No Bully Program to Launch in Providence
PROVIDENCE: Providence Public School District today announced the adoption of the No Bully program (www.nobully.org) in seven of its elementary and middle schools. The program, which uses the power of empathy to stop and prevent student bullying, is made possible through the generosity of Hasbro, Inc. and its BE FEARLESS BE KIND philanthropic initiative. BE FEARLESS BE KIND (www.befearlessbekind.org) is designed to empower kids to have the compassion and courage to stand up for others, to be inclusive and to make a difference in the world.
According to the non-profit organization No Bully, “Positive psychology and evolutionary biology indicate that all youth, including those involved in bullying, demonstrate compassion and inclusiveness when their school invests in the culture that support these behaviors.”
Schools participating in the program include: Bailey Elementary School, Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School, Carl G. Lauro Elementary School, George J. West Elementary School, DelSesto Middle School, Esek Hopkins Middle School and West Broadway Middle School.
No Bully is training school personnel to recognize and interrupt student bullying through school-wide and targeted interventions. A core team of teachers at each school site are learning to become Solution Coaches® and bring together Solution Teams® of students to become proficient in resolving incidents of bullying and harassment. Throughout the year, parents will be invited to attend workshops across the city where they can also learn how to prevent their child from being a bully or a target.
Superintendent of Providence Public Schools Christopher Maher said, “The No Bully program is an ideal fit for Providence Schools, and we are tremendously grateful to Hasbro for making this partnership possible. The program not only expands upon the work we are already doing to combat bullying and cyberbullying, but it also fits well with our districtwide work in social emotional learning. As students learn to be more respectful and compassionate toward each other, they help to build a nurturing and supportive culture in which deep learning can take place.”
Bringing the No Bully program to Providence Public Schools represents an expansion of Hasbro’s support for the program. Previously, it has sponsored the program’s implementation in Pawtucket Public Schools.
«As a company dedicated to making the world a better place for children and their families, Hasbro is passionate about helping young people develop empathy, create a more inclusive world, and make a difference through our BE FEARLESS BE KIND initiative,” said Karen Davis, Hasbro’s senior vice president of Global Philanthropy and Social Impact. “We have seen the difference the No Bully program makes to help reduce the rates of bullying in school communities and are proud to bring this innovative, empathy-based program to the Providence Public School District.”