Middle Schools

A Culture of Dignity and Belonging

Delineated on this site is Solanco’s Dignity Honored initiative, which represents a commitment to continuous improvement of our anti-harassment/anti-discrimination efforts at the middle school level.   

This website is designed to provide parents and community members with an overview of Solanco’s efforts in this area both historically and currently.  In addition, this site shows how the multiple programs and initiatives implemented at each school level contribute to a supportive and caring school district environment. 

Committing to Kindness

• PRIDE stands for “People Respecting Individual Differences Everyday”
• PRIDE Ambassadors – group of scholars that lead and model positive behaviors and programs that promote positive messages and interaction. These scholars meet regularly as a group receiving targeted training; preparing to teach lessons and promote compassion. PRIDE means “People Respecting Individual Differences Everyday”. A focus for our PRIDE ambassadors under our PRIDE 2.0 initiative will be for these leaders to find and support other scholars who are struggling socially and emotionally.
• “Caught with Pride” – All scholars and staff have the opportunity to recognize one another for doing something thoughtful.
• “Celebrate Our Scholars” – Scholar recognition and kindness messages on lobby TVregularly updated scholar recognition for accomplishments.
• “PRIDE Wall” central location – displays positive messages about our scholars from their peers. This wall will be designed and maintained by our PRIDE Ambassadors.
• Mentorships – Each instructional team will have members identified as mentors. At the core of mentorships is a trusting relationship between the scholar and a caring mentor who both advocates for and challenges the scholar to keep education salient.
• Morning announcement videos – biweekly videos that focus on random acts of kindness. These videos are followed with advisory discussions with homeroom teachers.
• Incentive Recovery Sessions – scholars that have earned discipline or missed a large amount of school can earn their way back into Hershey Park by creating a plan of action with the principals through after school tutoring. This gives the scholar an opportunity to continue to have a good experience in school should he or she have made some poor decisions early in the year.
• Random acts of kindness days – on designated days, scholars will be challenged and recognized for performing a random act of kindness for an individual in the school. The school counselor and PRIDE Ambassadors will plan and ensure implementation. Student Senate along with NJHS will each be assigned 2 quarters to plan and run theme weeks housed around anti-bullying. Community service projects. Our Scholars will be given opportunities to lead projects that serve the community throughout the year.
• Lock-in for Leukemia – Our annual lock-in will give students the opportunity to raise money for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. Scholars will engage in great relationship building opportunities throughout the night with activities and games as well. This will be led again this year by the Student Senate. This event traditionally raises over $20 thousand for the non-profit organization.
• Parent phone calls – Each scholar’s family will be called by the instructional staff prior to “Back to School Nights” with the purpose welcoming to the New Year and discussing any possible parental concerns. Period 10/SSP structure-Facilitators will spend time each week meeting with scholars as part of our MTSS structure.
• Homeroom structure – Following announcements two days a week facilitators will spend time meeting with scholars and discussing academic progress and needs. Two days a week teachers will use homeroom time expanding upon PRIDE lessons and themes discussed during these lessons.
• PRIDE lessons – Lessons run monthly in homerooms utilizing an adjusted schedule. These lessons will be crafted and delivered by both our facilitators and PRIDE Ambassadors along with support from the Buck Corporation. Lessons will also be included for how our students can be mature cyber-citizens. A cyber citizen utilizes technology in an appropriate manner including etiquette, communication, education, access, commerce, responsibility, rights, safety and security. It is important to be cyber aware: back up your digital files, create strong passwords, post only appropriate comments and control privacy settings.

Reporting

• Lend a Hand lockers – designated lockers that enable individuals to drop anonymous notes regarding incidents of concern or possible bullying involving themselves or another scholar. (Timeline=All Year-Lockers checked by principals/counselor daily)
• On-line Jot form – an official opportunity for parents/scholars to report an incident if uncomfortable doing so in person or over the phone. (Timeline=All Year)
• Reporting to a teacher or staff – scholars can always share concerns with adults in the building that they feel comfortable with doing so. (Timeline=All Year)
• Student and parent surveys – Surveys will completed twice this year and will give our scholars and parents the opportunity to share experiences and information about areas our programs may be missing. This includes the chance to identify locations and times that negative interactions seem to occur more regularly. (Timeline=October and April)
• Parent phone calls/emails – each instructional team (6th, 7th, 8th, UA) makes at least fifteen phone calls home regarding academic awareness, classroom performance, and to build relationships with families. These conversations serve as an opportunity for parents to share concerns they may have regarding their child. (Timeline=All Year)
• Access to counselor, facilitators, and school leaders – Counselors, facilitators and school leaders make a great effort to be present at all school events. These activities serve as an opportunity for parents to foster relationships. (Timeline=All Year)
• Monday Morning reflection cards – Every Monday morning facilitators will give scholars an opportunity to reflect in their morning advisory classes. Scholars will have the chance to write about anything that could have happened over the weekend which could impact their day at school. This will help staff and administration stay aware of possible negative social media activity over the weekend. Any concerns teachers receive will be made aware to counselor immediately. (Timeline=All Year)
• Enhanced Office Information Center – A brochure and community resources contact sheet will be available and easily accessible for parents/guardians as they enter the office. Should parents have any concerns that they’re hesitant about sharing, this information can help them make informed decisions moving forward. (Timeline=All Year)

Intervening

• Counselor Mediation – When a concern is first brought to the attention of the staff, our school counselor will discuss the situation with the scholars involved. If possible, students will resolve the situation with mediation through the guidance counselor. A phone call to parents/guardians will follow these situations. (Timeline=All Year as needed)
• Seat Changes – a simple seat change within one classroom (or at lunch) could solve concerns between two students. (Timeline=All Year as needed)
• Administrator conferences – If a concern has happened more than once, administrators will have a conference with either the student, parents/guardians, or both. The counselor will stay involved in this process to keep the intervention supportive. Conferences could also involve the counselor and teachers. (Timeline=All Year as needed)
• Cease and Desist – When scholars cannot resolve issues that have been consistent, parents will be notified and students will sign a contract agreeing to refrain from negative contact with the other party. By signing the contract, they are stating that they understand any further concerns can result in immediate discipline action. (Timeline=All Year as needed)
• Schedule Changes – We rarely make this move, because the goal is always to lead students to restoring relationships and solving problems. If needed, a student could have a schedule change for the purpose of keeping the learning environment emotionally and physically safe for all students. (Timeline=All Year as needed)
• Restorative mentorship program – students with multiple situations involving bullying characteristics will be subject to restorative actions. Examples: book studies, writing tasks, community service, teach, online learning modules, anti-bully lessons with elementary students, and designing plans of action to demonstrate improvement with social interactions. There could be traditional disciplinary action involved in this process (detentions or suspensions). These will be assigned mandatory educational programs for our repeat offenders. (Timeline=All Year as needed)

Supporting

• Peer Groups – our counselor, staff members, along with our SAP assessor from the Caron Foundation, will run different “friendship groups” that could focus on different situations some of our students may have in their lives. This gives scholars the opportunity to form friendships with individuals dealing with similar concerns and celebrate victories together. (6-8 week groups running: Oct-Nov, Jan-Feb, March-April. Students can be added as necessary)
• Student Assistance Program – Solanco contracts with The Caron Foundation, our buildings have a trained assessor that can support families to determine the next steps in finding additional support for individual children. Our SAP team, including the Caron Assessor, is made up of teachers and administrators in the building. This program allows students to have a mentor that helps our scholars focus on emotional success to lead to greater academic success. (Timeline=All Year)
• “Character Counts” and PRIDE lessons – PRIDE lessons will occur monthly and will be led by the PRIDE ambassadors. There will be an additional lesson monthly which will be designed through the “Character Counts” program in partnership with the Buck Company. The company representatives will support PRIDE ambassadors in designing and leading these lessons to their peers. (Oct-April)
• Texas Roadhouse Recognition Shout Outs – staff have the opportunity to recognize and support each other by nominating one another for the monthly drawing to Texas Roadhouse for a gift card. Facilitators can be nominated in one of the four areas that Solanco focuses on (Courage, Kindness, Respect, and Responsibility). (Timeline=All Year)
• Lobby TV – scholars and staff will be recognized with pictures and music on our lobby TV through a slideshow. This will be updated biweekly. Student representatives will play a role in this project.(Timeline=All Year)
• Sharing is Caring – The Sharing cooler is a place where students can place unopened food and drinks that they choose not to eat or drink. This provides an opportunity for other students to take additional helpings of food or beverages from the Sharing Cooler at no cost to them. (Timeline = All Year)
• PRIDE Ambassadors – Throughout the year PRIDE Ambassadors will make calls to all our 6 th grade families along with new scholars welcoming to our buildings. (Timeline=All Year).
• Kindness Day – Once a year the PRIDE Ambassadors will sponsor a “mix-it-up day,” where scholars are seated at different lunch tables with different peers. PRIDE Ambassadors will facilitate conversations, so scholars broaden views of their peers. (Timeline=Second Semester)
• “Just Checkin” – when a possible situation involving bullying is reported, there is a designed follow up plan (developed check list-copy made available to parents/guardians). This plan may be modified to meet the needs of the individual family.
  • The structure includes the following: (after the situation has been handled):
    (Timeline=All Year as needed)
    1. Personal student check-in the next day in person with the counselor or
       administrator.
    2. Teachers will be made aware of situation and things to be aware.
    3. Call home the same day as the student check-in to reiterate what the student
       shared. Let them know you’ll be touching base again in a week and that teachers
       are aware to inform you if something more is seen.
    4. 3-4 days later the counselor or teacher will check in with the student again. This
       will be a light conversation where they can look at grades together as well.
    5. 1 week after the incident-parent will be called again to check in. “How has he
       been? Things seem to be going well for him. Here’s what I’ve seen…”
    6. 2-3 weeks after incident-another student check in. These will continue monthly as
       needed.
    7. All dates and check-ins will be listed on check list so parents can see these follow-up
       measures.