Alberti Center Director to Give Keynote at Oct. 26 Dignity for All Conference

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The director of the University at Buffalo's anti-bullying center will share her knowledge of promoting a bully-free school with fellow educators at a "Dignity for All" daylong conference on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Michael's Banquet Facility, 4885 Southwestern Blvd., in Hamburg.

Amanda Nickerson, director of UB's Jean M. Alberti Center for the Prevention of Bullying Abuse and School Violence, will discuss the scope of the bullying problem, an issue that again has gained national attention following the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, the Williamsville teenager who was bullied online before taking his own life.

Nickerson came to UB this summer to head the Graduate School of Education's fledgling anti-bullying center with a mission of making the Alberti Center a national and international "go to" place for the latest research and advice on bullying. She has appeared as an expert and guest on numerous news talk shows and been quoted in many regional and national publications following the tragic death of Rodemeyer.

Nickerson will set the stage for the conference with a presentation focusing on the scope and problem of bullying and highlight current issues on both the state and national level.

Other presenters will include Lisa Krueger, Terence Tryon and Kimberly Cirillo, administrators in the Orchard Park Central School District. All three are certified trainers in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. With more than 35 years of research and implementation worldwide, Olweus is a whole-school model proven to prevent or reduce bullying in the school setting.

The conference will end with a presentation from attorney Andrew Freedman, a partner in Hodgson Russ LLP and member of the firm's Education Law Practice Group. His presentation will detail the implementation of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). Effective July 1, DASA will require school districts to revise codes of conduct and implement new policies to create a "bully-free school district." Freedman will outline the obligations of school districts, as well as the latest information on bullying related to cell phone searches and social media sites.

The conference is open to all school administrators, support staff and educators. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The cost is $114 (includes continental breakfast, lunch and handouts). Cost for employees of member schools is $75. College students may attend for $25 through Character Council's Scholarship program. Register four individuals under any of the pricing categories and get a fifth person free.

To register, visit http://gse.buffalo.edu/gsefiles/documents/alberti/Dignity_for_All.pdf.