Bullying to be Discussed at Community Night

Putnam Henck Intermediate School (MPH), Rim Family Services and the Rim Youth Prevention Leadership Coalition are partnering to bring a series of “Community Nights” to the mountain area. Each night will cover a topic of local concern to raise community awareness and enable the community to work together to address these issues. The second Community Night in the series will be held Tuesday night, November 13 at 7:00pm at MPH. The topic of bullying will be discussed.

The whole mountain community is invited to come and hear this important presentation by San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff, Frank Navarro; San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Crime Prevention Specialist, Clark Morrow; Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department Captain, Rick Ells; and Rim Family Services’ Student Assistance Program Coordinator, Jessica Purkiss. A panel of experts, including local school administration, will be provided for a question and answer time. The Lake Arrowhead Repertory Theatre Company will give a preview of a dramatic presentation addressing bullying that they will be performing for MPH students later in the week.

Community members will learn the history of bullying and how it has evolved today into cyberbullying, one of the hottest issues on school campuses today. Startling numbers of young people are tormenting one another on social networking sites and across the internet, and the scars being left on young psyches are deep and often ineradicable. This presentation will look closely at the problem and offer solutions, including how community members and parents can protect children from bullying by learning the signs and symptoms. Current bullying laws will be discussed as well.

Deputy Navarro is encouraging all community members to attend saying, “It is not an exaggeration to think we are in the midst of a cyberbullying epidemic. Parents need to understand that bullying, unlike in the old days, that took place on the playground, has made its way to the internet. With the advancement in technology and the endless number of options available to our children on the ‘net,’ knowledge of electronic communication is more important now than ever before.”

Additional Community Nights, covering topics such as substance abuse prevention, internet safety, and safeguarding youth, will be held on January 15, March 5 and May 14. These meetings, all on Tuesday nights, will be conducted in the cafeteria of MPH at 7:00 pm. Refreshments on November 13 will be provided by Soroptomist International of Lake Arrowhead. MPH is located at 730 Rhine Road in Lake Arrowhead. Please note that these meetings will be postponed if the School District calls a snow day. For more information, please call Colleen Myers at Rim Family Services at (909) 336-1800.