Bullying Prevention Overview Denver Public Schools Prevention & Intervention Initiatives & Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Bob Anderson,

Bullying Prevention OverviewBullying Prevention Overview

Denver Public Schools

Prevention & Intervention Initiatives &Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities

Bob Anderson, Gene Jacquez

Project Goals

Project Description

Bullying: Policy Definition

Resources

Curriculum Procedures

Sample Action Plan

State’s Attorney’s Recommendations for Schools

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DPS Bullying Policy: DPS Bullying Policy: JICDE-Bullying Prevention and EducationJICDE-Bullying Prevention and Education

Bullying is defined "as any written or verbal expression, or physical act or gesture, or pattern thereof, that is intended to cause distress upon one or more students in the school, on school grounds, in school vehicles, at a designated school bus stop, or at school activities or sanctioned events."

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Bullying Prevention GoalsBullying Prevention Goals

To support a secure school environment free from threats, harassment and bullying

Related to Student conduct and discipline Legislation of last spring and Office of Safe &

Drug Free Schools Year End Report

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Description of Comprehensive Bullying ProgramDescription of Comprehensive Bullying Program

Message – bullying not allowed Survey – extent of bullying at your school Monitor – bullying activities routinely Discuss problems and action plan Review supervision of “hot spots” School wide rules, sanctions, and kick-off Consequences (+ & -) designed to

modify bullying behaviors Support for victims Parent and community involvement. “Coordinator for the Cause: Someone/group owns the task

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Team/Resources to support PrincipalsTeam/Resources to support Principals

Resources for bullying initiative– “Preventing Bullying: A Manual for Schools &

Communities” available from the Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities

– Staff to monitor bullying activities– Gene Jacquez – address staff and parents– Checklist of consequences for bullying to

change behaviors– Therapists to deal with victims– C/SATs can function as coordinating

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Sample Action PlanSample Action Plan

What Who Target Date

Appoint “Coordinator” Principal 9/30/02

Conduct Survey “Coordinator” 10/30/02

School-wide Message re. Rules, Sanctions, Consequences, support for victims

“Coordinator” 11/30/02

Parent & Community Involvement “Coordinator” 1/1/03

Annual Evaluation “Coordinator” 5/15/03

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THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN PREVENTING BULLYING*

• REDUCE, IF NOT ELIMINATE, EXISTING BULLY PROBLEMS among students in and outside of the school setting. The school should be a safe and positive learning environment for ALL students.

• PREVENT the development of new bully problems.

• ACHIEVE BETTER PEER RELATIONS AT SCHOOL. Create conditions that specifically foster more constructive interactions between victims and bullies. This will allow them to get along and function better in and outside of the school setting.

*Strategies from the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, as presented by no-bully website: http://no-bully.com/teachers.html

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SCHOOL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*SCHOOL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*

• ESTABLISH A BULLYING PREVENTION COORDINATING COMMITTEE. This committee will coordinate all aspects of a school's violence prevention efforts, including anti-bullying efforts.

• ADMINISTER AN ANONYMOUS QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY. A student questionnaire can determine the nature and extent of bully problems in the school.

• HOLD A SCHOOL CONFERENCE DAY. Raise school and community awareness and involvement by creating a long-term anti-bullying plan. In addition to school personnel, selected students and parents should participate.

* From the no-bully website: http://no-bully.com/teachers.html

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SCHOOL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*SCHOOL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* continuedcontinued

• IMPROVE SUPERVISION AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT. Provide adequate number of adults ("teacher density") during lunch, recess, and breaks in an effort to intervene quickly in student conflicts.

• INVOLVE PARENTS. Conduct meetings with and disseminate information to parents at the school to make them aware of the school's anti-bullying plan of action.


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CLASSROOM-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*CLASSROOM-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*

• ESTABLISH CLASSROOM RULES AGAINST BULLYING. Involve students in creating rules against bullying in order to develop a student's personal responsibility for conforming to those rules.

• LISTEN RESPECTFULLY to bullying concerns raised by students, parents, and school staff.

• CREATE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING. Establish social reinforcement (i.e., praise, friendly attention) for positive behavior and nonphysical sanctions for undesirable behavior. Negative consequences should be appropriate and related to the behavior. Extra assignments, such as homework or copying from a dictionary, should not be used.


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CLASSROOM-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*CLASSROOM-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* continuedcontinued

• HOLD REGULAR CLASSROOM MEETINGS. Provide a forum for students and teachers to develop, clarify, and evaluate rules for anti-bullying behavior.

• ENLIST CLASSMATES TO HELP alleviate the plight of victims. Use co-operative learning groups to include less popular, more timid students in small, positive and accepting social groups.

• MEET WITH PARENTS. Hold general classroom or grade-level meetings with parents to improve school-family communication and keep parents informed about anti-bullying efforts.

• DEVELOP A CURRICULUM that promotes communication, friendship, and assertiveness skills.


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INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS*

• HAVE A SERIOUS TALK WITH THE BULLY, this should happen immediately.

DOCUMENT INVOLVEMENT and participation in bullying.

Send a clear, strong message that BULLYING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Expect that the bully will try to minimize and deny their actions and responsibility. REFER TO SCHOOL AND CLASS CODES OF CONDUCT in telling the bully why their behavior was unacceptable.

Advise the bully that future BEHAVIOR WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED.

Warn the bully that additional NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE ADMINISTERED if bullying behavior does not stop.


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INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* continuedINDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* continued

• HAVE A SERIOUS TALK WITH THE VICTIM. Talks with the victim and their parents should occur AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after a bullying incident and should happen SEPARATELY FROM THE BULLY.

DOCUMENT specific bullying episodes. Include how the bullying started, what happened, how it ended, who participated, and who witnessed it.

PROVIDE THE VICTIM WITH INFORMATION about the teacher's plan of action in dealing with the bully. Reassure them that all possible steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence.

Attempt to PERSUADE THE VICTIM TO IMMEDIATELY REPORT ANY NEW BULLYING EPISODES to the teacher.


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INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* slide 3INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* slide 3

• MONITOR THE BEHAVIOR OF THE BULLY and the safety of the victim on a school-wide basis.

• INVOLVE THE PARENTS. When a bullying situation is discovered, the teacher should contact the parents concerned. Depending on the situation, meetings can be held together with the parents of both the bully and the victim; or to minimize tension meetings can be held with each family separately. A teacher might want to invite the school psychologist, guidance counselor, or principal to attend.


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INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* slide 4INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS* slide 4

• FOLLOW UP IN COMMUNICATING with parents and with other teachers and administrators about the situation, until it is clearly resolved. Send copies of all reports to parents of the students involved and place them in the students' files.

• CHANGE OF CLASS OR SCHOOL. If anti-bullying measures are in place and the problem persists despite these measures, moving the aggressive student can bring about change. If possible, the aggressive student should be moved before considering moving the victim. This solution should not be taken lightly, and all concerned parents and teachers should plan and consult with each other.


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CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING BEHAVIOR*CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING BEHAVIOR*

Establishing rules against bullying necessitates creating positive or negative consequences for following or violating rules.

The best results are obtained through a combination of generous verbal praise or other social reinforcements for positive activities and consistent negative consequences for aggressive, rule-violating behavior.

Teachers should establish a positive, friendly, and trusting relationship with the class and each individual student.

This is especially true for aggressive, acting-out students who may have had negative experiences with adults.


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CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING BEHAVIOR II*CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING BEHAVIOR II*

It is easier for a student to accept criticism if he/she feels appreciated and liked.

Teachers should also be aware of their own behavior.

Teachers often serve as "models" for students who respect them and may wish to emulate them.

Likewise, students will not respect the teacher or classroom rules against bullying if the teacher is sarcastic, unfair, or abusive.


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Curriculum ProceduresCurriculum Procedures

Olweus Bullying Prevention Steps to RespectSecond Step violence preventionLife Skills TrainingPreventive Intervention (Surgeon Gen. Rep.)

PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) (Surgeon Gen. Rep. promising)

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Prevention Curricula Implementation Training:Prevention Curricula Implementation Training:

Three Year History 1999-2002Three Year History 1999-2002

School

Year

LST*

I

LST*

II

LST*

Total

SS*

E.S.

SS*

M.S.

SS*

Total

99-00 98 98 390

00-01 101 101 449 85 534

01-02 91 30 121 275 24 299

Totals 290 30 320 724 109 1223

LST*: Life Skills Training; currently 320 staff have been trained.

SS*: Second Step; currently 1223 staff have been trained.

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Community/School Assistance TeamsCommunity/School Assistance TeamsInterventions, three year historyInterventions, three year history

Activity 99-00 00-01 01-02Identification and referral to CSAT 2599 3001 2081

Student-Specific plan development 1439 1842 1702

Referral to community programs/resources

1043 1871 1318

Parental Involvement 1454 2379 1525

Specific programs in the school 3468 5651 4434

Other C/SAT activities 4435 1517 2037

Totals 14537 16260 13097

CSATs In Depth

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Preventive InterventionPreventive Intervention

Two-year, school-based, behavioral reinforcement program that begins in 7th grade and targets students with low academic motivation, family problems, or disciplinary problems.

The intervention includes behavior monitoring and reinforcement in the classroom as well as enhanced communication (through regular classroom meetings and reports to parents) between teachers, students, and parents regarding behavior and attendance at school.

Promising level 2 program (Risk Prevention) in Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence

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PATHS: PATHS: (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies)(Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies)

Elementary curriculum Targets the following areas:

– emotional competence (expression, understanding, and regulation)– Self-control– Social competence– Positive peer relations– Interpersonal problem-solving skills

Three times/week, 20-30 minutes per session Positive impact on several violence risk factors:

– Aggressive behavior– Anxiety and depression– Conduct problems– Lack of self-control

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Bullying Prevention Overview Denver Public Schools Prevention & Intervention Initiatives & Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools & Communities Bob Anderson,