Safe School Climate Initiative

1. Safe School Climate Initiative Integrating Social Emotional Learning and Establishing a Safe, Nurturing and Resepctful Learning Community

2. Safe School ClimateInitiative • Based on the Social and Emotional Learning Competencies • There is a district-wide SSC steering committee • There is a SSC committee at each school, that will hopefully include a parent, and at the high school, a student • This is a proactive “prevention and intervention” initiative

3. What is Bullying? • How does Connecticut law define bullying? • The repeated use by one or more students of a written, oral, or electronic communication, such as cyberbullying, directed at or referring to another student attending school in the same school district; OR • A physical act or gesture by one or more students repeatedly directed at another student attending school in the same school district, that: • Causes physical or emotional harm or damage to the student's property; • Places the student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or herself, or of damage to his or her property; • Creates a hostile environment at school for the student; • Infringes on the rights of such student at school; or • Substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.

4. What is Bullying?(Cyberbullying) • How does Connecticut law define cyberbullying? • Bullying through the use of devices that transmit signals, text, images, or sound, such as: • mobile electronic devices Examples: cell phones, iPads, iPhones, laptops, or pagers • the Internet Examples: chat rooms, instant messaging, or social networking websites • Is one action enough to qualify as bullying or cyberbullying? • NO – under Connecticut law, bullying requires “repeated” written, oral or electronic communication.

5. What is Harassment? In general • Commonly see three basic types of harassment: • Sex / race / disability motivated violence; • Sexual harassment (unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and nonverbal conduct of a sexual nature); • Sex / race / disability stereotyping, mocking, and verbal attacks or shunning or otherwise biased conduct.

6. Legal Perspective Policies must include provisions for reporting, investigating, notification and intervention. • Anonymous Bullying Hotline 860-758-7547 • Boxes in Main Offices of every school • Established protocol for investigation Required policies include the term “prevention and intervention strategy” • Positive School Climate • Promotes healthy relationships among all school community members • Essential component of school improvement and bullying prevention • Teaches SEL strategies • Training for all staff members

7. Social Perspective The social perspective addresses the way the school culture holds itself accountable. “What is the school/community culture regarding the unacceptable behaviors ?” What are the risk and protective factors ? What is acceptable behavior ? What does the “violation” of the expectations look like ? What is the “level of tolerance” ? What is the willingness to change/develop alternative behaviors ? What are the preventive and intervention strategies being employed to control, and to eliminate the unacceptable behavior ?

8. The school environment as a “protective factor” • The positive school environment that encourages social and emotional competency has a profound impact on student health (mental and physical) • The school environment is a “protective factor” • Powerful influence on motivation to learn • Mitigate the negative influences of the socioeconomic context on academic success • Research reflects that there is less harassment (sex, race, disability), less aggression, less violence, drug abuse, drop-out rates with a positive school climate • A healthy and positive school climate, that includes a focus upon social and emotional learning, is the single most powerful “protective factor” for learning and prosocial development of children • Positive school climate is directly associated with lower student at-risk behaviors

9. What is Social Emotional Learning ? • Social and emotional learning involves the processes of developing social and emotional competencies in children • The best learning emerges in the context of supportive relationships that make learning challenging, engaging, and meaningful • Social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen, and worker • Many different risky behaviors (e.g., drug use, violence, bullying, and dropout) can be prevented or reduced when integrated efforts between schools, parents and the community are directed at developing a student’s social and emotional skills.

10. Social Emotional Learning • •Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism. • •Self-management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals. • •Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports. • •Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed. • •Responsible decision-making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others

11. East Windsor School DistrictSchool Climate Mission Statement The East Windsor Safe School Climate Committee’s mission is to ensure a safe, caring and supportive environment that encourages students and faculty to collaborate in learning. The Safe School expectations are that students feel close to people at school, are happy to be there, feel a part of the school, believe teachers treat them fairly, and feel personally safe while at school, increasing their success academically and socially. A positive and compassionate school climate is one in which students and adults are physically, emotionally and intellectually safe and free from bullying, harassment and discrimination.