Hightower Trail’s Anti-Bullying Program

The Olweus Program: Most researched and best-known bullying

prevention program available today. The program addresses bullying at all levels of a

student’s experience (school-wide, classroom, individual, and community levels).

The goal of the Olweus Program is to restructure the school setting itself so that bullying is less likely to occur or be rewarded.

The implementation of the program is seen as a long-term effect and is comprehensive in it’s approach.

What is Bullying?(Olweus Definition)

Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or

hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself.

What are we doing? All student’s in Grades 6-8 participated in anti-bullying

classroom guidance lesson. All student’s in Grades 6-8 signed an anti-bullying

pledge which are displayed in the grade level hallways. All Hightower Trail Middle School students

participated in a school-wide anti-bullying week (class meeting, dress up days, and daily quotes)

Anti-bullying t-shirt contest. Regular class meetings. Anti-Bullying posters with the school rules are

displayed in every classroom. A system is in place to report bullying behavior. Peer Mediation Program to promote peaceful conflict

resolution skills.

September 2010 we administered the Olweus Bullying/Victim Questionnaire

The survey provides information critical to planning our bullying prevention effort.

Provides a baseline from which to measure progress in reducing bullying.

The questionnaire is an anonymous questionnaire.

Address questions such as: What types of bullying are most common? Where does bullying occur? How often do student report bullying? How do students feel about bullying?

Our Survey Results:

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

6th 7th 8th

150

140 140

162

137142

Girls

Boys

Graph 1a. Number of girls and boys responding by grade

Our total number of students who report that they have been bullied is below the National Comparison.

0%

10%

20%

30%

6th 7th 8th Total

9%8%

14%

10%

Girls and Boys

National Comparison

Graph 3c. Percentage of girls and boys who have been bullied"2-3 times a month" or more (Q4 dichotomized)

The percentages of girls and boys at Hightower Trail Middle School

involved in bullying behavior is well below the National Average.

0%

10%

20%

30%

6th 7th 8th

9% 8%

15%National Comparison

Bully only

Bully-victim

Victim only

Graph 6e. Percentage of girls and boys involved in bullying

How are students being bullied?

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

Verbal

Exclusion

Physical

Rumors

Damage

Threat

Racial

Sexual

Cyber

Another Way

7%

6%

1%

5%

1%

0%

3%

4%

1%

2%

14%

6%

5%

6%

2%

2%

8%

6%

3%

6%

Girls Boys

Graph 7. Ways of being bullied, for students who reported being bullied "2-3 times a month"or more (Q4)

We need to encourage our students to talk to someone when they are being bullied or

know someone who is being bullied.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Told teacher oranother adult at

school

Toldparent/guardian

Told brother,sister, or friend

Told nobody

25%

34% 32%

42%Girls and BoysNational Comparison

Graph 11c. Percentage of bullied girls and boys (according toTable 3b) who have told/not told anybody about the bullying

Our students feel supported…

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

64% 65% 65%

6-8(

Girls)

6-8(

Boys)

6-8(

Girls&

Boys)

Graph 15. Interventions by teachers or other adults at school. Percentageof students who responded "often" or "almost always" to Q20: How often

do the teachers or other adults at school try to put a stop to it when astudent is being bullied at school?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

60%53% 56%

6-8(

Girls)

6-8(

Boys)

6-8(

Girls&

Boys)

Graph 20. Reactions from the peer group (The Bullying Circle).Percentage of students who respond that they “try to help the bullied

student” (Q37), if they see or learn that a student their age is beingbullied.

In comparison with our 2005 data:

Percentage of students reporting that teachers try to put a stop to bullying behavior increased by 20% since 2005

Percentage of students reporting that other students try to put a stop to bullying behavior increased by 68%

Hightower Trail continues to have an overall bullying rate well below the national average and our data is very positive overall.

What Now? Continue holding class meetings Continue following procedures for

reporting bullying Develop rubric to help identify

bullying behavior

TeacherTube Videos - Hero in the Hallway

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS