Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Training (Policy # 5131.1)

1. Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Training (Policy # 5131.1) Rick DeMarco Plumsted Township School District District Anti-Bullying Coordinator

2. HIB Policy Facts • Still in Effect • Annual Dissemination • Annual Policy Review • Ranging Definition • On and Off School Grounds • Investigations • Documentation • BOE Action • Reporting • Training • School Safety Teams • Week of Respect • Student Education • Website Obligations

3. Legislation • Intended to strengthen standards for preventing, reporting, investigating, and responding to incidents of bullying to reduce suicide risk among students. • Was effective September 1, 2011 • Affects students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents, contracted service personnel, and the community as a whole.

4. HIB Definition • Harassment, intimidation, or bullying (HIB) is defined as any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other pupils and that:

5. HIB Definition • a) reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a pupil or damaging the pupil’s property, or placing a pupil in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property;

6. HIB Definition • b) has the effect of insulting or demeaning any pupil or group of pupils; or • c) creates a hostile educational environment at school for the pupil by interfering with a pupil’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the pupil.

7. Out of School Conduct • New law stresses the need for schools to address out-of-school conduct that can constitute HIB • Districts must include provisions for responses to HIB when school employees are made aware of the incident.

8. Staff Responsibilities • All acts of HIB must be reported verbally to the principal on the same day the school employee or contracted service provider witnessed or received reliable information regarding the incident. • All acts of HIB must be submitted in writing to the principal within two school days of the incident. • District Form • Training • 2 Hours in Suicide Prevention • Tips • Preach/teach tolerance • Model behavior • Correct and report name calling/teasing based on protected categories

9. HIB and ‘Protected Categories’ • Training includes instruction on preventing HIB based on the protected categories identified in the policy and other distinguishing characteristics that may incite incidents of discrimination. • Protected Categories

10. Protected Categories (Continued) • Race • Color • Religion • Ancestry • National Origin • Gender • Sexual Orientation • Gender Identity and Expression • Mental, Physical, or Sensory Disability • Any Other Distinguishing Characteristic

11. Protected Categories (continued) • To help prevent and identify HIB, we should be aware that research studies show some students under protected characteristics are at higher risk for HIB than the general student population. For example: • Studies conducted in the United States found that children with disabilities were two to three times more likely to be the victims of HIB than other children, and that the HIB experienced by these children was more chronic in nature and directly related to their disability (http://www.abilitypath.org). • The results of a 2009 National School Climate Survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) indicated that 84.6% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed; 18.8% of LGBT students reported being physically assaulted at school because of their sexual orientation; 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school in the past year; and nearly two-thirds of LGBT students felt unsafe because of their sexual orientation (GLSEN, 2009). • In certain communities, schools or school districts, students under protected characteristics may be particularly vulnerable to bias-based HIB.

12. Protected Categories (continued) • Requires schools to take appropriate action to prevent and remediate HIB that targets a student because of his or her actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability. • When schools do not take appropriate preventive and remedial action, they could be held responsible for bias-based HIB committed by students, school employees, contracted employees and volunteers who have significant contact with students • Discrimination is based on a “perceived” protected characteristic when the perpetrator believes that the victim is a member of a protected group or has a protected characteristic, even if that belief is wrong. Examples: Harassing a heterosexual student using derogatory words or phrases commonly associated with homosexuality may constitute discrimination based on perceived sexualorientation. Harassing a non-Muslim student using anti-Muslim comments may constitute discrimination based on perceived creed or religion.

13. Protected Characteristics (continued)

14. Personnel-School Anti-Bullying Specialists (ABS) • New Egypt High School: Ms. Jacqui Duca and Mrs. Joy Kubilewicz • New Egypt Middle School: Mrs. Natalie Belfiore and Mrs. Joy Kubilewicz • Dr. Gerald H. Woehr Elementary School: Ms. Alyse Reed • New Egypt Primary School: Mrs. Heather Collins

15. Personnel-ABS • Duties: • Chairs School Safety Team • Leads HIB investigations • Acts as the primary school official responsible for preventing, identifying, and addressing HIB • Works with Anti-Bullying Coordinator and School Safety Team to make certain “Week of Respect” is observed. • Works to provide age-appropriate instruction focusing preventing HIB

16. School Safety Team • Consists of: • Principal or designee (who shall be a senior administrator in the school) • A teacher in the school • A parent of a student in the school • Other members determined by principal • The ABS (Chairperson of the team)

17. School Safety Team • Receives copies of HIB complaints from principal (not parent representative) • Receives copies of any report prepared after a HIB investigation (not parent representative) • Uses reports to identify patterns of HIB in schools • Review and strengthen school climate and policies to prevent and address HIB • Educate the community, including students, teachers, staff, and parents to prevent and address HIB. • Collaborate with District Coordinator in collection of data and development of HIB policies.

18. School Safety Team • Parent members: • Shall not participate in any activities of the team which may compromise the confidentiality of a student. • Parent member focus is on community education and creating a more positive school climate.

19. What can other School Staff and Contracted Service Providers do? • Communicate with the school staff (administration, employers, teachers, etc.) • Submit discipline referrals and/or HIB incident forms when you witness or have reliable knowledge of HIB incident • Look for upset students or look for changes in student behavior. • Protected categories • Report potential HIB incidents

20. Transportation • The bus ride to and from school is a precarious one for many students. • Most youngsters walk to the bus stop, where they wait, unsupervised, until the bus arrives • They have to find a seat upon boarding, often wearing coats, carrying backpacks and projects • They sit with one adult to supervise (with his/her back to the group) for the entire trip to school • This environment is ripe for HIB, territoriality and dangerous pranks.

21. What Can Drivers Do? • Stay in good communication with the school staff (administration, employers, aides that receive students, teachers on duty, etc.) • Submit discipline referrals, bus referrals, and HIB incident forms • Reinforce bus rules often, and post the rules on the bus • Watch for upset students upon leaving and entering bus. • Report this instances to school administration. • Use seating charts • Anonymity on the bus is a big problem • Students won’t always remember the details of their aggressor’s appearance. • Acknowledge students’ positive and caring behaviors on the bus (Positive Reinforcement) • Protected categories

22. Lunch Staff • Lunch time can be a difficult time because of student proximity, the unstructured nature of lunch times, and large group setting. • Students intermingle more often in the lunch environment than the classroom environment. • Students tend to sit in groups, which enhances chances of HIB.

23. What can Lunch Staff do? • Stay in good communication with the school staff (administration, employers, aides that receive students, teachers on duty, etc.) • Submit discipline referrals and HIB incident forms • Watch for upset or aggressive students. • Report these students to school administration. • Reinforce rules often, and post the rules in various areas of lunch room • Acknowledge students’ positive and caring behaviors in lunch (Positive Reinforcement) • Protected categories

24. Contact Information • District Anti-Bullying Coordinator: • Rick DeMarco New Egypt Middle School-Ext. 2100 • School Anti-Bullying Specialists: • New Egypt High School Ms. Jacqui Duca - Ext. 1400 Mrs. Joy Kubilewicz – Ext. 1400 • New Egypt Middle School Mrs. Natalie Belfiore – Ext. 2100 Mrs. Joy Kubilewicz – Ext. 2100 • Dr. Gerald H. Woehr Elementary School Ms. Alyse Reed - Ext. 3000 • New Egypt Primary School Mrs. Heather Collins - Ext. 5000

25. HIB Policy Quiz • True or False? School employees shall report all possible HIB events to the principal verbally on the same day that they witness or receive reliable information AND in writing within two school days of the event. • True or False? Staff members shall report HIB that occurs both in school and off school grounds. • True or False? School staff members, Board of Education members, administrators, and contracted service providers all have increased reporting and training obligations following the revised HIB legislation. • True or False? School Safety Teams have the responsibility of trying to identify patterns and trends of HIB in schools in order to reduce instances of HIB. • True or False? School Anti-Bullying Specialists (ABS) are the lead investigators of HIB cases. • True or False? Schools ARE NOT obligated to observe a Week of Respect in an attempt to reduce HIB. • True or False? Pupils in protected categories are at a higher risk of being victims of HIB. • True or False? All district employees with significant contact with students need to be trained in the district HIB policy, as well as preventing HIB based on the protected categories.