Dear Islander Families, 

We would like to say a special thank you to our Leadership class and our student body for their facilitation of "Fans who Fundraise." Our students raised more than $1,000 to support hurricane relief efforts in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. We are proud of their efforts to show support for our fellow Americans who are working so hard to recover from these natural disasters.

There are three different emphasis points that we will be spotlighting throughout the month of October. October is Disability History Awareness month, Bullying Awareness month and we will also be kicking off our focus on Character Traits with October focusing on Commitment. Below are details about each of these events along with some opportunities for students to learn about the issues and find out ways to get involved.

October is Disability History Awareness month in the state of Washington. To recognize this, Islander Middle School students are increasing their awareness and understanding of the history of specific disabilities. Students may have the opportunity to learn from informational bulletin boards, announcements and other activities. This is a great opportunity to speak to your child about the many differences and strengths individuals have as learners. We are all unique and that is what makes Islander Middle School a special place to learn and grow as a student.

Below are some links you may find beneficial. This is a small sampling of the many resources available online.

National Center for Learning Disabilities: www.ncld.org

Disability History Month: http://wasdisabilitymonth.org/

October is also National Bullying Prevention Month. Research shows that Middle School is a time when bullying heightens among peers. Consequently, efforts are being made at Islander to prevent such actions and behaviors from occurring. Through various programs at school, including Sources of Strength, Mix-It-Up-Day and the Second Step curriculum (www.secondstep.org), administrators and counselors are teaming with students to create an awareness of what bullying is, what the warning signs are, and what to do about bullying should become apparent.

At Islander, we continually strive to create and to maintain a safe learning environment for all of our students. However, there are occasions where unfortunate events take place.

Please be aware of the warning signs that could indicate that your child is experiencing bullying at school:

* Damaged or missing clothing, books, or other belongings
* Unexpected bruises, cuts, or scratches
* Few or no friends to spend time with
* Fear of going to school
* Fear of riding the bus or walking to school
* Taking an illogical or long route home
* An unexpected drop in grades and/or interest
* Unusual moodiness, depression, anxiety, or crying
* Frequent headaches or stomachaches
* Loss of appetite
* Trouble sleeping

If you suspect your child is being bullied or involved in a bullying situation, contact any of our administrators, counselors or other trusted adults at school. These professionals will help mange the situation- whether it be to work with you and your child to file a formal complaint via our harassment, intimidation or bullying forms (aka HIB forms) and/or to figure out appropriate coping strategies. As stated previously, our goal is to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for all of our students so we will always do what we can to remedy unfavorable situations. Talk to your children about the realities of bullying and how to respond. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this topic, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor.

Finally, in our 6th grade ExCore classes and in our 8th grade WEB class, we are working with a program called Character Strong. The purpose of the program is to study eight positive character traits, understand the meaning behind each trait, and then practice developing the trait using a concept called "character dares." Our plan is to assign a character trait to each month (October through May), and share character dares with the whole school, so every student can participate in growing his/her character throughout the  year.

The character trait for the month of October is Commitment. As our students begin their journey to improve their character, one of the most important traits they will need to work on is Commitment. We are asking kids to think of Commitment in three ways. We want them to consider the time they spend with people and in activities, the sacrifice commitment takes, as well as the follow through necessary for success. Commitment ultimately comes down to a simple question: are you or are you not going to put in the work? Commitment often takes time, energy and accountability.

Commitment Character Dares for the month of October

Character Dare #1 - Oct. 2 through Oct. 6 : Do something active for an hour more than you normally would this week.

Character Dare #2 - Oct. 9 through Oct. 13: Commit to learning your lunch servers name this week.

Character Dare #3 - Oct 16 through Oct. 20: Ask your parents what 3 things you can do for them today. Then do those things (if possible) for the next 5 days.

Character Dare #4 - Oct 23 through Oct. 27: Set a personal goal and tell 5 people about it to keep yourself accountable.

Character Dare #5 - Oct. 31 through Nov. 3: Follow through on a plan that you made with someone. Call or text that person with a specific date and time to get together. 

Sincerely,

Mary Jo Budzius, Co-Principal
Aaron Miller, Co-Principal
Tara Stone, Assoc. Principal
Islander Middle School

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