HARASSMENT, HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION AND INTIMIDATION AND

BULLYINGBULLYINGPOLICY AND POLICY AND PR0CEDURESPR0CEDURES

Irvington Public SchoolsIrvington Public SchoolsStaff Training Staff Training

2012 - 2013 School Year2012 - 2013 School Year

Defining HIBDefining HIB Does the victim feel:Does the victim feel:

Threatened?Threatened?Powerless?Powerless?Physically or Emotionally Physically or Emotionally Vulnerable?Vulnerable?

Is the aggressor trying to Is the aggressor trying to intentionally embarrass the victim?intentionally embarrass the victim?

Does the behavior violate the Does the behavior violate the victim’s self image? victim’s self image?

Is HIB motivated by: sexual Is HIB motivated by: sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, orientation, race, religion, gender, physical characteristic, or physical characteristic, or mental/physical impairment?mental/physical impairment?

Amendments to HIB Amendments to HIB LawLaw

NJ HIB Law was amended on 1/2/11 NJ HIB Law was amended on 1/2/11 Major changes to the law include:Major changes to the law include:

State Definition of HIB ExpandedState Definition of HIB Expanded Additional Roles for Some Staff Additional Roles for Some Staff

AddedAdded Duty to Report Mandated with Duty to Report Mandated with

Timelines AddedTimelines Added Investigation Process DefinedInvestigation Process Defined Reporting Requirements AddedReporting Requirements Added Appeal Process AddedAppeal Process Added

State Definition ExpandedState Definition Expanded A A single incident of behavior single incident of behavior can can

be construed as an act of HIB. be construed as an act of HIB.

Behavior “Behavior “off school groundsoff school grounds” is ” is now included if it “substantially now included if it “substantially disrupts or interferes with the disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or orderly operation of the school or the rights of the other students”.the rights of the other students”.

Additional Roles for Some Additional Roles for Some Staff Staff

District Anti-Bullying CoordinatorDistrict Anti-Bullying Coordinator--Eileen Eileen WaltonWalton Provides consultation to anti-bullying Provides consultation to anti-bullying specialists, tracks and reports HIB data, specialists, tracks and reports HIB data, meets with School Safety Teams, and meets with School Safety Teams, and coordinates District HIB initiatives. coordinates District HIB initiatives.

School Level Anti-Bullying Specialist-School Level Anti-Bullying Specialist-Guidance CounselorGuidance Counselor

Leads the investigations of all reported Leads the investigations of all reported incidents of HIB and serves as the incidents of HIB and serves as the Chairperson of the School Safety Team. Chairperson of the School Safety Team.

Additional Roles for Some Additional Roles for Some StaffStaff

School Safety TeamSchool Safety Team – Is – Is mandated to be in place at each mandated to be in place at each school. The Team will review HIB school. The Team will review HIB data to develop, foster, and data to develop, foster, and maintain a positive school maintain a positive school climate by focusing on the on-climate by focusing on the on-going, systemic processes and going, systemic processes and practices in the school and to practices in the school and to address school climate issues.address school climate issues.

Duty to Report Mandated with Duty to Report Mandated with TimelinesTimelines

AllAll staff, service providers, substitutes, staff, service providers, substitutes, Board Members, and volunteers who come Board Members, and volunteers who come in contact with students have a mandated in contact with students have a mandated duty to report incidents of HIB. This includes duty to report incidents of HIB. This includes incidents that they witnessed or about which incidents that they witnessed or about which they have obtained reliable information.they have obtained reliable information.

Each HIB incident must be reported in Each HIB incident must be reported in writing to the principal/designee writing to the principal/designee on the dayon the day that it occurred. that it occurred.

Duty to Report Mandated Duty to Report Mandated with Timelineswith Timelines

Report can be made electronically, Report can be made electronically, verbally (and later documented), verbally (and later documented), and in writing.and in writing.

Report can be made anonymously.Report can be made anonymously. Reporting procedures must be Reporting procedures must be

publicized on District and School publicized on District and School websites.websites.

Investigation Process DefinedInvestigation Process Defined Principal/Designee (primary) or Anti-Principal/Designee (primary) or Anti-

Bullying Specialist (secondary) receives Bullying Specialist (secondary) receives HIB Incident ReportHIB Incident Report Principal/Designee calls parents to inform Principal/Designee calls parents to inform

of alleged HIB incident (same day of of alleged HIB incident (same day of incident).incident).

Anti-Bullying Specialist conducts Anti-Bullying Specialist conducts investigation within 2 school daysinvestigation within 2 school days

If HIB is substantiated, victim and offender If HIB is substantiated, victim and offender are referred to a Health and Social Services are referred to a Health and Social Services Counselor within 48 hours. Offender Counselor within 48 hours. Offender receives appropriate disciplinary action.receives appropriate disciplinary action.

Investigation Process Investigation Process DefinedDefined

Anti-Bullying Specialist will:Anti-Bullying Specialist will:• Interview all parties involved including Interview all parties involved including

witnesses (meet with victim and witnesses (meet with victim and aggressor separately).aggressor separately).

• Provide support to victimProvide support to victim• Carefully examine the factsCarefully examine the facts• Make a determination if the incident is Make a determination if the incident is

HIBHIB• Notify the principal of the results of the Notify the principal of the results of the

investigation using the district form.investigation using the district form.

Investigation Process DefinedInvestigation Process Defined Anti-Bullying Specialist will:Anti-Bullying Specialist will:

• Maintain confidential documentation of all Maintain confidential documentation of all witness statements, offender statements, witness statements, offender statements, victim statements, and all supporting victim statements, and all supporting documentation in a file cabinet labeled documentation in a file cabinet labeled and placed in alphabetical order by victim.and placed in alphabetical order by victim.

• Notify parents of victim and aggressor Notify parents of victim and aggressor when investigation has concluded (no when investigation has concluded (no details regarding names should be details regarding names should be provided)provided)

Investigation must be completed within 10 Investigation must be completed within 10 school days. school days.

Investigation Process Investigation Process DefinedDefined

The building principal, as the person The building principal, as the person primarily charged with maintaining primarily charged with maintaining the safety of his/her school, may the safety of his/her school, may respond to alleged acts of HIB in respond to alleged acts of HIB in accordance with the District accordance with the District Student Code of Conduct, offering Student Code of Conduct, offering remediation or disciplinary remediation or disciplinary consequences prior to the consequences prior to the completion of the HIB investigation.completion of the HIB investigation.

Investigation Process DefinedInvestigation Process Defined Principal Principal

• Reviews and co-signs the completed Reviews and co-signs the completed investigation forminvestigation form

• Determines discipline or remedial Determines discipline or remedial actionaction

• Forwards district forms and supporting Forwards district forms and supporting documentation to Superintendent via documentation to Superintendent via the District Anti-Bullying Coordinator the District Anti-Bullying Coordinator within two days of completion.within two days of completion.

Investigation Process Investigation Process DefinedDefined

SuperintendentSuperintendent• Reviews the results of the Reviews the results of the

investigationinvestigation• Reports the results to the BOE at the Reports the results to the BOE at the

next meeting.next meeting.• Provides a written report to the Provides a written report to the

parents of the parties involved (within parents of the parties involved (within five school days after the five school days after the investigation results are presented to investigation results are presented to and approved by the BOE).and approved by the BOE).

Reporting RequirementsReporting Requirements Data on reported incidents of HIB Data on reported incidents of HIB

will be provided to the Board of will be provided to the Board of Education and the community at a Education and the community at a public hearing, which will be held public hearing, which will be held twice a year, between September twice a year, between September 1 and January 1 and between 1 and January 1 and between January 1 and June 30. The January 1 and June 30. The Superintendent will also report on Superintendent will also report on all acts of violence and vandalism all acts of violence and vandalism at these meetings.at these meetings.

Reporting RequirementsReporting RequirementsHIB information shall also be HIB information shall also be reported via the Electronic Violence reported via the Electronic Violence and Vandalism Reporting System and Vandalism Reporting System once during each reporting period once during each reporting period between September 1 and January 1 between September 1 and January 1 and between January 1 and June 30, and between January 1 and June 30, to the Department of Education. to the Department of Education.

Department of Education will issue Department of Education will issue HIB grades to each school and the HIB grades to each school and the district.district.

Appeal Process AddedAppeal Process Added ParentsParents

• May request an appeal of the May request an appeal of the determination by writing to the determination by writing to the BOE.BOE.

Determining Remedial Action Determining Remedial Action or Consequenceor Consequence

Consider:Consider: The developmental age of the The developmental age of the

studentstudent Number of offensesNumber of offenses History between studentsHistory between students Pertinent family issuesPertinent family issues Discipline in accordance with IEPDiscipline in accordance with IEP

Range of Remedial Range of Remedial MeasuresMeasures

Counseling Counseling Restitution and RestorationRestitution and Restoration MediationMediation Behavioral Assessment Behavioral Assessment Behavioral Management PlanBehavioral Management Plan

RetaliationRetaliation District policy provides that a student District policy provides that a student

may be found to have committed an may be found to have committed an act of HIB without being the one who act of HIB without being the one who performed the overt act.performed the overt act.

If the aggressor retaliates against the If the aggressor retaliates against the victim or witness who reported an victim or witness who reported an incident of HIB, he or she is subject incident of HIB, he or she is subject to the same or higher level of to the same or higher level of consequence than was given for the consequence than was given for the original incidence of HIB. original incidence of HIB.

Promoting a Positive Culture Promoting a Positive Culture

in Our Schoolsin Our Schools Awareness of the new HIB policy and proceduresAwareness of the new HIB policy and procedures• Annually disseminate HIB Policy and school Annually disseminate HIB Policy and school

procedures to parents, students, and staff.procedures to parents, students, and staff.• Post HIB Policy and Anti-Bullying Specialist Post HIB Policy and Anti-Bullying Specialist

information on district and school web sites.information on district and school web sites.• Provide HIB training to parents and Provide HIB training to parents and

communitycommunity Student awareness and HIB intervention Student awareness and HIB intervention

• During the first weeks of school provide During the first weeks of school provide classroom and/or small group assemblies to classroom and/or small group assemblies to train students on HIB. train students on HIB.

• Schedule Week of Respect activities Schedule Week of Respect activities

Getting the Word OutGetting the Word Out

The principal must ensure that all staff The principal must ensure that all staff members are trained and familiar with members are trained and familiar with the HIB policy and school procedures.the HIB policy and school procedures.

Principal must submit a signed form to Principal must submit a signed form to the District Office attesting to the fact the District Office attesting to the fact that all staff members in the building that all staff members in the building have been trained.have been trained.

All staff members are mandated All staff members are mandated reporters and subject to disciplinary reporters and subject to disciplinary action for failure to report an incidence action for failure to report an incidence of HIB.of HIB.

Getting the Word OutGetting the Word Out Include in school handbookInclude in school handbook Include on school and district websitesInclude on school and district websites Distribute information to staff, Distribute information to staff,

students, and parents.students, and parents. Post information in the building and Post information in the building and

have available in Administrative and have available in Administrative and Parent Coordinator’s offices.Parent Coordinator’s offices.

Train new staff throughout the school Train new staff throughout the school year.year.

REMEMBER...REMEMBER...IF YOU IF YOU SEE IT SEE IT OR OR HEAR IT HEAR IT

YOU MUST YOU MUST REPORTREPORT IT IT

Protecting Our Children is a Protecting Our Children is a Community CommitmentCommunity Commitment