In an effort to commemorate the state-designated School Violence Awareness Week, the Rumson School District recently hosted some special events to educate students on how to avoid violence.

Deane-Porter students participated in what was dubbed Peace Week, from Oct. 19 to 23, during which they engaged in activities design to promote peace, kindness and compassion within the school community.

Those activities were:

• Signing the Deane-Porter Character Pledge, covering  six pillars of character to be respectful, responsible, safe, trustworthy, fair, and a Good Citizen;
• Discussing and writing down various ways in which to be respectful, responsible, and safe;
• Listening to readings of the character virtue books Zero and Two, by Kathryn Otoshi;
• Learning a song in music class about respecting yourself and others as well as the school community.

Next month is themed Respect Rocks at Deane-Porter. Students who go “above and beyond” to show compassion will get recognition on the bulletin board outside the school cafeteria.

At the end of each week, students who have been recognized for their compassion will participate in a raffle. Two students from each grade level will win a prize and receive a certificate.

At Forrestdale, counselor Jenn Crow created BCB announcements — Boom Chicka Boom, named for the chant of former Principal Nancy Guthrie — that were used on a daily basis to lead students through planned activities and help them manage their emotions.

The BCB announcements happened during the regular extension of homeroom. The school called it a “soft landing,” designating as time used to focus on character education.

The eighth grade TOP (Team of Planning) Dawgs organized a poster contest with the theme of preventing school violence. The winner was fourth grader Chris Russo.

Also during the week, Crow met with a group of eighth grade leaders and trained them in peer mediation. The boys named their group the PEEP (Peers Ending Everyone’s Problems) Squad and the girls took the name PEP (Peers Ending Problems) Squad. Both groups plan to help younger students with conflict resolution.

Rumson Police Senior Patrolman Brian Dougherty visited both schools on Oct. 23. He spoke with Deane-Porter students about staying safe both on and off school grounds.

Dougherty also spoke to Forrestdale students and provided an acronym to help them remember how to stay SAFE – S = be Strong, A = Avoid conflict, F = Find a teacher/adult, and E = Educate one another that it’s OK to be different.

— Edited press release from the Rumson School District