Stand up for your school.

Aviara Oaks Middle School is the take-off zone to success.  Walk around campus and smiling students can be seen all over campus.  ASB is hosting pie eating contests at lunch, students are catapulting in math, and shooting off bottle rockets in science. The drama class recently returned from a well deserved trip to Universal Studies while the track team and the AOMS surf team brought back to campus a boat load of trophies. We all revving up to the finish of a fantastic school year.

However,  in all the hoopla and the fast paced lifestyle of AOMS academics a middle school student may hit a bump in the road.  With many students on campus it is possible that someone might get under your skin.  However, sending back mean spirited words is never the answer.  Really, it's not.  Saying mean things to another student does not solve the problem.

On the other hand, if you are the recipient of the mean words or if you hear another student treated poorly it is important that you stand up and do something.  This  is your school.  It is, and always will be, what you make of it.  By saying nothing because you don't want to upset someone means that you are allowing the behavior to not only continue, but worse yet--become the norm.  Stand up to bullying in three easy steps.

1.  Take the victim away from the scene.
Be a good friend and strong role model.  Take the student under the arm or over the shoulder and walk them away from the abuse. 

2.  Make sure that the victim is alright.
Start by giving the student a compliment.  Say something nice to the student and let them know that what was said was hurtful and untrue.

3.  Encourage the student to report the incident.
If you feel strong enough here.  You could try to positively fix the situation.  Let the bully know that what they did was wrong and needs to stop.  Either way, tell the student to report the incident.  This can be done to any adult on campus or by anonymously calling 888-580-8477 or by texting
274637.  


You are in control of your school.  So take the necessary steps to be the change that you want to see on campus.