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Letter from the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)

Jan 05, 2007

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, are proud to announce the creation of five No Name-Calling Week (NNCW) lesson plans for elementary-age students. In a letter to educators, NAESP Executive Director Vincent L. Ferrandino introduces this important new resource. To download the lesson plans, see the MORE INFO box on the right.

Dear Colleagues: No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an ongoing dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities. The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) is a proud founding member of the coalition of national organizations that lead this program. Regrettably, far too many

children experience some form of bullying or name-calling. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, between 15 percent and 30 percent of all students are either bullies or victims of bullying. It begins in the elementary school years and peaks during the middle school years. That's why it is imperative to begin to address the problem of bullying and name-calling while children are still in elementary school. Originally designed for fifth- through eighth-grade classrooms, No Name-Calling Week also resonated strongly with elementary school teachers and students. In response to the growing number of elementary schools participating in No Name-Calling Week, NAESP and GLSEN partnered to produce these five lesson plans specifically designed for elementary school classes. There are simple steps we can all take to help eliminate name-calling and bullying and these lesson plans are intended to help with those steps. These lessons are designed to give younger students an opportunity to engage in activities that teach them about tolerance, respect, and understanding and to help them reflect on what they've learned. We hope that you find these lessons useful as we all work to provide a safe and caring environment in our schools and we thank you for your support of this very important week. Sincerely,