Dresses, dancing, music and fun. You’ll find all of these and more at the annual Grace Center Junior High Afro Ball on May 21. For the 33rd year, this event offers a fun, social, and safe environment for all area 7th and 8th graders. Each year, the Ball brings in around 800 area middle school students. This year’s theme is, “The future belongs to those who prepare.”

The event will be held at the SeaGate Convention Center from 7-11pm. Tickets are $30 and must be purchased with a parent at Grace Community Center, 406 West Delaware Avenue. Students must provide a student ID and fill out a registration form for ticket purchase. Proceeds from the event will help fund Grace Community Center’s youth programs, including the Edu-camp program.

For more information, call 419-248-2467

Cyberbullying is an ever-present danger in our selfie-obsessed, eyes-glued-to-a-screen culture, affecting children at younger ages. Heather Baker, director of Pupil Placement and Child Adjustment Services for Toledo Public Schools (TPS), leads a district goal of preventing bullying. 

TPS recently made some updates to its cyberbullying policy to include all aspects of social media and the Internet. So many new platforms, makes it difficult to keep up, but the district wants to send a strict no-tolerance message. School counselors are mandated to present age-appropriate anti-bullying curriculum to every classroom from K-12, and the district also presents two programs each year. Baker says that students tend to receive a message better from their peers, so students put together skits and videos about bullying and how to react or prevent it.

Students are encouraged to notify administrators if they know of cyberbullying incidents and “need boxes” are placed in every school to facilitate anonymous reporting of incidents. Students should feel safe and secure at school while feeling loved and appreciated. 

To learn more about the TPS Cyberbullying Policy 
visit tps.org 

Parents and interested community members expressed a desire for an all-male college prep learning environment for middle school-aged boys to help with their spiritual and educational journey. This last school year was St. Francis’ first year providing a 7th and 8th grade curriculum.

Kicking off the school year at Camp de Sales in Michigan, the retreat allowed students the opportunity to bond, while being physically and spiritually active, says Fr. Joseph Newman, director of admissions. 

St. Francis de Sales said, “Be who you are and be that well.” The pre-teen and teen years are when young people are developing their identity and sense of self while testing the boundaries, so offering 7th and 8th grade classes is a natural fit.

For more information: St. Francis de Sales School
Fr. Joseph Newman | director of admissions.
419-531-1618 | sfstoledo.org