Guidelines and Procedures to Implement the Bullying and Harassment Policy

1. Guidelines and Procedures to Implement the Bullying and Harassment Policy & Dating and Sexual Violence Policy for Students Presentation to School Board May 2011 Part I: Students Presented by: Lisa Vargas-Sinapi Elizabeth A’Vant Part II: Adults Presented by: Tomas Ramirez Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

2. Goals of this Presentation • Participants will gain an understanding of the Guidelines and Procedures for the Implementation of the Bullying, Harassment, Dating/Sexual Violence Policies for Students. • Participants will understand the roles and responsibilities of the District Title IX Equity Officer (DEO), School Based Equity Coordinator (SEC), and the District Leadership Team. • Participants will understand the process of reporting, investigating, and responding to complaints of these behaviors for students. • Review the upcoming professional development and communication plans for implementation of these policies and procedures for students. • Participates will receive information about the current work regarding the Guidelines and Procedures for Implementing the Bullying and Harassment Policy for adults. Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

3. Bullying, Harassment, Dating/Sexual ViolenceGuidelines and Procedures for Students • Acknowledgments • Collaborative Process • Purpose and Intent • Maintaining a safe, secure and positive school climate and culture • Systematic approach to support and intervene in all acts of these behaviors • Clarify the response and investigation to reports of such behaviors Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

4. Staff Roles and Responsibilities • District Title IX/ Equity Officer (DEO) • Responsible at District Level for all reports of these behaviors; • Ensure all incidents are properly tracked, investigated, and completed appropriately and within required timeframe; • Compile District and school based data for purposes of reporting to Superintendent/School Board; • Developing prevention and training programs. • School Based Equity Coordinators (SEC) • Assigned by the school administrator; • Receive and review all incidents complaints; • Ensure all complaints are appropriately investigated and completed within established timelines; • Ensure a safety plans is developed and implemented to protect targets. Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

5. Staff Roles and Responsibilities • District Leadership Team • Under the direction of the District Equity Officer; • Team of School Psychologists, Social Workers, and Administrators; • Facilitate school based trainings; • Liaison to specific school site to provide technical assistance and support in implementation of these policies and procedures; • Monitor the implementation of procedures at the school level. Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

6. Intervention ProceduresReport -Investigate-Take Action (RITA) • Report • Each member of school community is responsible for reporting any observations, knowledge or suspicion of identified behaviors • Universal Reporting Form • Timeline and Protocols • Notifications • Investigate • School Based Equity Coordinator coordinates all investigations • Standardized Investigation Procedures • Investigation completed in accordance with RITA Protocol • Timeline and Protocols Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

7. Intervention ProceduresReport -Investigate-Take Action (RITA) • Safety Plans • Standardized Form • Mechanism for informing all relevant adults • Periodically reviewed as deemed necessary • Consequences • Reasonable timely age-appropriate corrective action • Range from positive behavioral supports up to including suspension or exclusion • Social Emotional Interventions • Social Skills Counseling • Functional Behavioral Assessments • Behavior Intervention Plan • Referral to outside agencies Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

8. Notifications & Communication • Notifications & Communication • Parents of both alleged target(s) & alleged aggressor(s); (Within the same day but no later than one school day of the incident) • Parent(s)/guardian of target(s) notified of the safety plan; • If any, consequences imposed are communicated to aggressor & his/her parent(s)/guardian; • Investigation results are communicated to parent(s)/guardian of all parties within 2 days of completion of the investigation. • Disclosure • Federal Educations Rights and Privacy Act (student record); • Strict confidentiality regarding identity of all parties involved: • Defer to City Solicitor Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

9. Anonymous Reporting • Anonymous Reports • Locked Box – available in every school • District Phone Number/Tip Line • Displayed on Our Website/Communication Mediums • Secure email (No disciplinary consequences will be imposed solely on an anonymous report.) Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

10. Search and Seizure Procedures “securing physical evidence, if appropriate before notifying aggressor, target, & parent.” • May require search of locker, backpack, purse, car, or person. -Verona School District 47Jv. Acton: “Lower expectation of privacy in school setting” -New Jersey vs. TLO, 469 US 325 (1985): “ …….random, suspicionless searches of students are allowed by the constitution in public schools.” “Reasonable manner considering all the circumstances that led up to the search..” • More guidance required by the school board Tag, bag, and document the item(s) seized Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

11. Cyberbullying/Cyber-harassment Cyber - Behaviors • Behaviors conducted through some form of electronic device • Take place within the scope of the policies • Substantial disruption to the day to day learning environment • Document reasons for “Substantial Disruption” Statistics (I-SAFE) • 50% of adolescents & teens have been bullied online • 35% of students have been threatened online • Over half of young people do not tell parents when cyber bullying occurs. Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

12. Professional Development & Communication Plan Professional Development Plan • Goal: To Increase awareness and understanding of the policies and procedures to provide for consistent, fair, and appropriate implementation to create a safe, secure and positive school climate and culture. Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

13. Communications Plan Collaboration with Parent Engagement-Communications Departments –Technology Department Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

14. Next Step: Guidelines for Staff and Parents (Tomas) May 1 – August 15 Work Plan • Expand “staff bullying and harassment” work group to include parents and select community partners • The Bullying and Harassment Staff and Parent Work Group will review the current plan and develop immediate and long term procedural implementation plans • Work plan will merge and align with the anticipated professional development program to be offered this summer Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

15. Future Plans Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

16. Questions / Contact Information Student Procedures Lisa Vargas-Sinapi - Lisa.Vargas-Sinapi@ppsd.org 456-9263 -Office of Special Education Elizabeth A’Vant - Elizabeth.A’Vant@ppsd.org 278-0515 -BJ Clanton Complex Adult Procedures Tomas Ramirez – Tomas.Ramirez@ppsd.org Office of Special Populations Providence School Department