Feeling safe at Forest Road

“Words hurt.” That was the message for students at Forest Road School recently, which hosted a “Box Out Bullying” assembly.

Jeremy Rubenstein, who founded the Box Out Bullying program in 2008 and visited Shaw Avenue School last year, spread his anti-bullying message to nearly 300 children at Forest Road on Sept. 28. Rubenstein’s presentation taught students about empathy and identified the traits of bullying. He also encouraged students to include others who feel left out.

The assembly, which was sponsored by the PTA, is just one part of the school’s character education programs. Principal Erin Malone said she and PTA officials want the anti-bullying message to be heard year round at the school. “Even though it’s not a large problem at Forest Road,” she said, “there are some incidents that do occur.”

Students said they heard the anti-bullying message loud and clear. Second-grader Lauren Perkins said that she learned it’s important not to bully others or call someone else names because they could feel bad. Rather, she said, it’s important to play fairly and be a friend. “I want to go to a place where everyone’s nice to each other,” she said.

Manas Verma, also a second-grader, said that if students should tell an adult if they see someone being bullied. Rubenstein’s presentation taught children the difference between telling and being a tattletale.

For second-grader Matthew Campbell, he learned about empathy — knowing how someone else feels. It’s important to have empathy, he said, “so you can be a better person.”

PTA Co-President Onika McDonald said that the Box Out Bullying presentation seemed to get the students’ attention. “The message is very important,” she said. “It’s something that has to be addressed throughout the school year.”

McDonald noted that there was also a meeting for parents that night to address issues of bullying in the home, often between siblings. She said when that behavior is allowed at home, it can often carry over into school.

Malone said the school’s efforts are not just to point out the negative effects of bullying. Students are learning how to be good citizens both in and out of school. Each month at Forest Road, there will be a focus on one positive character trait. For September, it was kindness, and children were recognized in front of others for their good deeds. “We wanted to start with kindness,” she said. “We wanted to start off the year on the right foot.”

When students come to Forest Road, Malone wants students to feel good about themselves. But she also wants them to behave in a way so others feel good, as well. “I want kids to realize that as part of a community, they can have a positive effect or a negative effect. I want them to choose a positive effect.”