Safe Schools Week Theme for 2018: 'Be Incredible'

Every third week of October, which is Bullying Prevention Month, schools across Kentucky have an opportunity to partner with their local lawmakers, first responders and community to observe Kentucky Safe Schools Week. The week provides an opportunity to raise awareness of school safety issues while discussing and enhancing initiatives at the local and state level. 

This year's theme for October 21-27 is "BE INCREDIBLE, Reveal Your Superhero!" with an emphasis on students. Put simply, being incredible is being the best you can possibly be. Every student has incredible super skills and talents that make them unique and strong. The Kentucky Center for School Safety asks students to band together with school staff and the community to create a safe "family-like" culture at school. Incredible super powers can be used fighting against bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, conflict, hate and violence while spreading empathy, compassion and respect. 

As quoted from the Disney "Incredibles 2" movie "It's time to make some wrong things right, help us bring Supers back into the sunlight." 

Fighting to solve these issues may be as easy as leaving an online tip, where students can be a "Silent Hero" and help without fear of retaliation. The Kentucky Center for School Safety offers to partner with schools and provide a "free" online reporting tool, the S.T.O.P! TIPLINE. It encourages students, parents or community members who know of an unsafe situation in school to anonymously pass on that information to school personnel in a digital format. Check it out at www.kycss.org/stop/resources.php

During Safe Schools Week, the KCSS website supplies a variety of teaching aids, along with the online pledge against bullying and a Kentucky Safe Schools Week Tool Kit. It's loaded with resources such as daily announcements, activity pages, PowerPoint presentations, lessons, videos, scenarios, interactive websites and much more.  Resources will also be available for school administrators, parents and community involvement at www.kysafeschools.org/ssw.php 

This year's online pledge against bullying highlights the word SUPER and the qualities necessary to bring "Supers" into the sunlight! 

S-Strong, U-Understanding, P-Powerful, E-Encouraging and R-Respectful! 

www.kysafeschools.org/sswpledge