Tuesday Apr 24, 2012
We commend the Sioux City Journal for its bold opinion piece in response to a recent teen suicide. The response enveloped the entire front page of its April 22, 2012 Sunday paper. It is time for all of us, across the country, to take the opportunity to reflect on this latest, tragic loss of a young life and the strong response by The Journal.
http://tinyurl.com/7l7rp3x
Kenneth Weishuhn, may he rest in peace, was a 14-year-old boy at South O’Brien High School who killed himself after repeated harrassment for coming out to his friends about being gay. We agree in particular with the Editors’ conclusion: How many times has each of us witnessed an act of bullying and said little or nothing — because we feel it’s not our responsibility? When will we realize we are all in this together?
But we respectfully disagree with the Editors on a key point. While we believe schools should be key partners in a serious effort to drive the kind of change our children deserve, we strongly believe that parents must be the leaders and drivers of this change. Now.
As parents, we are our children’s first, best, and forever teachers. Our children model the behavior they see from us at home from their earliest years. As behavior expectations continue to slacken at home, schools face steeper challenges in teaching our children — and it is time for schools to speak up. When schools see parents who fail to recognize their responsibilities and who fail to contribute to the peace in our school communities, action should be taken by school leaders in concert with parent leaders to compel these families to understand the gravity of their decisions — and how they impact us all. And parents, as difficult as it is, we must speak up to our own fellow parents as well. Too many times we fall silent as adults, speaking in hushed tones in parking lots or on our cell phones about the negative behavior of others. We need to find the courage to speak up in our communities, peacefully but assertively.
Why does the issue of bullying continue to draw such raw reactions from so many across our fair land? Because we have yet to see — as adults, as a society — that we are all bullies, all targets, all bystanders. We have yet to grasp this concept as we stand witness to funeral after funeral, and in tearful conversations at kitchen tables night after night all over our communities. When will we come to understand that we are all part of this ongoing painful problem and therefore ALL part of the solution?
As the Journal beautifully stated: Stand up. Be heard. And don’t back down. Together, we can put a stop to bullying.
Wednesday Mar 21, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
6:30-8:00PM
Mark Twain Elementary School
7500 Braes Blvd, Houston 77025
ALL ARE WELCOME!
We LOVE sports. They can and should be a lot of fun. They can teach perseverance, teamwork, and discipline. They can be a group or individual experience and can provide unique opportunities to use your talents to represent your school, or even your country. They provide a platform for developing natural leadership — at every age. And we LOVE recess. Time out in the fresh air is important for our kids’ growth, development, and well-being.
As positive as they are intended to be, athletics and recess can also be breeding grounds for bullying behavior, hypercompetitiveness, and distress for kids — and adults — in our communities. Since our early days, we have wanted to extend our philosophy and approach to the fields, courts, pools, gyms, pitches, baseball diamonds — and playgrounds — in our neighborhoods. We are now excited to begin that process, with verve. And we want to start this important work by engaging you, our +Community, in an open discussion of this hot topic.
Join an important +Town Hall meeting on +Athletics and +Recess on Tuesday, April 17. We will open with a brief presentation by students, parents, and educators on how +Works is coming alive in our +Community of Schools and segue into a substantive +Community discussion about applying the +Works core philosophy to the world of youth athletics and recess. Get in on the ground floor and help us develop what we hope will be meaningful additions to our initiative and a positive contribution to our neighborhoods, schools, and communities.
BEING PART OF THE PROCESS — MAKES YOU PART OF THE PROGRESS. BE WITH US FOR +TALK V.
For more information, please contact +Works CEO Sarah Fisher at aware@positivethinkingworks.org.
Thursday Feb 9, 2012
120 PEOPLE ATTENDED +TALK III. WILL YOU JOIN THE +CONVERSATION THIS THURSDAY?
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: MRS. CATHY MUSCO GARCIA-PRATS
Thursday, March 1, 2012
6:30-8:00PM
Roberts Elementary School
6000 Greenbriar Street, Houston 77030
FREE +PARENTING GUIDE CD TO ALL ATTENDEES!
“It all comes down to resilience.” We hear this from educators and even employers of recent college grads. To be productive, happy adults, kids need to learn to bounce back from life’s hard knocks — and to deal with life’s everyday mundaneness. To do this, we, as parents, need to get out of the way.
Join us as we explore the observation that our generation of parents can and should do a better job of raising resilient kids. Why do so many of us rush into the sandbox when a shovel is taken away, into the teacher if our child is teased once or twice, or into the principal’s office with a lawyer’s approach when our child has been caught making a mistake? Is this a reaction to the way we were raised? A byproduct of today’s hypercompetitive society? Both — or something else? How can we support each other as parents, schools, and a community so that we can raise kids ready to face the world as adults — with verve? Please bring your reflections and questions and join in a +Community discussion entitled: Bounce Back: The Importance of Raising Resilient Kids.
Our keynote speaker will be Mrs. Cathy Musco Garcia-Prats, mother of ten boys and author of several books, including Good Sons Don’t Just Happen, and with her husband Dr. Joseph Garcia-Prats, Good Families Don’t Just Happen. Both books will be available for sale (cash or check) at +Talk IV for $16.25 (includes tax).
Our distinguised panel will include:
• Dr. Adiaha Franklin, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine; Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital and +Parenting/+Teaching Guide contributor
• Mrs. Rita Graves, Principal, Roberts Elementary School, HISD
• Mr. John Morris, LMSW-ACP, LMFT, marriage and family therapist and +Parenting/+Teaching Guide contributor
• Mr. Daniel Echeverri, student at Rice University and participant in +Works’ Race to Nowhere +Panel discussion.
ADMISSION FREE to +Roundtable schools parents/staff:
• St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• St. Paul’s School
• Pershing Middle School
• Durham Elementary School
• St. Michael Catholic School
• Kolter Elementary School
• Roberts Elementary School
• The Awty International School
All are welcome. ADMISSION $5 for other members of our community.
Come to this +Talk, the fourth in a series of five this school year, and find out why it is important that we ALL — Dads, Moms, teachers, coaches, principals, students — take time to get informed in order to get AHEAD of bullying and create +Upstanding Communities.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Fisher
CEO, +Works
aware@positivethinkingworks.org
Thursday Jan 5, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
6:30-8:00PM
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
6802 Buffalo Speedway, Houston 77025
Technology shapes our lives today in a way we could never have imagined as children ourselves. It is an exciting time, although the knowledge gap many of us feel as parents can be daunting! How do we balance our need for our children to be prepared for their future with our desire to keep them safe? How do we engage them in this ever-expanding world and somehow protect their privacy? What are our responsibilities as parents? Why is it important to tune in to, support, and assist our children in developing the critical thinking skills needed to navigate these new waters?
Join us for a presentation and panel discussion that will address the opportunity we have as a community to teach our children the importance of “digital wellness” and digital citizenship and the weighty consequences that can hang in the balance when we find ourselves falling behind our children in this compelling, new digital world. Our expert panel will include:
Amy Acosta, PhD, Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine and Licensed Professional Psychologist, Texas Children’s Hospital
Larry Kahn, Chief Technology Officer, The Kinkaid School
Special Agent Amanda Hinton, Houston FBI Cyber Crime Squad
ALL are welcome! FREE admission to +Works’ nine +School members. $5 for other community members.
ADMISSION FREE to +Roundtable schools parents/staff:
• St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• St. Paul’s School
• Pershing Middle School
• Durham Elementary School
• St. Michael Catholic School
• Kolter Elementary School
• Roberts Elementary School
• The Awty International School
ADMISSION $5 for other members of our community — ALL ARE WELCOME!
Come to this +Talk, the third in a series of five this school year, and find out why it is important that we ALL — Dads, Moms, teachers, coaches, principals, students — take time to get informed in order to get AHEAD of bullying and create +Upstanding Communities.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Fisher
CEO, +Works
aware@positivethinkingworks.org
Wednesday Dec 7, 2011
DATE: January 4, 2012, from 7:00 – 8:30PM
VENUE: The Awty International School, 7455 Awty School Lane, Houston, Texas 77055
+PANEL:
Elizabeth Newlin, MD, Medical/Program Director Adolescent Treatment Program, Menninger Clinic and Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
William J. Hogan, Jr., MD, FAAP, Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates
Mrs. Robin Lowe, Principal, Pershing Middle School, HISD
Ms. Debra Fischer, Director, St. Paul’s School
To get ahead of America’s bullying crisis, we need to be informed about the issue from many angles. This includes understanding normal behavior for a child’s particular age. When we know a negative, bullying-related behavior is normal, we can deal with it as a parent, educator, or coach in a more effective manner. Knowledge is the path to progress and peace. Bring your questions and join in a discussion with our experienced panel of mental health, pediatric, and educational experts to discuss Child Development: What’s Normal For The Age?
ADMISSION FREE to +Roundtable schools parents/staff:
• St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• St. Paul’s School
• Pershing Middle School
• Durham Elementary School
• St. Michael Catholic School
• Kolter Elementary School
• Roberts Elementary School
• The Awty International School
ADMISSION $5 for other members of our community — ALL ARE WELCOME!
Come to this +Talk, the second in a series of five this school year, and find out why it is important that we ALL — Dads, Moms, teachers, coaches, principals, students — take time to get informed in order to get AHEAD of bullying and create +Upstanding Communities.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Fisher
CEO, +Works
aware@positivethinkingworks.org
Tuesday Nov 8, 2011
+Talk I to Be Held Wednesday, November 30, from 6:30 – 8:00PM at Pershing Middle School, 3838 Blue Bonnet Blvd, Houston
+TOPIC:
BULLYING — WHY WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
+SPEAKERS:
Dr. Stuart Twemlow, international bullying expert & +Works Medical Director
Sarah Fisher & Trish Morille, +Works Co-Founders
ADMISSION FREE to +Roundtable schools parents/staff:
• St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• St. Paul’s School
• Pershing Middle School
• Durham Elementary School
• St. Michael Catholic School
• Kolter Elementary School
• Roberts Elementary School
• The Awty International School
ADMISSION $5 for other members of our community — ALL ARE WELCOME!
Bullying is not about a “bully” and a “victim” on the playground. Bullying is a social process that we enable as adults.
We are ALL part of the solution.
Come to this +Talk, the first in a series of five this school year, and find out why it is going to take ALL of us — Dads, Moms, teachers, coaches, principals, students, neighbors, business leaders, medical professionals — to get AHEAD of bullying and create +Upstanding Communities.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Fisher
CEO, +Works
aware@positivethinkingworks.org
Friday Nov 4, 2011
- (Left to right) Sarah Fisher, Deborah Williams, Chester Glaude, Trish Morille, Dr. Stuart Twemlow
+Team Reaches Nearly 1,000 Drivers and Attendants; Reframing the Issue Produces New Ideas for Driving Change In The Bus — And On The Road
HOUSTON, TEXAS — NOVEMBER 3, 2011 — +Works® (pronounced Positive Works), a Houston-based, parent-driven, nonprofit organization on a mission to get ahead of America’s bullying epidemic with positive talk and action, participated in a series of mandatory training sessions for all bus drivers and attendants in the Houston Independent School District this week. Mr. Chester Glaude, Senior Manager of Operations/ Transportation Services and Ms. Deborah Williams, HISD Transportation Project Manager, organized the training for the nearly 1,000 bus drivers and attendants in Texas’ largest school district.
“We want our drivers and attendants to understand that education begins with transportation and that they play a key role in the education and care of each and every child on their bus,” said Glaude. “When we heard the passion and compassion that the leaders of +Works bring to their work on the bullying issue, we were excited to partner with them on this important project.” Ms. Williams also feels a strong personal commitment to this project. “We want all children to feel comfortable and safe on our HISD school buses,” said Williams, an HISD graduate who has witnessed firsthand the impact of school bus bullying on children.
+Works Co-Founders
Sarah Fisher and
Trish Morille along with international bullying expert and +Works Medical Director
Dr. Stuart Twemlow, spoke to the drivers about a new way to frame the bullying issue. “We had a constructive conversation about what bullying is — a power struggle enabled by a bystanding audience — and the idea that we are all bullies, targets and bystanders. Because we play all the roles, we are truly all part of the solution,” said Twemlow, a retired psychiatrist who has conducted forty years of research on the subject and who has consulted extensively on community violence, including with the FBI on Columbine.
“We talked about resolving conflict in an assertive but constructive manner and how the adult driving the bus has a powerful role to play in the education of the children in their care while on the road. This opportunity begins with modeling the kind of behavior we want to see in our children and setting high expectations for them while they are on the bus.”
“There were many practical ideas generated by the drivers during these conversations,” said Fisher, CEO of +Works and one of the presenters. “Taking time to peel the onion on why a particular child is acting out, making sure everyone on the bus has a buddy to sit with, setting a clear expectation with children upfront for peaceful bus behavior, and sitting girls on one side of the bus and boys on the other were all ideas that came up in the group branistorming sessions,” said Fisher. “But the overwhelmingly consistent comment in all three sessions was the importance of parents in this process, and we couldn’t agree more. We, as parents, are our children’s first, best, and forever teachers. When we’re tired and overwhelmed, it can be tough to stay involved with our children. The truth is, this is exactly when it becomes most important,” she added.
+Works, which serves 6,600 school children and their families this year across nine public, private, and parochial schools in Houston, provided the training sessions to HISD Transportation on a pro bono basis. “In all the years I’ve consulted with schools on bullying, this is my first personal opportunity to speak with bus drivers. It is gratifying to speak with people who have in their bus a setting for creating real and powerful change in the lives of children. We only hear about the violence that erupts on school buses. We look forward to hearing more stories of upstanding and leadership behind the wheels and in the seats of HISD’s school buses in the future,” said Twemlow.
Wednesday Oct 12, 2011
St. Michael Catholic School, Roberts Elementary School, Kolter Elementary School, and Awty International School Join Program
+Works® to Impact 6,600 Houston Schoolchildren and Their Families This Year; Building +™Waiting List
HOUSTON, TX — OCTOBER 12, 2011 — +Works® (pronounced Positive Works), a Houston-based, parent-driven, nonprofit organization on a mission to get ahead of America’s bullying epidemic with positive talk and action, today announced its final roster of aspiring +™Schools for the 2011-12 school year. This roster, which includes public, private, and parochial schools in the Houston area, represents an intense grassroots effort begun in May 2010 and fueled by passionate parents, administrators, teachers, coaches, counselors, social workers, pediatricians, mental health practitioners and other concerned citizens to raise awareness of and break the frame on the bullying issue.
The +Works® +™School Distinction Program (2011-12)
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
St. Paul’s School
Mark Twain Elementary School
Pershing Middle School
Durham Elementary School
St. Michael Catholic School
Roberts Elementary School
Kolter Elementary School
Awty International School
Three-Year Process That Focuses on Fundamentals, Culture, and Sustainability
The +™School Distinction program is a three-year program designed to focus a school community’s attention on the importance of managing power dynamics and power struggles in a way that creates a high sense of well-being for everyone in the community, and for children in particular.
“A positive school is a school that children are excited to go to everyday,” said Dr. Stuart Twemlow, international school climate expert, author of the book Why School Antibullying Programs Don’t Work, and +Works Medical Director. “We believe it takes an entire community — parents, caregivers, educators, coaches, government, business and professional leaders — all working together to create this kind of environment for children. It is incredibly important work that, if taken seriously, can change the way a community sees itself and its responsibility to raise healthy, resilient, altruistic, and successful citizens.”
+Works opened up the application process for three additional schools this summer and decided to add a fourth due to the enthusiasm of the applicants. “Our new public, private, and parochial schools are eager to work together within their respective school communities but also within their wider Houston community,” said Sarah Fisher, CEO, +Works. “We saw tremendous leadership and buy-in from parents, administration, and staff in our new schools and are excited to work closely with each of them this year.”
“Our implementation of the +Works philosophy supports our goal to foster in our students the values of respect, responsibility, compassion, and acceptance,” said Mrs. Chris Skowronek, Principal of St. Michael Catholic School.
“As our children face cultural and social issues far different from those we faced as children, as adults, our tools must change too. We are thrilled to become part of the solution,” said Mrs. Rita Graves, Principal of Roberts Elementary School.
“We are very enthusiastic about our new partnership with +Works! The strong collaborative approach with deep involvement from parents will shape a mindset that will truly make a difference in the emotional well-being of all Kolter students,” said Mrs. Peggi Stewart, Principal of Kolter Elementary School.
“I am looking forward to the important role +Works will play in enhancing and meshing with the efforts of the entire Awty community as we seek to form outstanding young men and women who are respectful, resilient, understanding, and focused on the needs of others,” said Dr. Stephen Codrington, Headmaster of Awty International School.
The +Works approach is a three-phase process. +™Year/Level One focuses on fundamentals and cements the key program tenets with all members of the community. +™Parenting and +™Teaching Guides provide science-based information and tools to assist adults in finding a common language and platform upon which to discuss school/community climate issues, including bullying. +Works will present a series of +™Talks to school communities throughout this school year to spark positive community conversations. Annual evaluation, the formation of a +™Team, a unique visual reminder campaign, and monthly +™Roundtable meetings of school leaders round out the first year program.
+™Year/Level Two focuses on customizing to the school culture. Every school has unique values, traditions, and culture. The +Works program is a mindset, not a curriculum. In the second year, aspiring +™School teams will work to wrap their culture around the +Works mindset in a sustainable way that reflects their community’s individuality. In the spring of+™Year Two, school teams will present their creative community approaches to their +™Roundtable. +™Year/Level Three will focus on maintaining the positive mindset and ensuring that the newly established framework continues to evolve, stays fresh and relevant, and is sustainable over time.
Schools completing each level successfully will receive a banner. Schools achieving the +™School Distinction will receive a large +™School flag to fly above their school and the right to apply the +™School brand to their school materials for three years. Schools will evaluate annually and reapply every three years to maintain +™GoodStanding.
+™Waiting List Forming Now
+Works will continue to meet with interested schools throughout this school year and form a waiting list concurrent with its funding efforts. “We are actively seeking funding from corporations, private foundations, and individuals,” said Fisher. “We need significant funding to bring on paid staff to expand our school program in the quality manner in which it was started.” Co-Founders Fisher and Trish Morille will continue to work for +Works on a 100% pro bono basis. Interested schools or PTO/A’s should contact +Works at aware@positivethinkingworks.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Sarah Fisher, Co-Founder & CEO Tel: 832.260.3131 aware@positivethinkingworks.org
Trish Morille, Co-Founder & EVP Tel: 713.540.2529
Sunday Oct 9, 2011
A community is where your neighbors help you raise your children. Chick-fil-A at Holcombe and Buffalo Speedway invites you to join your neighbors for a +Community-building evening this Tuesday, October 11, from 6 – 8PM. There will be fun activities for children and an opportunity for parents/caregivers to learn more about +Works®, a parent-driven, grassroots nonprofit organization created to get AHEAD of bullying by building positive, upstanding communities. Our NEW, updated, 104-page +Parenting guide (CD) and our other +Family materials (including a NEW “From Negative to Positive to Peace” bumper sticker) are NOW available from this website (see Order +Works +Family Materials button in the upper right corner) and will also be available at this event. Please spread this +NEWS — and we hope to see you and yours this Tuesday night!
——————————————
What: +Works Community Night
When: Tuesday, October 11, 2011, 6-8 pm CDT
Where: Chick-fil-A Holcombe & Buffalo Speedway,
3101 West Holcombe, Houston
Thursday Oct 6, 2011
+Works is pleased to announce its new 104-page +™Parenting guide, now available on CD via this website (see “Order +Works +Family Materials” button) and at future +Works public events. This updated and “beefed up” guide reflects learnings from a year’s work that has included speaking with and listening to hundreds of parents, educators, pediatricians and mental health professionals — and a great deal of research on the subjects of bullying, school and community climate, child development, neuroscience, and public health.
“We are very proud of this new guide and hope it will spark authentic, fresh, and positive community discussions in our home town of Houston and beyond,” said Sarah Fisher, CEO of +Works. +Works has updated its +™Teaching guide for its aspiring +™Schools as well, following and furthering the organization’s original concept of promoting a consistent philosophy and messaging to children from home to homeroom. “We continue to believe that a community is a place where your neighbors help you raise your children. Getting on the same page as families and educators — recognizing that we are all in this together — is, we believe, the most effective way to get ahead of this issue,” said Fisher.
+™Parenting guides on CD cost $15 plus Texas state sales tax for Texas residents. The full +™Family membership costs $25 and includes a +™Parenting CD and a packet of +™Visuals, which place gentle reminders where negative behaviors tend to happen. +™Visual packets are also available separately for $15.
