Program Development & Policy Timeline

1. Bullying Policy Program Development & Policy Timeline

2. House Bill 669 • 1006.147 Florida Statutes requires districts to adopt a policy prohibiting bullying and harassment of students and staff on school grounds, at school sponsored events and through school computer networks by December 1, 2008

3. Model Policy • The Bullying Policy – actually named the Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act – had input of many stakeholders including the Florida Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinators • The FL DOE is required by the same Statute to distribute a model policy to the districts by October 1, 2008. They will be utilizing Broward School Board’s Policy as their Model Policy http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/sbbcpolicies/docs/P5.9.pdf

4. Monroe’s Policy • MCSB Policy may include more specific categories but not less than the FL DOE’s Model Policy • Funding for Safe Schools will be withheld if the policy is deemed to lack substantial conformity • The Bullying Policy will not replace the already adopted Harassment Policy

5. Timeline August – Work with School Health Advisory Council to develop draft of Policy using Broward’s as template September – Seek input from Principals, Assistant Principals and other groups such as SAC(s) and student groups regarding the draft policy October – Survey students grades 4-8 to get baseline data regarding feelings of harassment, bullying and overall safety

6. Timeline (continued) October - Bullying task force team will develop tool box for schools to utilize when the policy goes into effect October 14 – Bring policy to board workshop for input and discussion October 28 – On the board agenda for approval November/December – train staff January – Suggested grade-level meetings with students regarding policy and expectations

7. Tool Box Materials • Training for the teachers – Verbal Judo • Training for the students – Silence Hurts • Supplemental materials for the classroom at each grade level including Character Ed. material and a suggested reading list • Campaigns such as: Mix-It Up at Lunch and Violence Prevention Week • Challenge Day and other MYCP events

8. Lessons Learned Florida’s 2nd Annual Bullying Conference

9. Forms of Bullying Direct – • Verbal/Physical Aggression • Proactive – goal directed, higher peer status • Reactive – less effective, no status change Indirect – • Relational – personal relationship to harm • Reputational – attempt to harm’s someone’s social status

10. Change in Society • The internet now plays an important role in social interactions • 12% of students say they spend more time on the internet than with friends • 30% of students say that email, chat rooms or instant messaging is the main way they stay in contact with their friends

11. Danger Zone • Cyber bullying is more anonymous, as a result can be more severe • There is a parent-child communication gap: parents are unaware about youth cyber behavior • Educators are put in the middle of issues in which the controls do not begin or end under a school’s jurisdiction

12. We Socialize Children to Bull: Dr. Jan Stanton, Ph.D, Training and Coaching Institute Director of Illinois • Bullying has been a social ritual • Gender Socialization “As children grow and develop, the gender stereotypes they are exposed to at home are reinforced by other elements in their environment and are thus perpetuated throughout childhood and on into adolescence” martin, Wood & Little 1990 • Family factors include: income, education, parenting styles, unemployment, and parent/child relationship

13. The Roles of Bullying Victim, Bully, Bystander, Ally and Victim/Bully Each play a significant role in the “normalization” of bullying and each must be taught how to overcome this learned behavior while addressing the needs that led to it in the first place

14. Victims “Passive Victims” – anxious, insecure, appear to do nothing to invite attacks and fail to defend themselves “Provocative Victims” – hot-tempered, restless, create tension by irritating and teasing others and fight back or attempt to when attacked “Bully/Victims” – bullies sometimes, victims, most difficult to assist

15. What Schools Can Do About It Administrators should provide staff: • Clear definitions of what bullying is and is not • The skills to intervene when they see it • Support in following the procedures when incidents occur

16. What Schools Can Do About It Teachers can: • Provide attentive supervision • Show respect for each student • Break Myths, such as “Boys will be boys” or Bullies come from “dysfunctional homes”

17. What Schools Can Do About It The Classroom/School environment should: • Have posted guidelines discouraging bullying • Avoid programs that isolate students socially or physically (such as suspension etc) • Articulate specific expectations for appropriate social behavior • Encourage collaborative learning versus competitive learning • Include friends who can be buffers for victims when grouping

18. Thank you to the following members of the Bullying Prevention Task Force for their contributions • Kevin Freeman • Patrick Godsell • Liz Logan • Amy Rembisz • Harry Russell • Marla Russell