United Way Teaming Up to Tackle Bullying

Following the June 28 anti-bullying symposium in Parsippany, United Way of Northern New Jersey has issued a press release about its collaborative efforts here tackling the issue.

The recent high-profile bullying tragedies in the state spotlight the need for the state and educators to focus energies equally on prevention as on documentation of bullying cases, according to a United Way of Northern New Jersey official.

While the state’s new anti-bullying law singles out the importance of a healthy school culture as the key to successful prevention efforts, there are few comprehensive approaches provided to help schools address their climate and culture, said Liz Warner, United Way Youth Empowerment Alliance manager.

United Way has teamed up with the top experts in the field to fill this gap, using research-based methods to help Morris County educators create a safe school environment for all students.

“High-profile tragedies in our state highlight the importance of focusing our energies on getting at the root causes of bullying and preventing incidents from occurring in the first place,” Warner said. “Our new state law, not to mention countless research studies, underscores how a healthy school culture breeds prevention and that’s where United Way is committed to making a difference.”

This past school year, United Way secured a $30,000 grant through the Community Health Committee to expand its work giving 14 Morris County schools -- including [Morris Township's] Frelinghuysen Middle School -- the tools to improve their climate and culture.

United Way, partnering with the College of Saint Elizabeth, is providing schools with three years of support to assess, evaluate and improve their schools climate and culture. The process includes a survey, analysis and ongoing support.  Schools are offered the opportunity to take part in several United Way initiatives, including mentoring programs and team-building events for students such as Youth Summit Day. 

The survey process was developed by Maurice Elias, Ph.D., a Rutgers University psychology professor considered a foremost expert in this arena. His survey has been used successfully in 260 schools across the state. United Way and Elias have been active partners since 2009, helping Morris County schools improve their climate, resulting in higher academic achievement and lower disciplinary issues.

Currently, United Way is in various stages of conducting climate surveys and analysis at 14 public schools, including the entire Roxbury School District. The other schools involved are: Lincoln Park Elementary and Middle schools, Madison Junior School, Mount Olive Middle School, Rockaway Valley School in Boonton Township and Unity Charter School in Morris Township.

For more information about United Way’s work in preventing bullying in schools, contact Liz Warner at Liz.Warner@UnitedWayNNJ.org or973.993.1160, x107