School buddies leading to fewer bullies
By Suzanne Werre
Editor
The new “lunch buddies” program at the Underwood Public School has needed a little tweaking in the early weeks of the new school year, but the program, which has sixth-graders and kindergarten students sharing tables at lunch time, seems to be working – the older students who are spending a little time visiting with the younger students during lunch time are proving to be good role models for the younger ones, and lunch is going pretty smoothly.
In his monthly report to the school board, Principal Lee Weisgarber reported on the early success of the program.
“We haven’t had any complaints of bullying, fighting, or name calling, or even refusing to eat or anything like that in the lunch room this year,” said Weisgarber.
The younger students enjoy the time they get to spend with the older kids, and there have been other positives.
“The (elementary students) are a lot more calm, they’re a lot more focused on what they’re supposed to do, and they get out of there on time,” said Weisgarber. “We run 120 kids through the lunch room in about 25 minutes.”
