Friday, October 12, 2012
Parents and teens attended the Rachel's Challenge program Thursday night at Hannah Beardsley Middle School.
For nearly two years, Bob and Andrea Tuszynski along with Nancy Borchert worked to bring the "Rachel's Challenge" program to Crystal Lake schools. All parents with children in the Crystal Lake school system, from elementary to high school, the Tuszynskis and Borchert saw how the anti-bullying program could benefit the community. "We realized that we can never do too much in terms of character education for our children," Bob Tuszynski said. Last night, Crystal Lake School District 47 hosted a free parent assembly at Hannah Beardsley Middle School to give them insight into what "Rachel's Challenge" is all about. Students at Beardsley, Bernotas and Lundahl middle schools saw Larry Scott's presentation during regular school hours, and now …
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Collaborative efforts promote positive change for Character Education in District 155 schools.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011
As many Patch readers may recall, over the past year some Crystal Lake community members have been advocates for an ever increasing focus on character education in our schools to ensure an environment conducive to comfortable learning for all students. Indeed, on March 1 of this year Christopher Koch, the Illinois State Superintendent of Education, issued a 100+ page memo entitled "School Bullying Prevention Task Force Report." This report conveys the State's acknowledgment of a persistent bullying problem in the United States (Illinois included), and supports the State's commitment to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). The sentiment leading to the promotion of this character education is perhaps best captured by Representative Tim Ryan…
Monday, April 11, 2011
Parents supporting the character education program visit Jaycees and Lyons Club.
Crystal Lake parents supporting a character education program are making the rounds to local community groups. Andrea and Bob Tuszynski made a PowerPoint presentation to the Crystal Lake Jaycees April 4 during its general meeting held at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park. “We decided to approach the Crystal Lake Jaycees because of their known community efforts,” Andrea Tuszynski said. “Our goal is to bring about more community awareness in supporting a movement of increased social and emotional learning in our Crystal Lake schools. I feel change is possible if we can all stand together to support the acceptance of every child.” Twenty-three members and guests viewed the presentation highlighting the benefits of Rachel’s Challenge, a world-wide…
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Parent encourages District 155 schools to implement program.
- SCHOOLS
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
I am writing on behalf of Andrea Tuszynski's recent encouragement of District 155 to bring in Rachel's Challenge to the Crystal Lake Schools. My son is a sophomore at Cary Grove High School. He, along with his fellow students, participated in the Rachel's Challenge presentation at the beginning of the school school. My son discussed the significance of this program and its impact on the students. He shared that the message, although very sad, is very important that students at the middle school and high school should participate and see the presentation. Recently I asked him if they have continued any elements of the program. He shared that the students worked on and created a chain link of acts of kindness. I believe the chain is very …
Monday, January 17, 2011
Parents and high school officials debate the value of program promoting respect and tolerance towards others.
Crystal Lake parents, confused and frustrated over the reluctance of the city’s high schools to accept a progressive character education program, plan to petition Prairie Ridge, Central and South high schools to reconsider its decisions. Over 90 Illinois schools have embraced Rachel’s Challenge, which promotes kindness and respect through powerful school assembly programs, training and community outreach seminars. Included in this number is Cary-Grove High School in Cary, the only one of School District 155’s four high schools to do so. Cary-Grove accepted the program in 2010 after its student council and the student body promoted it. “Rachel’s Challenge is only partly about bullying, it looks to back up the road to prevent the behavior …
Some schools have implemented the anti-bullying program.
Mike Glover, the assistant principal at McHenry Middle School, supports Rachel’s Challenge and recommends it for any organization. The school held the assembly in 2010. “It was not easy to secure the date, the funding, or preparing our staff and students to properly receive the message. Taking all of that into account, I would do it all over again, every year to keep the thought of being positive with one another in the front of students’ minds,” he said. He said the program is more than just the student assembly but about what direction the student body takes afterwards. Students at his school were strongly affected from the presentation and maintained the feeling by creating their own acts of kindness chains and hand prints with goal …
andrea tuszynski
3:05 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Crystal Lake South hosted an all-school assembly yesterday, Crystal Lake Central hosted an all-school assembly today and Prairie Ridge will have their presentation tomorrow with special guest speaker Keith Hawkins. I am thrilled that all three high schools in District 155 were able to get this presentation! It was an Awesome presentation!!! Creating a Thriving High School Climate Connection, … more ›