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TEG FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016 V V V PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895 V V V Good Evening VVV Stop the pain. Stop the hate. WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM F O Y T I L A E R E TH By Jessie Wagoner [email protected] Editor’s Note: This is the first of a multi-part series focused on bullying. This article focuses on defining bullying. Future articles will focus on student’s experiences with bullying and what parents and school administration can do to help alleviate bullying. To protect their identities, the students in the series are identified using pseudonyms. According to the American Medical Association more than 3.2 million youth are victims of “moderate” or “serious” bullying each year. However, most research indicates that bullying is frequently under reported, leaving many victims without support each day. “I don’t think adults understand what bullying really is,” Xena, a student at Emporia Middle School who has been bullied said. “If they did I think they would do more to help.” “Bullying isn’t just some kids being mean on the playground. It is scary and sometimes I’m physically in danger.” Bullying Defined XENA, Emporia Middle School student tation or relationships. Social bullying includes: ✦✦Leaving someone out on purpose ✦✦Telling other children not to be friends with someone ✦✦Spreading rumors about someone ✦✦Embarrassing someone in public ✦✦ Tripping/pushing ✦✦ Taking or breaking someone’s things ✦✦ Making mean or rude hand gestures Educational Definition Emporia Public Schools do have policies in place regarding bullying. The district defines bullying in the Emporia Middle School Handbook in the following way. For this purpose bullying includes, but is not limited to, the following behaviors: Any intentional gesture or written, verbal Physical bullying involves hurt- or physical or computerized or ing a person’s body or possessions. other electronically transmitted act or threat that is sufficiently Social bullying, sometimes Physical bullying includes: severe, persistent or pervasive referred to as relational bullying, ✦✦Hitting/kicking/pinching involves hurting someone’s repu- ✦✦Spitting that it creates an intimidating, There are three types of bullying identified by stopbullying.gov. Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes: ✦✦Teasing ✦✦Name-calling ✦✦Inappropriate sexual comments ✦✦Taunting ✦✦Threatening to cause harm threatening or abusive education environment for a student or staff member that a reasonable person under the same or similar circumstances knows or should know, will have the effect of: ✦✦Physically or mentally harming the student or staff member; ✦✦Damaging a student’s or staff member’s property; ✦✦Placing a student or staff member in reasonable fear of harm; ✦✦Placing a student or staff member in reasonable fear of damage to the student’s or staff member’s property; ✦✦Cyberbullying; or ✦✦Any other form of intimidation or harassment prohibited in policies adopted by the board of education. Please see Bullying, Page 8 COUNTY COMMISSION HEARS PUBLIC COMMENT ON AMERICUS ROAD By John Robinson [email protected] SEASON FINALE, NEW BEGINNINGS By Regina Murphy [email protected] The Emporia Symphony Orchestra’s 2015-2016 season comes to a close Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. concert in Albert Taylor Hall, 1 Kellogg Circle. The theme is “A Masterworks Finale” and the concert features the overture to “The Magic Flute” by W.A. Mozart and Dvorak’s Sym- Emporia phony No. 8. Symphony “It’s very exciting music and, as Orchestra I see it, the thread TUESDAY, that unites these ALBERT two pieces is this TAYLOR sort of magical el- HALL ement,” Miranda 7:30 P.M. said. “Dvorak has $5 general so many great admission, moments that $4 for seniors seem magical. and students, Both of these free for composers are children 12 great melodists. and under They can write great tunes.” Brad Harzman is the music teacher for Lebo Schools and a member of the horn section of the symphony. “Miranda has been a positive enthusiastic force,” said Harzman. “The orchestra continues to grow and move forward, programming challenging and rewarding choices VOL. 124, NO. 252 COURTESY PHOTO Former Emporia State University professor and conductor Jeremy Starr has retired for medical reasons, and will pursue a professional conducting career. He passes the baton for the Emporia Symphony Orchestra to current string professor and conductor Ramiro Miranda. while continuing to entertain and enrich our community.” The orchestra is large and diverse. “There are about 70 ... some high school-level students, then the majority is university students and faculty and community players,” Miranda said. “(Diversity) adds another dimension to the group,” he said. stead of on the podium. Miranda noted that leadership and listening are his style, not autocracy. “I am trying to do the same with the symphony, to make it a two-way conversation,” said Miranda. “I invite them to do something, and we see if it will go the way it needs to. I enjoy the process of working together.” A large community organization needs a support team. “We also have the Symphony League of volunteers,” said Miranda. “They help us with receptions, ushering, posters around town ...” Sandy Brunkow of the Symphony League, an all-volunteer support GAZETTE FILE PHOTO group, said, “I think that Jeremy left Ramiro Miranda will continue as us in very good shape with Ramiro. “When he left, he said we the instructor for upper strings wouldn’t even miss him because and director of orchestras Ramiro was so much like him.