MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS & STUDENTS

Health Office

To foster child and adolescent health and educational success, the school nurse at Tapestry Charter School will:

• Provide direct care to students: care for injuries and acute illness for all students and long term management of students with special health care needs;
• Provide leadership for the provision of health services;
• Provide screening and referral for health conditions.
• Promote a healthy physical and emotional school environment: monitoring immunizations, ensuring appropriate exclusion for infectious illnesses, mandated state reporting, participate in plan for prevention and management of bullying, disasters, and terrorism events.
• Promote health: provide health information to individual and groups of students through health education classes, assist in developing a health education curriculum.
• Serve in a leadership role for health policies and programs.
• Act as a liaison between school personnel, family, health care professionals, and the community.

For your family’s convenience, the following Health Office forms are available for download. Forms are also available in the Health Office, upon request.

Middle School Student Support Office

Middle School Counselor, Ms. Brittany Kessler works closely with administration, teachers, support staff, students and families to provide social/emotional support to ensure the academic success of students at the Middle School Level. This is an integral part of all children’s development as they eventually transition to High School.

Ms. Keesler follows the New York State and National Standards for counseling programs at the Middle School Level.  Her role is as follows:

• Push In Lessons to reach all students through a Character Education Development Program focusing on social issues that Middle School Students are currently experiencing in today’s society.
• Educating parents on social media and drug prevention
• Individual and small group counseling sessions based on cognitive behavioral practices
• Middle School Mentoring Program
• Teaching empathy skills
• Aides in the academic transition from middle school to high school
• Provides outside resources to families in need
• Focuses on restorative practices with students and families

If you are in need of outside counseling services, Tapestry works with Gateway-Longview to provide this service. Please contact them at:http//www.gateway-longview.org

Please contact guidance counselor Brittany Keesler if you are in need of other resources. You can also find many resources in the WNY area at : http:www.211wny.org

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

What is the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)?

The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) took effect July 1, 2012. Its purpose is to provide students with a school environment free of discrimination and harassment by peers and by school personnel. It applies to behaviors on school property, in school buildings, on a school bus, as well as at school-sponsored events or activities.  Incidents of harassment and discrimination may include, but are not limited to, threats, intimidation or abuse based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), and sex. These eleven categories are referred to as protected classes.

The new law includes provisions that will alter reporting, codes of conduct, professional development, and classroom instruction.

• The Dignity for All Students Act was established with the broad legislative intent to provide a school environment free of discrimination and harassment.
• Prohibits harassment of students on school property or at school functions, and designates many forms of bullying as unlawful discrimination.

Who is the DASA Coordinator for Tapestry Charter Middle School?

Amy Meshulam is the DASA Coordinator and Assistant Principal for the Middle School. She can be reached in the front office by calling (716) 332-0755 or by emailing her at [email protected].

If you would like more information about DASA you can follow this link.

What is bullying?

Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is defined as bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.

• Educators are not expected to “spy” on students’ out-of-school communications. Educational resources should not be used to seek out online communications that are inappropriate.
• But, educators should be willing to step in when cyber bullying affects a students’ ability to function in school.

How can I report an incident where bullying, cyberbullying or harassment has occurred?

A DASA Reporting form can be completed by students, parents, and staff members. If you have witnessed an incident, heard about an incident, or are the target of an incident fill out a DASA Reporting Form. These forms can be downloaded using the link below or found in common areas around the school (classrooms, front office, library, nurse and hallways). The forms can be turned into any staff member or placed in a bin in the front office. All reports are taken seriously and will result in an investigation.