Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 21, 2009 Franklin Lakes District observes Violence Awareness Week by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes K-8 school system is providing its students with lesson plans and other activities during School Violence Awareness Week from Oct. 19 to 23. The week has also been designated as Red Ribbon Week in honor of an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent who was slain trying to control drug and alcohol use. Students in grades K-2 will explore how to solve problems during a conflict and how to respond when someone is unkind. Students will also be taught how to handle bullying by using role-play situations. In the K-5 elementary schools, all teachers will present lesson plans on violence awareness related topics. There will also be character education and lessons by a counselor and classroom teacher along with assorted book suggestions. In grades 1-2, there will be lessons in respect, manners and communication; saying “no” to a friend; and character education lessons addressing respect and tolerance by accepting differences. In grades 3-5, there will be lessons in conflict resolution; bullying and how to respond; respect and being a good friend; what a peaceable classroom means; anger management by reviewing what anger looks like and how to respond to it in positive ways; and double “D” behaviors that are dangerous and destructive. As part of Red Ribbon Week, a Municipal Alliance sponsored program will be presented with classroom lessons provided by a counselor who will focus on being drug free for grades four and five, and Healthy Choices for students in kindergarten through third grade. During the week, there will be a school-wide caring community theme emphasizing the six pillars of character education: kindness, respect, responsibility, honesty, trustworthiness, and citizenship. There will also be ongoing counseling for students with emotional, behavioral, or social problems; and a “Mix-it-Up at Lunch Day” during which there will be a program created to promote acceptance. Detective Jeff Jost, the Franklin Lakes Police Department’s juvenile officer, will visit classrooms to address violence and safety issues and to present information about the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program. The caring community theme will be incorporated into daily activities and through theme assemblies. At the Franklin Avenue Middle School, sixth graders will attend activities designed to create positive relationships and avoid violence, and there will be general meetings with students to discuss improvement of atmosphere. Anti-bullying posters will be displayed outside homerooms of grades seven and eight, and the organization of the Peer Leadership Corps trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania will focus on leadership techniques, communication, counseling, and activity planning. A pledge to stay drug free will be coordinated during lunches and there will be a “Mix-it-Up Day” in the cafeteria. During the week, there will be PTA-sponsored activities teaching drug abuse and violence prevention and ongoing health lessons by a certified health teacher in safety and violence prevention. There will also be ongoing counseling for students with emotional, behavioral, or social problems and there will be police visits to classrooms to address violence and safety issues. District-wide school violence prevention will also be discussed at the PTA Presidents Meeting and the School Administrators Meeting and time will be spent on a School Security and Violence presentation at the school forum meetings. Needlecraft School (continued from page 3) powdered drinks, puzzles, holiday or greeting cards, stationery, hard candy, gum, etc. Due to the success of the program, Needlecraft Director Ginny Fawcett is also looking for donations of clean, washable polyfill or funds to purchase it, and volunteers able to pick up a shipment in Danbury, CT and others able to divide up a large shipment into manageable units. Anyone able to help is asked to contact Fawcett 201444-2976 or stop in at the school across from the Midland Park Post Office, 216 Godwin Ave., Midland Park. Further information may be found on the website, www. needlecraftschool.org.