Fords Middle School recognized School Violence Awareness Week from October 21-25, 2024. This is an annual week dedicated to acknowledging violence prevention and school safety, as well as promoting social and emotional learning. Throughout the week, the video morning announcements highlighted important aspects of safety and encouraged students to find healthy ways to address emotions. Students and staff also participated in daily activities to reinforce the importance of a safe and inclusive school environment.
On Monday, October 21, FMS acknowledged our security team, particularly our security officer, Mr. Sanchez, who ensures that all safety measures are in place at FMS. Students took time on Monday to show their appreciation to Mr. Sanchez for making our school a safe place. Faculty and staff also wore kindness shirts with encouraging messages, and students were encouraged to perform random acts of kindness throughout the day and week to spread positivity throughout the building.
Tuesday, October 22 was a day to address stress, which can contribute to aggressive behavior. Students were taught to take time today to ACT calm.
• A – Acknowledge angry feelings. Notice changes in your body.
• C – Calm down by closing your eyes and thinking of five things you can see, five things you can hear, and five things you can touch.
• T – Think about how you feel and find ways to fix it. Talk to someone if you need help!
In Language Arts class on Tuesday, students were shown a video from the Woodbridge Police Department that focused on bullying as well as recognizing, preventing, and responding to acts of violence.
On Wednesday, October 23, students and staff wore FMS spirit gear or the school’s colors of blue and white to represent unity. Students were also taught that feeling angry is a normal emotion, but how we handle it can either bring peace or create violence. Talking about ways to resolve a problem without fighting included using humor, asking someone for help, or even just walking away to create some distance and an opportunity to pause before reacting in an angry way.
Thursday, October 24 involved students signing the anti-racism pledge during lunch. All students deserve to feel safe at school, and signing the pledge is a show of solidarity against bullying and disrespect. Students were also made aware of three steps that our teachers take to cultivate a safe environment, which include building positive relationships through communication with students and parents, promoting class discussions and positive peer interactions, and creating a sense of order and routine.
On Friday, October 25, students were taught that kindness reduces the effects of stress. One way to show kindness is to share our kind thoughts with someone else. For example, someone may need encouragement when trying something new or challenging. We could reassure someone after a setback. Simple notes expressing gratitude, or a compliment are great ways to show kindness. Students took time today to write a kind note to someone else.
