Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

1. Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying What is new in the law and The River Dell Approach

2. Why was a new law needed? As you can see from the chart, HIB, or Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying constitute one of the three highest categories of concern in the 07-08 and 08-09 school years. Section 2a of the new legislation quotes a federal report stating “ 32% of students aged 12 thouugh18 were bullied in the previous school year.” Moreover 25% of the schools stated that bullying was a daily or weekly occurrence.” Source: http://www..nleg.state.us/2010/Bills/S3500/3466_R1.HTM

3. Selected Features of the New Law, the “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act” • Instruction in suicide prevention will include summation undulation to between risk of suicide and incidents of harassment and intimidation or bullying. • School districts will submit data identifying a number and nature of all HIB incidents • Newly elected school board members will complete an HIB the training program. • Districts will be graded on their HIB efforts and the grade will be posted on the homepage of the district website. • All school leaders will be trained

4. New features of the law continued • HIB offenses will now be considered good cause for suspension or expulsion. • Harassment intimidation or bullying is now specifically defined and includes off school grounds behavior. • All HIB incidents must be reported and committed to writing with the principal informing the parents or guardians of all students involved. • All incidents must be reported to the principal within one school day, and investigated by the anti-bullying specialist within 10 days. • Each principal must designate a member of the existing staff to serve as the anti-bullying specialist. • The results of each investigation must be reported to the superintendent, board, and affect the parents and guardians within specific timelines.

5. New features of the law, continued • There is a specific duty to report HIB incidents, and there is immunity for doing so. • Administrators who fail to report or investigate may be subject to disciplinary action. • Districts must annually establish bullying prevention and school climate programs. • Districts may apply for grants to establish these programs. • School resource officers and school liaisons must also be trained. • Superintendence must also point a district anti-bullying coordinator, who must provide HIB information to the department of education

6. New features of the law continued • Each school must have a school safety team to develop and maintain a positive school climate. The team must meet at least two times per year. • All new teachers and supervisors must have HIB training. • Cyber bullying is specifically included as an HIB offense. • The first week of October is designated as a “Week of Respect,” during which districts will provide age appropriate instruction focused on preventing HIB. • Institutions of higher education must adopt policies into their student code codes of conduct prohibiting harassment intimidation or bullying.

7. Preventing bullying through a positive school climate but what is a positive school climate? • A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning necessary for a productive, contributing and satisfying life in a democratic society. This climate includes: Norms, values and expectations that support people feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe. • People are engaged and respected. • Students, families and educators work together to develop, live and contribute to a shared school vision. • Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize the benefits and satisfaction gained from learning. • Each person contributes to the operations of the school and the care of the physical environment. Source: http://www.schoolclimate.org/climate/index.php

8. So what does that really look like? Major indicators 1 Rules and Norms How we do it Clearly communicated rules about physical violence; clearly communicated rules about verbal abuse, harassment, and teasing; clear and consistent enforcement and norms for adult intervention. Banners describing school expectations Classroom rules posted Review of school handbook with students Expectation that staff members not only report but intervene and model appropriate behaviors

9. Public Affirmations Prominent Displays

10. School climate indicators, continued 2 Sense of Physical Security How we do it Sense that students and adults feel safe from physical harm in the school. Thoroughly inspect and maintain the facility. Enforce sign in and admission procedures Conduct safety drills Invite and investigate all complaints of harassment, intimidation, bullying

11. School Climate Programs Celebrate Diversity

12. School climate indicators continued 3 Sense of Social-Emotional Security How we do it Sense that students feel safe from verbal abuse, teasing, and exclusion. As in the previous slide, insist that staff monitor and correct student speech. Foster activities where students were student diversity is appreciated . See following slides

13. SAVE Club • Come celebrate River Dell's diversity! • The SAFE Club meets at lunch on C days in rm. 914.  • The Student Alliance for Equality will celebrate National Coming Out Day on October 11.  You can support us by purchasing and wearing a t-shirt.  Slogans include: "I'm coming out" & "Straight but not narrow!"  T-shirts are $5.

14. Practice what you preach

15. Practice what you preach

16. Establishing and maintaining a legacy

17. Practice what you preach

18. Singing Korean pop tunes

19. World Cultures Night: food and entertainment

20. When a student makes an HIB complaint • Listen carefully and take notes. Ask the student for a written statement. • Have a team member of appropriate gender with you to facilitate or take the notes for you • Educate the student about the HIB laws. • Get the student to disclose to the parents or make the disclosure yourself. • Interview the perpetrators, preferably with another professional or another administrator. • Interview witnesses • Educate the perpetrator, review the policies, recommend either education or sanction depending on circumstances.

21. Solve it and resolve it • Meet with victim afterwards and keep following up. Encourage additional reporting right away if the problem is not solved • If there is a consequence, make sure it falls on the perpetrator: i.e., they suffer the schedule change, they change in the phys ed. office instead of the locker room. • Strictly enforce the no retaliation rule • “Operationalize” it. Keep records