Bulletin #20 | February 5th, 2020

Three years ago, we introduced the Say Something program in our Middle and High Schools. This program was created by a US national non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.

Say Something has proved to be a highly successful prevention program across the US. The fact is that in 80% of all school shootings, at least one other person knows of the threat before the incident occurs.

 

With the growth of social media, communities are finding new ways to hear cries for help from children, as well as the proud boasts of those participating in risky behavior that feel compelled to share with their friends online. There are so many platforms and so many opportunities for social connections online that schools cannot simply rely on watching students for erratic behavior in the classrooms anymore.

 

Say Something teaches students how to look for warning signs of risky or threatening behavior. It helps teach us that we are all safer as a school and community if we help each other identify risks that we may face or that our friends and others may be facing themselves for the choices they make.
If we know that someone is putting themselves or others at risk by their behavior, we should not be silent witnesses. Bullying, domestic abuse, drink/driving, drugs, eating disorders, stealing and a whole host of other behaviors put someone somewhere at risk. It is a shared responsibility of us all to report these things so that we can help victims, and help to prevent their repetition.

 

We have a confidential reporting system through our JFK Website: https://www.jfk.edu.mx/Bully_Report/ to advise us of risky behavior and situations in which we can help students at risk. Advising a trusted adult is not telling tales, it is a way to assume responsibility and permit us to intervene when there are concerns about student well-being.

Our hope is to build a culture of looking out for one another and reporting possible concerns when someone sees, reads, or hears something, so that we can all help avoid tragedies and inappropriate behavior.

 

Say Something has already helped us at JFK and we have intervened in many situations such as bullying, eating disorders, drug use, problems at home and even provided guidance for students simply looking for help or advice by using our online reporting system.

We will continue to work to help our whole community understand the importance of looking out for each other and we hope that more families will help us share the message that the school can help in many ways. Silence is not usually the best solution.

• The Great Kindness Challenge. We had a wonderful time last week celebrating kindness in a variety of ways. Many students brought gestures of kindness to classmates and teachers, we had lots of parent volunteers to help with integration activities at recess, and we finished the week off by welcoming some students from the Boys’ Home, “La Providencia”. Our community collected powdered milk to donate to them and they shared a delicious breakfast and craft activity with K3C. Let’s keep spreading kindness all year long!
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  Valentine’s Day. We will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a friendship book exchange. The teachers will create an exchange list and each child should buy a book for his or her friend ($150 pesos limit). Please bring your wrapped and labeled book no later than February 12th in order to be ready for the exchange on February 14th.

• AMANC is the Queretaro association helping children battle cancer. Here are some things you may or may not know about JFK’s collaboration with AMANC:
  • We have been a partner with AMANC for over 15 years
  • AMANC was founded after our JFK Elementary School student, Michelle, lost her battle with cancer.
  • Student council supports projects proposed by classmates to support this wonderful cause.
  • Next Friday February 14th , AMANC will host the International Childhood Cancer Day in the Parque Bicentenario.
  • Miss Luza, volunteer parents, and volunteer JFK students will share delicious tamarindo apples with the children from AMANC and will also decorate Valentine’s Day cookies together (also, a group of JFK students will help our AMANC friends learn how to make clay dolls).
• For more information on how you may support AMANC, visit https://www.amancqueretaro.org/