Besides having regular discussions with students and presentations from a Police Liaison Officer, the all-girls school has expanded their approach when it comes to dealing with this common problem.

MacKillop College student administration co-ordinator, Peter Murphy said the school would be taking the anti-bullying message to students, staff and parents.

“On November 4, the school, through the Australian Communications and Media Authority, will give a presentation on cyber bullying to the students,” he said.

“We will also have a presentation for staff and parents on that day so everyone knows about cyber safety and bullying.

“Bullying is something that affects every school and it is particularly prevalent in years eight and nine.

“I think girls are more likely to engage in cyber bullying than physical violence, because they can do it in isolation and don’t have to say anything fac- to-face.”

This week students in years seven and eight got to see what bullying is like from the outside with a showing of Brainstorm Productions’ ‘Sticks and Stones’.

In the performance two energetic young performers explore the different forms of bullying in the playground, in the street and at home, while providing strategies for conflict resolution, anger management, assertiveness, and breaking the cycle of violence.

MacKillop students Tori Marwood and Julia O’Shea said the theatre performance was a great way of getting those important messages across.

“The show was enjoyable to watch, so it didn’t feeling like you were learning a lesson,” Tori said.

“It really got the message across to me.”

Julia said the way the performance combined humour, circus skills and life lessons made it easy to watch.

“The messages from the show have really stuck in my head,” she said.

“And the humour made sure I was kept interested for the entire performance.”