Westford Public Schools

1. Westford Public Schools Systemwide Bullying Prevention March 1, 2010

2. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention Bullying has two key components: • Repeat Harmful Acts • Imbalance of Power Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

3. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention Bullying includes: • Assault • Tripping • Intimidation • Rumor-spreading and isolation • Demands for money • Destruction of property • Theft of valued possession • Destruction of another’s work • Name calling • Sexual harassment • Ostracism based on perceived sexual orientation • Hazing Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

4. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention Important to remember: • Not all taunting, teasing and fighting among school children constitute bullying and bullying entails repeated acts by someone perceived as physically or psychologically more powerful. • Most students do not report bullying to adults. As a result, school personnel may underestimate the extent of bullying. Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

5. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention Some reasons victims give for not notifying an adult of bullying: • Fearing retaliation • Fearing shame of not being able to stand up for themselves • Fearing they would not be believed • Not wanting to worry their parents • Having no confidence that anything would change as a result of reporting • Thinking their parents’ or teachers’ advice would make the problem worse • Fearing their teacher would tell the bully who told on him/her • Thinking it was worse to be thought of as a snitch Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

6. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention Bullying Behavior: • Bullying more often takes place at school. • Boy bullies tend to rely on physical aggression more than girl bullies, who often use teasing, rumor-spreading, exclusion and social isolation. • Boys are more likely to bully than girls. • Bullies often do not operate alone. • Bullying by boys tends to decline after age 15. Bullying by girls tends to decline significantly at age 14. Therefore early intervention is important. Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

7. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention • There is a strong belief that the degree of the school principal’s involvement helps determine the level of bullying. • 25% of students victimized by bulling reported they were belittled about their race or religion. • A number of researchers believe that bullying occurs due to a combination of social interaction with parents, peers, and teachers. The history of the parent-child relationship may contribute to cultivating a bully, and low levels of peer and teacher intervention combine to create opportunities for chronic bullies to thrive. Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

8. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention Cyber-bullying prevents significant challenges since the ability to publicize harmful content represents the bully’s imbalance of power (as opposed to physical size or strengths). Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

9. Westford Public SchoolsBullying Prevention General Requirements for an Effective Strategy to Counter Bullying in Schools: • Enlisting the school principals’ commitment and involvement. • Using a multifaceted, comprehensive approach: • Establish a school-wide policy that addresses indirect bullying (rumor-spreading, isolation, social exclusion), as well as direct bullying. • Provide guidelines for teachers and other staff and students on specific actions to take if bullying occurs. • Educating and involving parents so that understand the problems, recognize its signs and intervene appropriately. • Adopting specific strategies to develop with individual bullies and victims, including meeting with their parents. • Encouraging student to report known bullying. • Develop a reporting system to track bullying and the interventions used with specific bullies and victims. • Encouraging students to be helpful to classmates who may be bullied. • Conducting post-intervention surveys to assess the strategies’ impact on school bullying. Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services

10. Emerson Hospital Youth Risk Behavior Survey Violence Related Behavior

11. 2008 YRBS Data: Grades 6 and 8 • 25.1% (23.4%- aggregate) of 6th graders and 22.1% (23.4% - aggregate) of 8th graders report having been bullied in school during the past twelve months prior to the survey. • Among all respondents - 2.2% (3.0% - aggregate) of 6th graders and 3.8% (4.0% aggregate) of 8th graders report having resisted with physical force.

12. 2008 YRBS Data: Grades 9-12 • 17.0 % of all respondents (15.5% aggregate) 22%- MA YRBS) report having been bullied in school during the twelve months prior to the survey. • The incidence of this experience was much higher in grade 9 (26.8%), 10 (14.2%), 11 (14.7%), and 12 (20.2%) and was higher among males. • Further, 4.2% of all respondents report that they resisted being bullied in school with physical force.

13. Next Steps… 2010 YRBS • The survey will be administered on March 9 at Stony Brook and the Academy and on March 11 at Blanchard Middle School. • The wording of two questions concerning bullying was updated to reflect changing technology and the impact of cyber bullying. • Behavioral/Experiential Cross-tabulations will be applied for questions from the grades 6 and 8 surveys focusing on “bullying and having an adult that the students can talk to in school”. • The above will effect surveys for grades 6, 8 and 9-12.

14. Title IVSafe and Drug Free Schools Grant • This federal grant provides funding for the Peer Mediation Program. • Both middle schools’ and at the Academy’s programs have been supported by this grant. • Through training and education in diversity, tolerance, self-advocacy and conflict resolution students learn to assist their peers in overcoming conflicts and help to create a positive school culture.

15. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades K-2 Laying the Groundwork • Build community and trust • Foster collective responsibility • Responsive Classroom philosophy and strategies • Promote core values (morning meeting, routines, assemblies) • Share a common language Teaching Strategies/Tools • Small and large group classroom/guidance lessons • Conflict resolution & problem solving strategies • Solution Wheel • CAPS – conflict resolution strategy • Role playing in small and large group settings • Social skills groups

16. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades K-2 Providing Resources • Literature, videos and games to teach specific concepts and skills • Guidance WebPages • School Newsletters • Training opportunities for all staff • Parent workshops Responding to Situations • Student self-referral system • Social replay • Processing sheets for conflict resolution • Apology of Action • Social contracts • Behavioral plans • Pre-K/5 Handbook policies on bullying (see pp. 20-21)

17. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades 3-5 • High expectations for student behavior • Community building focus (Staff, Students, & Parents) • Proactive Guidance Program (Guidance Counselor and Classroom Teachers) • All School Assemblies • Westford Academy Peer Mediators Next Steps: • Expansion of Responsive Classroom training • Continued sharing of resources and best practices between schools

18. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades 6-8 • Guidance Counselors and Guidance curriculum • Rachel's Challenge • Peer Mediation • Web Site and Friday Email for resources • Cooperation with community (WPD, WPC, WA) • February 26 presentation to students about cyber bullying • Email accounts set up to communicate information to school • Advisor/Advise programs (PRIDE/BEST)

19. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades 9-12 Articulated- through the Westford Academy Mission • Safe environment • Foster tolerance • Life-long learning Defined • Student Manual, Policy page 75 – 76 Procedure • Promptly and reasonably investigate allegations of bullying. “Retaliation will not be accepted in any way, shape or form.”

20. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades 9-12 Prevention & Education • Peer Counseling Training and Programs • Outreach to elementary & middle school • Peer Mediation • Counselor intervention • relationship building • parent connection • Advisory Programming • Communication skills • Internet harassment • Dating violence • Health Class Curriculum • Social Worker Support • individual & small group • Recognized GSA organization • Best Buddies • Administration Intervention

21. Westford Public SchoolsBullying PreventionGrades 9-12 Challenges • Cyber Bullying • Texting • Parental Education • Facebook • Other forms of media • Activities outside of school