Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim.

Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself. Harry S. Firestone

Studies show that 80% of children with disabilities are bullied at some point during their school career

BULLYINGBULLYING

WHY?WHY?

WHAT?WHAT?

WHERE?WHERE?

WHEN?WHEN?

WHO?WHO?HOW?HOW?

What is Bullying?Any gesture, written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, whether

it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function or on a school bus or off school grounds as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-15.3, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students and that:

1. Is motivated by any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability; or

2. By any other distinguishing characteristic; and3. A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, that the act(s) will

have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a pupil or damaging the pupil’s property, or placing a pupil in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or

4. Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any pupil or group of pupils in such a way as to cause substantial disruption in, or substantial interference with, the orderly operation of the school; or

5. Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a pupil’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.

Peer Abuse

DirectBulling

•Hitting•Kicking•Shoving•Spitting•Name Calling •Threatening•Obscene Gestures

Indirect Bulling

•Spreading Rumors•Getting Someone Else to Bully•Social Isolation•Cyber-Bulling

Bullying

Prolonged Intimidation

Imbalance of Power and Strength

Aggressive Behavior

Effects of Being Bullied

• Lower self-esteem• Depression & anxiety• Absenteeism & lower school

achievement• Aggression• Illness• Thoughts of suicide

Health Consequences of Bullying

Bullied Not Bullied

Headache 16% 6%Sleep Problems 42% 23%Abdominal Pain 17% 9%Anxiety 28% 10%Depression Moderate 49% 16% Strong 16% 2%

Effects of Bullying on School Climate

• Creates climate of fear and disrespect• Interferes with student learning• Students may feel insecurity and not

like school as well• Students may perceive lack of

control/caring

WHO WHO

Drink Alcohol, Smoke and/or Do Drugs

Drink Alcohol, Smoke and/or Do Drugs

Carry WeaponsCarry Weapons

Steal, Vandalize Property 5Xs More Likely to Become Adult Criminals

Steal, Vandalize Property 5Xs More Likely to Become Adult Criminals

Injured in FightsInjured in FightsGet Into Frequent FightsGet Into Frequent Fights

TitleTitleChildren

Who Bully

Report Poor Academic Achievement,Are Often Truant, Drop Out of School

Report Poor Academic Achievement,Are Often Truant, Drop Out of School

May Have Low Self-EsteemOften From Abusive Homes

May Have Low Self-EsteemOften From Abusive Homes

Family Risk Factors for Bullying

• Lack of parental warmth and involvement

• Lack of parental supervision• Overly-permissive parenting• Harsh discipline/physical punishment

Cautious SensitiveQuietWithdrawnAnxious InsecureLow Self-EsteemPhysically WeakerFewer FriendsEasier to Associate with Adults

Share Some Characteristics With Bullied Children Children Who BullyLess Effective BullyCause IrritationAttract Negative Attention

Characteristics of Bullied Students

Characteristics of Bullied Students

Research Suggests that there are

two categories ofbullied children

Passive Provocative

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

• Developed by Dan Olweus• First systematic research on bullying

conducted in early 1970• OBPP part of Norway’s national campaign

against bullying in early 1980s• Several studies conducted in the United States • All studies show evidence of positive

outcomes ranging from 8%-70% over the course of the first year of implementation

Reduce existing bullying problems among students

Prevent the development of new bullying problems

Increase positive social skills

Conclusion

11

22

33

44 Achieve better peer relations at school

Goal of the OBPP

Is Not

• Time-limited: Requires systematic efforts over time

• A Curriculum

• A Peer Mediation Program

• An Anger Management Program

Is

• Designed for all students • Focused on changing norms and restructuring the school setting

• Part of the school culture

• Research-based

OBPP

OBPP Materials

• OBPP School-Wide Guide CD of Written

Materials DVD: Overview of OBPP• OBPP Teacher Guide CD of Written Materials DVD: Six Scenarios for Class discussion• Quit It! (Grades K-3)

School-Wide

Classroom

Individual Community

Program Components

School-WideSchool-Wide

School-Level Components

• Establish Bullying Prevention/School Safety Committee

• Administer Bullying Questionnaire• One day training for all school staff• Develop policy on bullying• School slogan• Anti-Bullying Rules for every classroom• Teacher packet with training materials,

students materials, incentives and resources

• Hold regular class meetings• Provide opportunities for student groups• Inform and include parents and the

community • Hold Kick-Off event to launch the program

District Responsibilities

• HIB Coordinator – Janene Askins– Coordinate and strengthen the school’s district

policies to prevent, identify, and address HIB of student

– Collaborate with district anti-bullying specialists, BOE, and superintendent to prevent, identify and respond to HIB of students.

District Responsibilities

• HIB Specialists – Lisa Handville & Lisa Arabea– Chair the school safety team – Lead the investigation of incident of HIB in the school– Act as the primary school official responsible for

preventing, identifying, and addressing incidents of HIB in the school.

District Responsibilities• School Safety Teams

– Develop, foster, and maintain a positive school climate by focusing on the on-going, systemic process and practices in the school and to address school climate issues such as HIB.

– Bullying Committee/School Safety Team

– Receive any complaints of HIB of students that have been reported to the principal

– Review and strengthen school climate and the polices of the school in order to prevent and intervene with HIB students

– Educate the community, including students, teachers, administrative staff, and parents, to prevent and intervene with HIB students

– Collaborate in the collection of district-wide data and in the development of district polices to prevent and address HIB students.

District Responsibilities• Week of Respect – First Week of October

– In order to recognize the importance of character education, the district will annually observe a “Week of Respect” beginning the first Monday of October, which will provide age-appropriate instruction focusing on the prevention of HIB. The district will also provide on-going age-appropriate instruction on preventing HIB in accordance with the core curriculum content standards throughout the school year.

• Staff will include SEL curriculum in lesson plans• Weekly meetings as outlined in Olweus Program

Procedure For Incidents

The following procedures shall be implemented when an incident involving harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying is reported:

Tier I (Teacher and Case Manager)

1. Student or staff member reports a suspected HIB Incident.*

2. Student(s) are engaged in dialogue regarding acceptable behaviors.

3. The incident is documented in the HIB Observation Log.

4. Referral is made to the Case Manager.

*All incidents must be reported to the Principal on the same day the report is received. Investigations must be initiated by the Principal within one day of receiving the report.

Tier II (HIB Specialist & Principal)

1. Case Manager provides report to HIB Specialist.

2. HIB Specialist completes Report Section of HIB Form.

3. Principal is notified of the incident, and an investigation is initiated.

4. Parents are notified of the incident.

5. Teacher continues to monitor using HIB Observation Log.

6. Principal reviews case with HIB Specialist.

7. HIB Specialist and Principal complete the Investigation Section of the HIB Form.

8. Principal determines consequences as appropriate.

9. Parents are contacted to inform them of the incident, investigation and outcome.

10. Behavior interventions are put in place to encourage appropriate behavior.

11. Conflict resolution/peer mediation is provided as needed.

12. Teacher, Case Manager, HIB Specialist and Principal monitor situation to determine if improvement has been made

Tier III (Superintendent & Board of Education

1. Superintendent is notified of the results of the investigation within two days of the completion of the investigation (no later than ten days from the date of the written report of the incident).

2. Board of Education is notified of the incident at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Procedure 5131.1 Adopted Dec. 21, 1993, Reviewed January 26, 2009, Amended August 22, 2011

Factors for Determining Consequences

An appropriate consequence will be determined after meaningful consideration of these factors. Consequences for a student who commits an act of HIB shall be varied and graded according to the nature of the behavior, the developmental age of the student and the student’s history of problem behaviors and performance, and must be consistent with the BOE approved code of student conduct and NJAC 6A:16-7

•Factors for Determining Consequences:

The developmental and maturity levels of the parties involved;

The levels of harm;

The surrounding circumstances;

The nature and severity of the behavior(s);

Past incidences or continuing patterns of behavior;

The relationships between the parties involved; and

The context in which the alleged incidents occurred.

HIB Observation Form

• Forms are used by staff to determine HIB• Forms can be found by going to school web-

site under forms or by clicking the link below.

HIB Observation Form

The Olweus Bullying Questionnaire

• The district will develop assessments to collect district-wide data to determine:

• Locations of hotspots • Patterns for girls and boys• Insights into school climate• Information to assess supervision• Adult and student attitudes about bullying• Impact of bullying on students• Valuable planning tools

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Verbal

Exclusion

Physical

Rumors

Damage

Threat

Racial

Sexual

Cyber

Another Way

18%

13%

18%

25%

5%

11%

4%

13%

13%

9%

19%

18%

12%

22%

15%

7%

14%

9%

7%

18%

Girls Boys

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

Current District DataCurrent District Data

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

On playground/athletic field (during recess orbreaks)

In hallways/stairwells

In class (teacher in the room)

In class (teacher not in the room)

In the bathroom

In gym class or locker room/shower

In the lunchroom

On the way to and from school

At the school bus stop

On the school bus

Somewhere else at school

10%

40%

30%

10%

10%

10%

10%

10%

0%

30%

30%

18%

18%

29%

21%

18%

12%

32%

15%

12%

18%

12%

Girls Boys

Graph 10a. Where the bullying has occurred, for students who reported beingbullied "once or twice" or more (Q4). Percentage of girls and boys who report

being bullied in various places

Current District DataCurrent District Data

Classroom Classroom

Classroom-Level Components

• Post and enforce school-wide rules against bullying

• Hold regular class meetings• Create and maintain positive

relationships with parents

School Rules About Bullying

• We will not bully others.• We will try to help students who are

bullied.• We will try to include students who are left

out.• If we know that someone is being bullied,

we will tell an adult at school and at home.

Maintain Positive Classroom Management

• OBPP is not a classroom management program BUT, helping teachers hone behavior management skills will help to implement the program

• Use of the Classroom Management Checklist

BPCC Support for Classroom

• Build time for class meetings and give support to staff

• Staff development• Topic ideas• Integrating messages across curriculum• Monitor progress

Supportive Materials for the Classroom

• School-Wide Guide • Teacher Guide • Teacher Guide DVD• Numerous CD-ROM Handouts • Quit It! (K-3)• Training Handouts• Teacher Packets – Ideas for Class

Meetings

Why Hold Class Meetings?

• Teach students about bullying, rules, related issues

• Help students learn more about themselves, feelings, reactions

• Build a sense of community• Help the teacher learn more about

classroom culture• Provide a forum for addressing and

following up on bullying issues

IndividualIndividual

Individual-Level Components

• Supervise student activities• Ensure that all staff intervene on-the

spot when bullying occurs• Develop individual intervention plans

for involved students

On-the-Spot Intervention: The “Teachable Moment”

1. Stop the Bullying2. Support the student who has been

bullied3. Name the bullying behavior & refer to

the school rules4. Empower the bystanders5. Impose immediate and appropriate

consequences6. Take steps to ensure the bullied

student will be protected from future bullying

Follow-Up Interventions

1. Report the incident to key adults2. Identify who will meet with students3. Hold separate talks with parties4. Implement supports for bullied child5. Impose consequences for the children

who bully6. Talk with parents7. Check-In later

Working with Parents of Involved Students

• Contacting parents - Of bullied children - Of children who bully others - Of bystanders• Working with parents who contact the

school

When There Are Suspicions of Bullying

• Intensify your observations of the child• Confer with colleagues• Talk to or survey students• Collect information from students• Contact parents

Take-Home Message

• Stopping bullying takes a team effort• Approach the process in steps• Change happens in small increments

District Policy Review

Please Click on Link Below

to Review District Policies:

Procedure 5131.1 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

5131.1 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

NEVER LOOK DOWN ON ANYBODY

UNLESS YOU ARE HELPING THEM UP! Jesse Jackson

NEVER LOOK DOWN ON ANYBODY

UNLESS YOU ARE HELPING THEM UP! Jesse Jackson

References:

This presentation is based on the work of Dan Olweus, PhD

The Atlantic County Special Services School District Online Board Policies were last modified: August 29, 2011

2007Susan Limber, PhD; Vicki Fierre, PhD: Nancy Mullin, Med; Jane Riese, LSW; and Mariene Synder, PhD

Complete and Submit Anti-Bullying Forms

Click on link below to complete and submit forms to Debi Malone by Friday, September 16th

Completed Anti-Bullying Training Link