Reporting First Semester

Must-dos at your school site:

Make readings/videos available to students and staff

Parent Letter and/or Newsletter to be posted/distributed to parents (Google Doc Version)

Recommended Reading:

PreK - 3rd

Tattlin' Madeline by Carol Cummings Ph.D. (K-3rd) (Difference between tattling and reporting)
Say Something by Peggy Moss (PreK-3rd) (Reporting can make a difference)
Don't Squeal Unless it is a Big Deal: A Tale of Tattletales by Jeanie Franz Ransom (1st-2nd) (How to behave in a true emergency)
Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story about Bullying by Becky McCain (1st-3rd)
Blue Cheese Breath and Stinky Feet by Catherine DePino (1st-3rd)

Books for Beginning of the Year Classroom Community Building

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten by Audrey Vernick (K)
This School Year Will Be the Best By Kay Winter (K-3rd) (Expectations)
You're Finally Here! by Melanie Watt (PreK-4th)
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg (PreK-6th)
The Name Jar by Yansook Choi (K-4th) (Acceptance)
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran (K-4th)
Back-To-School Rules by Laurie B. Friedman (K-4th)
How Full is Your Bucket? for Kids by Tom Rath (K-6th)
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig (K-6th)
The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School By Albert Lorenz (1st-4th)

4th-6th

Books for Beginning of the Year Classroom Community Building

You're Finally Here! by Melanie Watt (PreK-4th)
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg (PreK-6th)
The Name Jar by Yansook Choi (K-4th) (Acceptance)
Back-To-School Rules by Laurie B. Friedman (K-4th)
How Full is Your Bucket? for Kids by Tom Rath (K-6th)
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig (K-6th)
The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School By Albert Lorenz (1st-4th)
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Middle and High school:

Confessions of a Former Bully Trudy Ludwig (4th-7th)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (4th-7th)
The Girls by Amy Goldman Koss (5th-8th)
Queen Bees and Wannabees by Rosalind Wisemen (Suggestion: To be read by the parents at the same time) (Girl Culture)
Masterminds and Wingmen by Rosalind Wisemen (Suggestion: To be read by the parents at the same time) (Boy Culture)
Asking an Adult for Help (Article)

Staff & Parent:

Videos:

Classroom Rules (All students)

Text-A-Tip (7th - 12th grade)

Safe2Tell (Middle School)

Safe2Tell (PreK - 6th grade)

Hand-outs:

Red Alerts or Red Alert (editable version) (To be distributed to all students and Taught to all students)

Anonymous Reporting (To be distributed to all students and Taught to all students)

Tattling vs Telling (PreK - 6th grade)

Activities for Community Building for the beginning of the school year:

Puzzles: Sometimes a simple puzzle is all it takes. Puzzles are an easy group task that you can use as a team effort. Sort students into small groups, and give each group a puzzle to complete. The first team to complete their puzzle gets a prize, or just bragging rights. Either way, it’s a simple and easy activity that will get them working together.
Ball Toss Name Game: Students sit in a circle and take turns tossing a large, soft ball. As they toss the ball, they say the name of the person who is to catch it. Play proceeds until the names of the children are well-known.
Building a Tower or Bridge: There are so many variations of this activity, and all of them are fun. Provide students with materials to build a tower or bridge, set the rules for how the design must be constructed, and watch them collaborate to meet a goal. Inexpensive materials, such as popsicle sticks, toothpicks, straws, gumdrops, marshmallows, rubber bands, spaghetti noodles, are popular items to provide