Quote of the Week: “The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little ways, every day.” ~David Foster Wallace
Coordinator’s Message: Each month of the year commemorates a new culture, campaign, and issue to celebrate, recognize, or fight for, and sometimes more than one. In addition to October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October is also National Bullying Prevention Month. For the last few years, I have written about a story that was in the news a few years back. It’s the story of Rebecca Sedwick who was a 12-year old girl from Florida that committed suicide after being bullied by two (and perhaps more) of her classmates online. I was deeply saddened by the tragic news, but the part of the story that turned my stomach was when the bullies posted on their Facebook pages, “Yes I [know] I bullied REBECCA and she killed herself but IDGAF.” My sadness quickly turned to anger, bordering on rage when I imagined my Olivia or Joshua or even my students being tormented by bullies. But angry at whom? The 12 and 14-year old bullies of Rebecca, after all they did it; their parents, after all they raised them; the school, didn’t they know what was happening?; Rebecca’s parents, didn’t they know what was happening; the media for sensationalizing violence and insensitivity; society for encouraging competition among women (the bullying began over a boy they both liked); or myself for not doing more to educate students about the responsibility that comes with the privilege of using social media? There is a lot of blame to go around. But what can we do?
1) Educate ourselves.
Cyber bullying can take many forms:
- Sending mean messages or threats to a person’s email account or cell phone
- Spreading rumors online or through texts
- Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages
- Stealing a person’s account information to break into their account and send damaging messages
- Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person
- Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet
- Circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person
2) Know the victims.
Here are some statistics:
- Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.
- More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.
- Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
- Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.
- In a 2005 survey about gay bullying statistics, teens reported that the number two reason they are bullied is because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression. The number one reason reported was because of appearance.
- 9 out of 10 LGBT teens have reported being bullied at school within the past year because of their sexual orientation, and they 30 percent more likely to attempt suicide.
3) Be forewarned.
Aside from the fact that ridiculing and threatening others is just plain wrong, what you post in social media outlets is NOT private, it lives forever in cyberspace, and can follow you until the end of your days! Colleges, universities, and employers can find you via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see what kind of person you really are (which is a contradiction in terms, I know). You will change and grow and mature, but you will be reminded daily and often of the mistakes you published for the world, or just for your 1000 “friends” to see.
4) Know where to turn.
- If you are the victim of bullying, please don’t wait to get help. Talk to an adult immediately. Don’t be discouraged from seeking help thinking that things will just get worse if you “snitch.” BULLIES NEED TO BE CONFRONTED, and with the support of adults and immediate intervention, the behavior will stop!
- If you know someone who is being bullied, don’t be a bystander. You may not feel comfortable speaking up at the moment, but there is still plenty that you can do, namely, get help from an adult.
- If you are a bully or participating in bully behaviors, usually these behaviors come out of a need that is not being met, and we can help you too. But please know that we have a zero-indifference, zero-tolerance policy for any behaviors that make students feel unsafe, and there will be consequences, so come to me or any one of the CORE teachers before it’s too late.
Core is a learning community, and as members of that community, we have a responsibility to look out for one another. PERIOD. Here are two resources for more information: https://cyberbullying.us/ and https://www.stopbullying.gov/
Penny Wars: Speaking of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we have resurrected the Penny Wars! Yes, the Penny War is on! This is a great fundraiser for an even greater cause. For the month of October, there will be plastic bottles for each grade level where you can deposit coins and bills. For every penny you deposit into your own bottle your grade receives a point. For every other type coin and bill deposited, points will be deducted as follows:
Nickels- 5 deducted points
Dime- 10 deducted points
Quarters- 25 deducted points
$1 bill- 100 deducted points
$5 bill- 500 deducted points
The goal is to collect as many points as possible, which can done by putting a lot of pennies in your own bottle and by putting a lot of bills and other coins in other grade’s bottles. Each person in the winning grade level will get $5 in COREbucks to be used on any item in COREstore, and a big poster will be displayed in E-hall declaring them the winner of Penny Wars. And all the money raised will go to the American Cancer Society!
Magnet Parents Association: Please spread the word that our next MPA meeting is this Wednesday, October 26th at 7:00 PM in the library. All parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend.
Mandatory Meeting for College Trip: If you are one of the 54 students attending this year’s Northern California College Tour, there is a MANDATORY meeting Wednesday, November 16th at 6:00 PM in the library. A parent and student MUST attend. If you OR a parent cannot attend, please see Ms. Macon ASAP. Attendance will be taken.
Early Dismissal Tuesday: The next Early Dismissal Tuesday will be Tuesday, November 1st at 1:34 p.m. Please plan accordingly.
Flu Season: Staying healthy this flu season is particularly important to all of us, especially me. Please do your part to keep yourself and our community healthy by doing the following:
- If you are sick with flu-like illness, fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness), vomiting and diarrhea, please stay home.
- The CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
- While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. Please avoid the Magnet Office if this is the case.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand wipes. In fact, keep them in your back pack.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
- The CDC strongly recommends getting a flu shot, if possible.
Tutoring Available: The Boys and Girls Club of the West Valley is offering free tutoring Monday-Thursday in our school library from 3:00-6:00 pm. They also offer college admissions workshops. One of the tutors is a CORE alumnus. Come to the Magnet Office to register.
COREture: Winter is coming! (…for my Game of Thrones fans) Don’t forget to get your COREture gear– T-shirts, sweatpants, sweatshirts at great prices! All proceeds go to the program!
Lunch Applications: In order to attend CORE field trips, you MUST complete a Title I lunch application. We suggest completing it online, if you haven’t already. Click HERE for instructions. Print your confirmation form and bring it to the Magnet Office.
Book Bundles: There are still a few 9th, 11th, and 12th grade Book Bundles available. Having your own copy of the books we are using is an invaluable tool and all proceeds go back to the program. Come to the Magnet Office for an order form.
Spirit Fridays!: Remember to wear your CORE t-shirt (or any Cleveland t-shirt) for a chance to win a gift card to one of many fabulous establishments!
COREdinators: Do you have ideas about how to make CORE even better? Are you a freshman looking for ways to be active in your school community? Then join COREdinators, Fridays at lunch in E10!
Corebaby Email: Be sure to check your Corebaby email address EVERYDAY for important updates! If you use another email address as your primary email address, you can forward your Corebaby emails to that address so that you don’t miss anything! See Mr. Saavedra if you have questions.
Forgot Your Corebaby Email Password?: You can retrieve it, but it will cost you a dollar. Go to Mr. Saavedra in E7 for information, but don’t go empty handed.
Cavalier News: Have you seen Cleveland’s new website? Go to www.clevelandhs.org to check it and get important school-wide info!
Important College News for All: Have you visited the Career and College Office website? It is an incredibly useful resource as you begin the college admissions journey in the ninth grade. Be sure to bookmark the calendar as there are important dates to note. Go to https://www.careerandcollegeoffice.org/ to check it out.
Clean Up After Yourselves: Please do your part to keep your learning environment and other areas on campus clean. Pick up your trash, recycle where possible, and remind your friends to do the same! I do not want see your trash left on the floors for someone else to clean up. Thank you!
Got Suggestions???: We want to hear from you! What suggestions do have for improving the program? Go to the Home Page and click the icon to submit your suggestions.
(Coordinator’s COREner last updated October 24, 2016 @ 8:00 AM by Ms. Macon)