VVV Making lemons into ( unsweetened ) lemonade .

By Jessie Wagoner jessie @ emporia . com

EDITOR ’ S NOTE : This is the third of a multi-part series focused on bullying . The first articles addressed the definition of bullying and shared student ’ s experiences . Today , bully prevention programs are explored . Future articles will focus on parent reactions to bullying and how the community can help alleviate it . To protect their identities , the youngsters are identified using pseudonyms .

Emporia ’ s Public Schools are committed to providing all students with a safe and adequate educational experience . In an effort to prevent bullying , the district has implemented several bully prevention programs . It is widely known that bullying can impact students in a number of ways that are detrimental to their learning and development .

One of the programs , Second Step , used in the elementary schools , is also used by CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness . Since CrossWinds and the school district partner to provide a number of services to students in the district it has been beneficial for both agencies to use the same curriculum .

Children who are bullied can experience negative physical , school and mental health issues . Stopbullying . gov says that children who are bullied are more likely to experience :

✦✦Depression and anxiety , increased feelings of sadness and loneliness , changes in sleep and eating patterns , and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy . These issues may persist into adulthood . ✦✦Health complaints ✦✦Decreased academic achievement — GPA and standardized test scores — and school participation . They are more likely to miss , skip or drop out of school .

✦✦A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures . In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s , the shooters had a history of being bullied .

The Emporia Public Schools say they are committed to bullying prevention and strive for all students to be successful and safe .

“ We partner with the mental health center on so many levels and they are actually using Second Step as well with kids that come to Gateway and the PASS program ,” Vicki Schweinler , executive director of elementary schools said . “ So we can all use the same language , which I really love .”

The curriculum focuses on emotional management and emotional regulation , something the school counselors say is very beneficial .

“ Our counselors in particular get excited about the emotional management piece ,” Schweinler said . “ They feel like it is teaching kids how to recognize those emotions that they are feeling and then how to recognize it in other people as well .”

When students are able to recognize their own emotions and learn ways to regulate them , they are less likely to create situations that are harmful for other students , like bullying . Students also learn how to recognize feelings like anger and frustration , how to handle various situations and engage in role-playing activities on how to diffuse situations .

The district began using the Second Step curriculum at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year . So far the student support specialists have reported great success with the program .

Emporia Middle School utilizes the Capturing Kids Hearts curriculum to combat bullying . Capturing Kids Hearts is a research based curriculum that is used in schools nationwide . At this time all middle school staff has been trained in the program . The program focuses on character development in the areas of diligence , respect , compassion , justice , self-control , empathy and service .

“ Their entire staff has been trained and as new people are hired they are trained ,” Nancy Horst , director of community relations said . “ The staff feels like there has been a marked decrease in office referrals . Now that is a wide range of things but that does include bullying .”

Emporia public schools has noted a decrease in the number of discipline referrals made to principals for bullying . During the 2011-2012 school year , 133

Please see Bullying , Page 3

Early Monday morning the Kansas Legislature narrowly approved a budget bill and adjourned the 2016 session . The short legislative session is attributed to the election year . Elected officials cannot collect campaign donations while in session , so , with all House and Senate seats up for election this year , legislators were eager to get home .

The budget bill has been touted by lawmakers as the best of the three “ very bad ” options they were presented with to address the $ 290 million budget gap . The House vote was taken at 1:05 a . m . and ended with 63- 59 . The bill needed 63 votes to pass . Rep . Don Hill voted no while Representatives Peggy Mast and Ron Highland voted for the budget bill .

“ I did vote no ,” Hill said . “ The kindest thing I can say about the decision is that I do believe it was probably the best of the terrible , terrible options we had to select from .”

“ We were handed three really poor options , in my opinion , from the Governor ,” Longbine said . “ So our budget committees have been working , trying to make those options as good as possible .”

“ We took the worst case scenario and tried to make it as good as we could ,” Mast said .

The Senate vote came at approximately 3:05 a . m . The sen-

Please see Budget , Page 3

By John Robinson john @ emporia . com

A concert at Olpe Elementary turned into a celebration as the Southern Lyon County School District presented a group of education supporters with the “ Friends of Education ” award .

Members of the Olpe Fire Department along with three individuals — Marie Haag , Heather Bailey and the Rev . Lucille Barb — who volunteer with Kansas public schools , received plaques along with cakes for their service .

“ We try to nominate people who go above and beyond for us ,” said Mike Argabright , superintendent . “ So this is our way of doing that .”

“ Friends of Education ” is sponsored by the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force , a non-profit organization created to strengthen confidence in Kansas public education and to increase awareness of the positive aspects of public education in the state .

Haag is a volunteer who reads with students at the school . She said she was honored to receive the award , however , she said it reflects more on the students than anything .

“ I think the kids deserve this award for putting up with me ,” Haag said , adding she got her start reading to students when she worked as a janitor at the school . “ It ’ s just an awesome feeling and I ’ m very grateful and humbled by it .”

Barb works with the kindergarten and said the most rewarding part for her is seeing the progress the students make over the year .

“ They learn sounds and the alphabet and I help them understand why it ’ s important to learn those things ,” Barb said . “ We got to work on some very basic knowledge that they ’ ll need to go on through school .”

Argabright said each of the award recipients has a passion for children , education and the community .

JESSIE WAGONER / GAZETTE

Tyler Pettigrew appeared with counsel Monte Miller in front of Judge Hornbaker on Monday morning . Pettigrew is charged with reckless involuntary manslaughter , reckless aggravated battery and several traffic violations related to an automobile accident that occurred on Oct . 16 , 2012 , in which Mark Harrison , 59 , of Madison died . Trial was scheduled to begin on Monday however the prosecution requested and was granted a continuance until June 13 .

VOL . 124 , NO . 261

JOHN ROBINSON / GAZETTE

Both the Olpe Fire Department and three members of the community were honored with “ Friends of Education ” awards on Monday .

By Jessie Wagoner jessie @ emporia . com

Tyler Pettigrew will not stand trial this week . Per the request of the prosecution , a continuance was granted due to witnesses not being available to testify this week . The trial is now scheduled to begin on June 13 and is expected to last three days .

Pettigrew is charged with reckless involuntary manslaughter , reckless aggravated battery and several traffic violations related to an automobile accident that occurred on Oct . 16 , 2012 , in which Mark Harrison , 59 , of Madison died .

Pettigrew remains free on bond , however bond modifications were requested and granted

at his first appearance hearing . Those modifications include that Pettigrew cannot have a cellular device in his vehicle while driving . He can store the device in the trunk of his vehicle .

Other charges from the Attorney General ’ s office include use of a wireless communication device while driving , speeding 66 mph in a 60 mph zone , driving left of center and following too close .

Pettigrew appeared in person Monday morning with defense counsel Monte Miller . Kansas Assistant Attorney General Karen Wittman is prosecuting the case . Eighth Judicial District Judge Steven Hornbaker is presiding over the trial as all Lyon County District Court judges have recused themselves from the case .