Whole Child Supports
Stark Speaks Up for Kindness
Working to Make Kindness Prevail in Schools and Across Our Community
Stark Speaks UP for Kindness
The Stark Speaks UP for Kindness initiative is working to make kindness prevail – in schools and across our community – so that every child feels safe at school and is spared the negative effects of bullying. We are for kindness. Our kind of people are kind people.
Join us on facebook: StarkSpeaksUpForKindness Great Opportunity to Promote the Kindness Happening Everyday in Our Schools and Community.
Our Goals
To increase positive peer relationships
To increase students’ social and emotional competence
To educate and empower students and adults to play a part in creating a safe and kind school culture
Our History, Funders, and Partners
In 2011, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton invited the Stark County Educational Service Center and the Stark County Parochial Schools to meet and discuss the widespread concern of bullying in schools. The partner schools began researching best-practice models to curb bullying and found the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. In August 2011, the Sisters of Charity Foundation awarded a three-year grant to the Stark County Educational Service Center, in partnership with the Stark County Parochial Schools, to implement the Olweus Program which is now locally known as Stark Speaks Up for Kindness. Multiple funders, schools, and community partners are part of this journey.
We are grateful to the generous financial support from The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton and the additional contributions from the William E. Shanafelt Philanthropic Fund and the Walter K. & Wilda E. Bortz Fund at the Stark County Community Foundation. We also value our partnership with the Stark County District Library and the Canton Charge for their help in promoting kindness activities.
Olweus+Companion+Bibliography.pdfOlweus Bullying Prevention Program Companion Bibliography for Grades K-12
Provides student literature selections and resources for educators and parents. Great resource for classroom teachers and other school personnel who conduct class meetings or facilitate academic connections with bullying prevention themes.
The Science of Kindness
Recommended Bullying Prevention Websites
Common Sense Media is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We empower parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives. CLICK HERE
Committee for Children develops evidence-based bullying, child abuse and violence prevention education curricula that teach social-emotional skills to children, families and educators.
The Cyberbullying Research Center is a clearinghouse of information about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of cyberbullying among adolescents for for parents, educators, law enforcement officers, counselors, and others who work with youth. CLICK HERE
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is a leading national educational organization focused on LGBT issues in K-12 schools. GLSEN offers a variety of resources and materials focused on anti-LGBT bullying. CLICK HERE
Federal Government Sponsored Website CLICK HERE
Learning for Justice is dedicated to reducing prejudice and supporting equitable school experiences for our nation's children. It provides free educational materials to educators. CLICK HERE
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program CLICK HERE
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) provides tools to make it fun and easy to spread kindness. Its website includes a free downloadable K-12 curriculum, Kindness in the Classroom, for teaching social and emotional skills with an intentional focus on kindness. CLICK HERE
Safe Schools Coalition is a public-private partnership aimed to reduce bias-based bullying in schools by raising awareness among students, educators and parents. The site has classroom materials, content on public policy and Spanish-language resources. CLICK HERE
Stan Davis’ Stop Bullying Now Program CLICK HERE
