What is Bullying & Harassment?

1. Bullying & Harassment Prevention and Awareness Elise Bowman, Lisa Cook, and Lauren DavisSocial Work Interns, Middle Alternative ProgramThis slideshow was adapted from Jonathan Brice, Executive DirectorOffice of Student Support and Safety Updated 11/17/2010

2. OBJECTIVES1. To define bullying2. To identify student behaviors that may constitute bullying3. To recognize the responsibility of school staff in student bullying prevention and intervention Updated 11/17/2010

3. What is Bullying & Harassment? From City Schools Board Administrative Regulation JICK-RA: Adopted by Board of School Commissioner October 2010 Updated 11/17/2010

4. To help determine if an incident is indeed bullying, ask yourself: • Was it intentional? • Is there an imbalance of power? • Was the action meant to hurt? • Is the behavior repeated (pattern of behavior)? • Does the victim have trouble defending himself or herself? • Was the victim threatened with retaliation if he/she told? Updated 11/17/2010

5. As incidents come to our attention, we should ask ourselves the following questions: • Is the reported or observed behavior frequent? • Is it severe? • Is it physically threatening or humiliating? •  Does it interfere “unreasonably” in a student’s academic performance? • Would it seem hostile or abusive to a reasonable person? • Does the student who is the target view the school environment as abusive? • Is there a real or perceived imbalance of power between the victim and the perpetrator? Updated 11/17/2010

6. Seth’s Story Each day, 10-year-old Seth asked his mom for more and more lunch money. Yet he seemed skinnier than ever and came home from school hungry. It turned out that Seth was handing his lunch money to a fifth-grader, who was threatening to beat him up if he didn't pay. Updated 11/17/2010

7. Examples of Bullying • Physical Bullying: punching, hitting, choking, physical assaults, beating, hair pulling, biting, excessive tickling. • Verbal Bullying: hurtful name calling, teasing, gossiping, terrorizing, blackmailing, distorting, threatening physical harm, or spreading nasty rumors about a person. • Non-Verbal (Emotional) Bullying: intimidating behavior (looks, obscene gestures, body language), shunning, rejecting, humiliating, isolating, ostracizing based on personal characteristics. • Sexual Bullying: sexual harassment or abuse involving physical contact of a sexual nature or sexual assault, exhibitionism, voyeurism, or sexual propositioning. Updated 11/17/2010

8. The Effects of Bullying on the Victim Short Term • Lower self-esteem • Illness • Absenteeism and dropping out • Depression, anxiety and hyper-vigilance • Sleeplessness and eating disorders • Thoughts of suicide Long Term • Lower self-esteem • Higher rates of depression • Suicide • Violent retaliation Updated 11/17/2010

9. National Bullying Data Percentage of students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school and being cyber-bullied anywhere during the school year, by sex: 2007 *Cyber-bullying includes threats/insults made by instant messaging, text messaging and on the internet. Data obtained from the U.S. Dept of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics Updated 11/17/2010

10. Bullying Affects School Climate • It interferes with student learning • It creates a climate of fear and disrespect • Students may perceive lack of control/caring Updated 11/17/2010

11. Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Dear Colleagues Memo Selected Excerpt from Dear Colleagues Letter: Updated 11/17/2010

12. Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Dear Colleagues Memo 12 MUST: Review the OCR FACT Sheet. Encouraged: Read the Dear Colleagues Letter. Updated 11/17/2010

13. Vignettes Scenario #1: Parent calls and tells you child is being bullied by another student. What do you do? How would you deal with this matter? Scenario #2: What do you do if a parent reports on Monday that their student was bullied online over the weekend? Updated 11/17/2010

14. Reporting and Investigation: For Parents, Students and Schools Step 1. Contact your child’s school and verbally report bullying incident. Step 2. Complete a Bullying & Harassment Form available at your child’s school. The form can also be obtained from the district’s school website (Office of Student Support page) and submitted to the school. • The school principal/designee investigates the incident within 2 school days. Resolution for incidents is given to parents/ guardians within 2 school days. • The school submits the complaint and investigation and intervention taken online in the City Schools Bullying and Harassment application within 2 school days. • Appropriate disciplinary action is taken. All suspensions for bullying should have an accompanied Bullying and Harassment report. Step 3. If not satisfied with the investigation, contact the Office of Student Support through our Safety Hotline at 410-396-SAFE. • The Office of Student Support will work with the school to ensure that the incident is investigated within 2 school days. The Office of Student Support will ensure that resolution is sufficient. Updated 11/17/2010

15. City Schools Bullying/Harassment Incidents Updated 11/17/2010

16. City Schools Suspension Data 1 Bullying became a new suspension category in SY06/07. 2 Few LEAs reported bullying suspensions in SY05/06, including Baltimore County (reported zero) and Prince George’s (reported zero). Updated 11/17/2010

17. City Schools Data Climate Survey- Overall School Safety Indicator Updated 11/17/2010

18. Focus for City Schools SY10-11 • Increase Schools Focus on Building Positive Staff and Student Relationships • Teach Students Acceptable Norms for Behavior through Health Education of Character Education Curriculum (Great Body Shop/Too Good for Drugs) • Support School Staff in Building Effective School Climate and Culture (PBIS) Updated 11/17/2010

19. Strategy to Address Bullying & Harassment • Awareness & Prevention • Intervention (includes full range of Consequences as outlined in the Code of Conduct) • Engage community-based partners so that resources are available at the school level • School Improvement Plan integrates resources, school needs, and community support Updated 11/17/2010

20. What is MAPAL’s Plan? What awareness and prevention strategies have you implemented to decrease bullying incidents in your school? Updated 11/17/2010

21. Current Prevention Strategies • Professional Development/Awareness—Targeted at principals and school staff during summer 2009. Students and parents were informed about expectations for behavior in August and September of 2009. Principals and leadership staff training summer of 2010. Regular updates provided in person and electronically during school year. • Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)–Expanded PBIS from 44 school implementation in SY08-09 to 61 in SY09-10. PBIS implementation in SY10-11 includes 93 schools, 100% of which submitted their baseline climate evaluation to the state in November. • School-based Character Education Programs Updated 11/17/2010

22. Current Prevention Strategies 22 • Youth Development –Expansion of programs designed to give students voice in their education. Student government, Youth Ambassadors, and school created programs for student development. • Every school with secondary grades has a registered student government • Youth Ambassadors program working with 500 students across all secondary schools during the school year. Served 300 students in summer program summer 2009. Served about 400 students summer 2010. • Mental Health Counseling- Counseling is made available to students that are victims of bullying and perpetrators of bullying, counseling services are provided by guidance counselors, social workers, and psychologists • SY09-10 103 schools with services, 37 schools targeting middle school students. Continued targeted services in SY10-11. • 8,830 Students receiving individual or group treatment • 23,748 Direct Services Related to Individual Student/Group Treatment • SY09/10 YTD Emergency Petitions & Evaluation 30 Updated 11/17/2010

23. Current Intervention Strategies • Student Support Teams • Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plan training for schools • Targeted assistance training and support ongoing during SY10-11. • During SY09-10, City School Social Workers presented approximately 50 staff trainings at their assigned schools on bullying prevention and behavioral interventions when bullying occurs. • Training for 125 City School Psychologists and 204 Social Workers, who play lead roles at the school team level, was a major focus of the project this year.  • The FBA/BIP project team provided, targeted technical assistance to approximately 30 schools, and provided assistance to approximately 60 schools who requested student-specific technical assistance or experienced difficulty with students being suspended due to their behavior. • Code of Conduct interventions Levels 1-4– Includes Student/parent conferences, In-school suspension, Suspension or Expulsion Updated 11/17/2010

24. School Anti-Bullying & Harassment Activities • School leadership teams integrate as part of School Improvement Plan • Communicate anti-bullying and harassment stance through multiple media to all stakeholders including students, parents, teachers • Engage students in the discussion by incorporating interactive lessons • Use of interventions that include community conferencing, mediation • Involve related service resources such as social workers and psychologists as well as external partners Updated 11/17/2010

25. Examples of School Anti-Bullying & Harassment Activities Updated 11/17/2010

26. Sampling of Current Partners that Support City Schools’ Anti-Bullying Efforts 1. Community Conferencing- Works with schools to provide Daily Rap group meetings, and conferencing services for students, staff and parents involved in disruptive incidents in schools. • During SY09-10, worked with 56 schools and had 184 cases referred • During SY08-09, worked with 55 schools and had 126 cases referred 2. John’s Hopkins (Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence)-provides research and best practices to City Schools in prevention of youth violence. • During SY10-11, will train 12 schools in Paths to Pax • During SY09-10, trained 13 schools in Paths to Pax • During SY08-09, trained 9 schools in Paths to Pax Updated 11/17/2010

27. Sampling of Current Partners that Support City Schools’ Anti-Bullying Efforts 27 3. Community Mediation –Works with students, staff and parents to mediate conflicts that impact the school environment. • During SY09-10, 3 mediations in 2 schools • During SY08-09, 9 mediations in 7 schools 4. Mariposa Child Success Programs- Mariposa Child Success Programs fill a critical need for parenting education and professional training that fosters the emotional health and well-being of children. • During SY09-10, worked with 1 school (also 1 school on Promoting School Success) • During SY08-09, worked with 2 schools Updated 11/17/2010

28. Additional Resources • NEW: City Schools website with bullying and harassment updates and resources. Click on Office of Student Support under “Departments,” then on Bullying and Harassment. Or click here. • NEW: Promising Practices from School-based Leaders, course on TSS. • NEW: Federal Government resource for bullying and harassment, just launched after the release of the Dear Colleagues letter. http://bullyinginfo.org. • “Stop Bullying Now” – Website created by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in collaboration with other public service, youth and community organizations that targets youth between the ages of 9 through 13 years. http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/ • SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Bullying Website: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/15plus/educate/ • National Crime Prevention Council’s Tips for Principal’s on Reducing School Violence: http://www.ncpc.org/cms/cms-upload/ncpc/files/principals12.pdf • OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program: http://www.olweus.org/public/index.page • Resources for School Mental Health Clinicians : http://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/Resources/Clin/BullyClin • The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center: http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/topics/bullying.asp • Preventing Classroom Bullying: What Teachers Can Do: http://www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/bully/bullyBooklet.pdf • “Teens Against Bullying” – Website developed by Pacer Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) that’s good for middle school/high school students: http://www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org/ Updated 11/17/2010

29. Questions and Follow-Up Updated 11/17/2010