• Dear Dalton Families,

    Do you feel safe at school?  This was one of the questions that our students were asked to answer last year on the student survey.  It was interesting to me the number of students that expressed some concern about feeling safe here at Dalton.  I believe that there could be a number of reasons that students responded this way but an area that the Coeur d’Alene School District has chosen to focus on, and address in the last year, is bullying.  We have looked at ways to address bullying when it happens and how to prevent it.  As a result, we are working at developing a culture of caring in our individual buildings.

    I will spend time in all of the classrooms this year teaching to what bullying is and  what to do if they are either the victim of bullying or a bystander.  My bigger focus will be on friendship and getting along with each other. As I tell the kids, if we are busy being friends there is less time for bullying.  The more we know each other the less likely we are to bully and the more likely we are to stand up. 

    Attached are the district Stand Up, Speak Up forms that outline procedures (including definitions), our commitment to have a safe building and the discipline steps that will occur if bullying occurs.  Jim and I will be presenting the commitment and discipline sheet in each classroom sometime during the next two weeks.  We ask that you review these forms and call if you have any questions or concerns.  Please note that fortunately we have not experienced a big bullying problem here at Dalton but it is important that we are all aware of what it is and how it will be addressed if and when it does occur. 

    Along with the Stand Up Speak Up information that Jim and I will be discussing with your students I will also be introducing them to becoming Bucket Fillers.  This is one of the programs that we use to promote a culture of caring here at Dalton.  Please ask your child/ren how they filled a bucket today.

    Thanks for being caring, involved parents,
    Tami Frantzich, Counselor