Presentation to the OP Youth Council Bullying in Schools Presentation to the OP Youth Council October 20, 2010 Presented by: Lisa Krueger, Ed.D., OPHS House III Principal

What is bullying? A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students The relationship between the bully and the victim also involves an imbalance of strength or power, where the bully has some form of control, strength, or influence over the victim Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. NY: Blackwell, p. 9.

Dan Olweus, Ph.D., Educational Researcher Norway, 1983 Commissioned by Norwegian government to investigate the cause of the suicide of three teenagers Concluded that all three young adults were victims of chronic bullying

Bullying: A World-Wide Problem 1983-1999; post 1999 Bullying has been studied in-depth throughout the U.S., Canada, England, Norway, China, Japan, Germany, and Australia. Research indicates that bullying is common among children world-wide and occurs regardless of socio- economic status, gender, ethnicity, geographical location, or cultural influences.

Olweus Bullying Questionnaire Designed for students in grades 3-12 Has been administered to over 60,000 students nation-wide Parental notification and passive consent obtained Anonymous Administered to OPCSD students in March 2010 Data-driven decision making Results obtained April 2010 Six comprehensive reports

What did our students report? How students are being bullied Where students are most commonly being bullied The frequency of instances of bullying Insight on those who bully Information on those who are victims of bullying Risk factors of our student population

How are students being bullied? Graphs reveal the type of bullying, for those students who reported being bullied “2-3 times a month” or more.

How are students being bullied? Elementary School Student Responses (%)

How are students being bullied? OP Middle School Student Responses

How are students being bullied? OP High School Student Responses

Where are students being bullied? Where bullying has occurred, for students who reported being bullied “once or twice” or more. Shown as the percent of girls and boys who report being bullied in various places.

Where are students being bullied Where are students being bullied? Elementary School Student Responses (%)

Where are students being bullied? OP Middle School Student Responses

Where are students being bullied? OP High School Student Responses

Frequency of Bullying Percent of girls and boys who have been bullied “2-3 times a month” or more.

Frequency of Bullying (2-3 times/month) Elementary School Student Responses (%)

Frequency of Bullying OP Middle School Student Responses

Frequency of Bullying OP High School Student Responses

Ellicott (B & G Combined) How often have you taken part in bullying another student(s) at school in the past couple of months? (elem) Eggert (B & G Combined) n % Ellicott (B & G Combined) n % S.Davis (B & G Combine) n % Windom (B & G Combined) Not bullied others 216 74.7% 289 81.3% 146 80.2% 275 80.9% Once or twice 63 21.8% 49 15.3% 32 17.6% 56 16.5% 2-3 times a month 7 2.4% 3 1.7% 2 1.1% 4 1.2% About once a week 3 1.0% 2 1.1% 3 0.9% Several times/week 0 0% 1 0.6% 0 0% 2 0.6% TOTAL 289 100% 346 100% 182 100% 340 100%

How often have you taken part in bullying another student(s) at school in the past couple of months? (MS) Girls n % Boys n % TOTAL n % Not bullied others 417 75.7% 381 66.1% 798 70.8% Once or twice 120 21.8% 169 29.3% 289 25.6% 2-3 times a month 11 2.0% 16 2.8% 27 2.4% About once a week 3 0.5% 5 0.9% 8 0.7% Several times/week 0 0% 5 0.4% 551 100% 576 100% 1,127 100%

How often have you taken part in bullying another student(s) at school in the past couple of months? (HS) Girls n % Boys TOTAL Not bullied others 508 75.0% 399 58.0% 907 66.4% Once or twice 130 19.2% 157 22.8% 287 21.0% 2-3 times a month 21 3.1% 49 7.1% 70 5.1% About once a week 6 0.9% 26 3.8% 32 2.3% Several times/week 12 1.8% 57 8.3% 69 5.1% 677 100% 688 100% 1,365 100%

OP Students’ Perception of School Graphs reveal the percent of students who responded: “Sometimes” “Fairly often” “Often;” or “Very often” To question 38: How often are you afraid of being bullied at school?

Elementary School Students’ Perception of School (%)

OP Middle School Students’ Perception of School

OP High School Students’ Perception of School

Indicators of Social Isolation Risk-factors Reveals the percent of students who responded that they have “no good friends” or only “one good friend.”

Elementary School Students’ Perception of Their Social Connectivity (%)

OP Middle School Students’ Perception of Their Social Connectivity

OP High School Students’ Perception of Their Social Connectivity

What does this mean district-wide?? There are 243 students in our district who feel as though they have only “one good friend” or “no friends.”

Comprehensive Plan – Current Efforts Maintain programs, resources, and staff to support Character Education and Bullying Prevention Efforts: Building-level Character Education Committees Development of District-wide Character Education Committee, 2006 Orchard Park Youth Council – Asset Survey D.A.R.E. program Bullying Awareness Training, summer 2009 WNY Character Education Council membership On-going professional development

Comprehensive Plan – Future Efforts Enhance Character Education and Bullying Prevention Efforts by: Restoration of counselors at the elementary level at Eggert, Ellicott, and South Davis Implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program A Research-based Program Training of BPCC and school-wide staff training In-district Olweus certified trainers Program maintenance Continue to monitor bullying through the annual or bi-annual administration of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire Re-assess, Reflect, Refine, Re-evaluate

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” ~Albert Einstein

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