Ruder Elementary School students in Columbia Falls learned how to “take a stand” and “lend a hand” to stop bullying.

Those concepts were stressed at a recent assembly to kick off the Olweus Bullying Prevention program.

Through Olweus, students are taught not to bully, to be inclusive, help people who are bullied and report bullying to a trusted adult. Ruder staffers went through two months of training and learned how to report, respond and provide consequences to bullying.

Prior to adopting Olweus, the school had a basic policy on bullying.

Kindergarteners through fifth graders watched teachers perform three skits to model scenarios of bullying in the bus line, at recess and in the lunchroom. Each time bullying took place, Olweus site coordinator and fifth-grade teacher Marna Pickard intervened during the assembly Oct. 26.

“How can we change this situation?” Pickard asked before the teachers acted out a more empathic scenario. “We understand not everyone may be your best friend, but at Ruder we will be inclusive and allow people to join us.”

Sometimes educating children about verbal, nonverbal and physical bullying behaviors is all it takes for students to realize what actions may be hurtful.

“To change behavior, we have to help them see how their behavior affects others’ feelings,” Pickard said.

Pickard has about five years of experience using the Olweus program as a former site coordinator at Kalispell Middle School and Olweus core committee member at Edgerton Elementary School in Kalispell. Edgerton was one of the first area schools to implement Olweus around 2005.

Pickard said she saw a change in school climate by instilling compassion at a young age and reducing bullying later on.

Columbia Falls Junior High School implemented Olweus two years ago with success, Principal Dave Wick said.

“There’s been a big improvement in school climate and a reduction in these kind of bullying and harassment incidents,” Wick said.

Beyond posters and assemblies, a large part of the Olweus program is classroom meetings. Ruder holds them weekly.

“We talk about various topics, problem-solving, friendships [and] what does friendship mean,” Pickard said.

Wick said the ongoing meetings between students and teachers are partly why the program is successful.

“The program also teaches kids how to help each other in those situations [of bullying],” Wick said.

Pickard said Olweus creates community, not just in the classroom but also involving parents and community members outside the school to report incidents.

“It’s proven that if you build a community, kids will treat each other with compassion,” Pickard said.

During Pickard’s fifth-grade classroom meeting after the assembly, students reviewed Olweus guidelines together: “Remember bullying behavior is hurtful behavior. It’s done on purpose. A lot of times it’s done over and over. There’s an imbalance of power.”

Fifth-grader William Dyon raised his hand to say that he noticed bullying last year that went without consequences. Pickard said staffers now have the training to change that.

“Maybe, William, back then they [staff] weren’t sure how to report it, or maybe back then they weren’t sure what to do, but now every adult in the school has been trained and they know what to do,” Pickard said. “Please continue reporting to us.”

Ruder Principal Brenda Krueger said consistency is the key to the program.

“There are levels, or tiers of consequences and behaviors, so it’s never a guess as what the consequences or steps are,” Krueger said.

Dyon said the classroom meetings are helpful, “so they [children] learn what’s wrong and what’s right.”

Dyon said he sees a lot of bullying going on while waiting in bus lines. Other students commented during the meeting that teenagers have bullied them on the bus and “flipped them off” or drove recklessly while walking home after school. Pickard said this is why it is important to include community members because bullying  happens outside the classroom walls.

Pickard also posed the question that some children may wonder what the difference is between tattling and reporting: “Some kids say well, isn’t it tattletaling? No, it’s not if it’s hurting someone.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.