In support of Autism Awareness Month, Metropolitan School of the Arts is asking all of its studio students to ‘go blue’ now through April 30.  Students who wear blue during class, Monday through Friday in April, Metropolitan School of the Arts will donate $1 for each student that wears blue, per day. Go to www.metropolitanarts.org for a full schedule of classes and registration.

Metropolitan School of the Arts offers pre-professional dance, theatre, musical and vocal studio classes for youth and teens, as well as adult dance and fitness classes, including Metro Barre, yoga and Pilates.

For any parent, it can be an alarming discovery to learn that your child is displaying bullying traits. Bullying is defined as repeated, aggressive behavior that can be physical, verbal, or relational, and approximately one in 10 children have bullied others. No one wants to hear that their child is bullying, however, there are identifying signals to be aware of and ways to help the child who is bullying. 

"Recognizing the warning signs is an important first step in preventing bullying “explains Peter J. Goodman, author of the new children’s book series, "We're All Different But We're All Kitty Cats.” The books are designed for elementary-aged-children, to tackle common issues that they may encounter such as bullying, childhood fears, confidence, being different and making friends.

Warning Signs Indicating a Child is At-Risk for Displaying Bullying Behavior: 

Bullying is an issue that schools around the country are paying attention to. It’s one that is leaving many seats in the classrooms empty each day. In fact, it’s estimated that, around the country, roughly 160,000 students stay home each day because they fear bullying. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that schools can do in order to help successfully prevent and address the issue on their campus.

“Bullying is a common problem, and schools don’t want it there anymore than the students do,” explains Peter J. Goodman, author of the book “We’re All Different But We’re All Kitty Cats.” “Both can come out ahead if schools place an emphasis on addressing the problem in a variety of ways.”