Back to School Block Party with Anti-Bullying Rally

The countdown to back to school is on, and with a new school year comes fresh starts and new beginnings. In an effort to get teens in the Billings area and beyond ready for the school year and to get things started on a positive note, Rimrock Mall is hosting a Back to School Block Party with a 'Words Hurt' anti-bullying rally on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at 12-4pm in the mall’s parking lot near 24th Street.

The event will include a special message from local teen, Silke Adams who will be sharing how bullying has impacted her life. Representatives will also be on hand providing anti-bullying and suicide prevention resources to teens.

This event is not only a rally, but also a party, so your teen can expect live music from Reid Perry, Jessica Lechner, and Hugh Healow. There will be pizza, soda, games, a fashion show, swag bags, prizes, and more!

Consider this a call for all teens to come out and kick off the back to school season right while taking a “Stand Against Bullying”!

Stop Bullying:

For more information on Billings School District 2’s ‘Stand Against Bullying’ policies, you can check out the website, here.
Check out stopbullying.gov for tips for talking with your children about bullying and keeping the lines of communication open.

Tips from a Local Mom:

As part of an interview in SFM’s August 2015 issue on Making this school year POSITIVE: Schools and families working together, (pgs 24-27), a local mom (who requested her name not be used) offered some additional tips on dealing with a bullying situation:

Determine the best person to talk with to take steps towards resolving the situation. She notes that in elementary school things can typically be taken care of by talking to the teacher, however if your child is in Junior High/High School, you’ll need to go to the principal or the school’s resource officer.
Act sooner rather than later. Waiting can allow the situation to escalate; deepening the effects to your child.
Open communication with your child/ren can make a big difference. Knowing what’s happening on the daily will allow you to take action sooner rather than later.
While it’s important for our children to be able to use their voice and how to take a stand for themselves, they also need to be supported by her/his parent. “Parents need to be persistent in following up with school administration to be sure the situation is resolved.”
Stay calm! Staying calm and rational will help you to get the best outcome for your child.
Monitor your kids’ phone/social media. “Checking their texts and what is posted on the social media they are exposed to allows you to be sure what they are sending and receiving is appropriate…Some parents might feel checking up on their child’s social media is an invasion of their privacy; they may not realize they may be helping to save their child’s life.”

REPORT IT! Billings School District 2’s Harassment / Intimidation / Bullying / Hazing Incident Reporting Form (to be sure you have the district’s most current form, go to: www.billingsschools.org and click on the Stand With Us Against Bullying image).