Bullying — persistent, aggressive behavior among school aged children — has received considerable public attention recently after several high-profile cases resulted in the deaths of young victims.
The Lake of the Woods Democratic Club will examine this troubling social phenomenon at its meeting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16, in the lower level of the LOW Clubhouse.
Alison Walden, school counselor at Locust Grove Middle School, will talk about bullying in Orange County Schools and describe what is being done locally to address the issue.
The Orange County School Division uses components of a bullying-prevention program called Olweus for about five years. The program, which was developed by Dr. Dan Olweus, research professor of psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway, works to build positive relationships among students and involves all students, not just those who are being bullied or who are bullying others. The importance of support from parents and guardians, faculty and staff and members of the general public in preventing bullying is also addressed.
Orange County Schools’ Web site states “The staff of Orange County Public Schools is committed to creating a safe school environment, free of bullying and harassment.”
Ms. Walden, who lives in Charlottesville, has been a school counselor for 22 years and has been at Locust Grove Middle School since it opened. Prior to that she taught 6th and 4th grades at Prospect Heights School for 14 years.
She has four degrees, including a master’s degree and an educational specialist degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and bachelor’s degrees from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and Hollins University in Roanoke.
Ms. Walden is a sustaining member of the Junior League in Charlottesville, a member of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Foundation and is an elector of Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick.
Guests are welcome.
For more information, please follow the links below: