French Road Elementary School — Rochester, New York
“The Purple Hands Pledge® has become the foundation of our anti-bullying message.”
“We don’t just say it each day at FRES, we live it each day through our words and actions!”
♥ French Road Elementary began a partnership with the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting® Project in 2009 to the present.
♥ Students and staff recite the Purple Hands Pledge® Daily and Always have their Purple Hands Pledges displayed year-round.
♥ French Road is one of our “Model” Schools that have Effectively Implemented and Sustained our program year after year.
French Road Elementary
US Department of Education
National Blue Ribbon School Award 2011
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The coveted National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter talks with
French Road Elementary Students
Every day after the pledge of allegiance and morning announcements, students at
French Road Elementary say the Purple Hands Pledge®
“I Will Not Use My Hands Or My Words For Hurting Myself Or Others”®
“After using the pledge for the past two years, we wanted to reinvigorate our staff and students with something cool. Several of us watched the Pink Glove Dance videos on Youtube, where hospital staff across the United States danced with pink gloves to bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer and that people are not alone in that fight. We loved the videos, loved the message, and loved “You Won’t Dance Alone.”
The song has a positive message that fits perfectly into a no-bullying philosophy emphasizing that if you are bullied, you are not alone. We are in this together! So-during the 2010-11 school year, teachers, secretaries, bus drivers, cafeteria staff, teaching assistants, custodians, nurses, administrators, etc., secretly prepared dance routines while wearing PURPLE gloves. We showed the video to the kids at a special school-wide assembly. They loved it! We hope you will too!”
“Every day after the pledge of allegiance and morning announcements, we state the following Purple Hands Pledge®, “I Will Not Use My Hands Or My Words For Hurting Myself Or Others”® We don’t just say it each day at FRES, we live it each day through our words and actions! The Purple Hands Pledge® has become the foundation of our anti-bullying message.”
“Community is a central component of French Road Elementary School. Its students are not only encouraged to succeed academically but to be constructive members of their communities. In an era where school bullying is far too prevalent, French Road students start their day by reciting the school’s Purple Hand Pledge®. It reads, “I Will Not Use My Hands Or My Words For Hurting Myself Or Others.”® It is a simple message that should be emphasized more throughout school communities around the country.”
