Bullying Prevention Expert to Speak Oct. 13

A news release:

The West Des Moines Community Schools invites the public to a special bullying prevention seminar presented by author and bullying prevention expert Rosalind Wiseman, who wrote the best-selling book Queen Bees and Wannabes. The public is invited to the session on October 13 at 7 p.m. at the Valley Community Center (4444 Fuller Rd., WDM).

Doors will open for the seminar at 6 p.m. Books will be available for sale from 6-7 p.m., with Wiseman speaking from 7-8 p.m. There will be a question and answer session before a book signing from 8:30-9 p.m.

The seminar is being presented in part through a Polk Country Community Betterment Grant.

“Our strongest partners in preventing bullying among young people are our parents and community members,” said WDMCS Interim Superintendent Dr. Lisa Remy. “Not only did we want to provide Ms. Wiseman’s training for our staff to support their efforts to help students successfully navigate young adulthood, we also wanted to share her knowledge with parents and the community.”

Last year, the district established a bullying prevention committee, which studied research and data on bullying prevention and also helped enhance the district’s bullying prevention efforts. The committee recommended inviting Wiseman to provide a session for district staff and the community. Wiseman will also hold a session for WDMCS staff members only on October 14as part of that day’s professional development training.

Wiseman is an internationally recognized expert on children, teens, parenting, bullying, social justice and ethical leadership. Her book Queen Bees and Wannabes was the basis for the movie Mean Girls. Each year Wiseman works with tens of thousands of students, educators, parents, counselors, coaches, and administrators to create communities based on the belief that each person has a responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity. In 2013, she was appointed as an advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. In 2011, she was one of the principal speakers at the White House Summit on Bullying. She was also the featured speaker of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad’s 2012 Bullying Prevention Summit.