, with the message: One Word Can Change Someone’s Entire Day.
National nonprofit STOMP Out Bullying was at the school Monday to present Principal John Barnes the organization’s first-ever Principal of the Year honor.
“At Albert Leonard, we encourage students to be thoughtful about one another,” said Barnes. “To think about the child who feels left out; who might need someone to reach out to them. We try to instill the Golden Rule, treat others the way you would want to be treated.”
As for the mural, students say it reminds them that words hold power; it is a daily inspiration to stand up against bullying in all its forms.
Albert Leonard student Jonathan Alvarez said, “It inspires kids when they look at that mural; that one word could change a kid’s day entirely.”