Your safety and wellbeing is our top priority at FW Howay Elementary. We pride ourselves on the work we continue to do as we build on and create safe, welcoming, accessible and inclusive spaces.
But we also know that things happen and our staff can’t always see what’s going on – whether that’s a moment or comment than can get out of hand, something that’s happening outside of the school that’s later impacting safety and emotional wellbeing when at school, or a relationship that’s just not healthy between students.
If you, your child or someone you know is being bullied (in person or online), harassed, discriminated against, or has gone through an incident that requires follow up, you can report these occurrences or experiences in a number of ways:
- Talk to a trusted adult (whether that’s a teacher, counsellor, EA, administrator, youth worker, Indigenous Support Worker, Wellness Centre staff, etc), who can help walk you through the next step of where to go.
- Talk directly with a Vice-Principal or the Principal to share your concern, worry or to share more information about your situation.
- Use the provincial erase (expect respect & a safe education) Report It tool (https://erasereportit.gov.bc.ca/add/report-it) to start the process. This report will then be sent directly to the District’s Safe Schools Coordinator, who will follow up on the situation as soon as is possible, navigating the concern or issue to help you or the person you know get the support needed.
Urgent help
If you need more urgent and immediate help in relation to an incident you may need to:
- Immediately call 9-1-1 if the situation is an emergency.
- If you need to talk to someone, here are options to consider:
- Connect with a counsellor at the school counselling office
- Connect with someone from The Wellness Centre
- Call the YouthinBC 24/7 crisis line at 1-866-661-3311, or access their Online Chat at www.youthinbc.com (12pm – 1am daily)
- Text Youth Space at 778-783 0177 (6pm -12am daily)
- Call the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) available 24/7
- Call the Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868
Resources
When it comes to standing up to bullying, tackling discrimination, or addressing concerns that affect the safety and wellbeing of students, there are many different ways we do that in schools. As parents or allies, there are roles for everyone to help support kids who might be facing bullying in their school, home or personal lives. That’s why the provincial government as created this strategy, that has some big and important goals:
- erase is a provincial strategy for creating safe, inclusive and welcoming school cultures that support student learning and well-being
- erase empowers students, parents, educators and the community partners who support them to get help with challenges, report concerns to schools, and learn about complex issues facing students.
- erase features an expanded Get Help section on the new website – with links to 24/7 phone and text lines as well as online chats if a student, or someone they know, needs help.
Find more resources, tips, tools at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/erase