RICHMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROACH THE “CONNECTION” ERASE AND PBIS

OUTLINE OF SESSION Quick definition of ERASE mandate An emphasis on student-adult connectedness PBIS as a vehicle Richmond District structure of ERASE An example of data used to reflect connectedness District Planning Resources – a chance to work with these resources District Resources – for Parents and Staff

ERASE Every child deserves an education free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, intimidation and violence. The ERASE (Expect Respect and A Safe Education) Bullying strategy is part of the Province of British Columbia’s efforts to personalize learning and supports for all students.

WHAT IS BULLYING? The most widely accepted definition of bullying comes from the work of leading Norwegian researcher, Dr. Dan Olweus: “Bullying... is a pattern of repeated aggressive behaviour, with negative intent, directed from one child to another where there is a power imbalance.” Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do -­ ‐ Olweus, D. This aggressive behaviour includes physical or verbal behaviour, and is an intentional and purposeful act meant to inflict injury or discomfort on the other person. Olweus’ definition identifies three critical conditions that distinguish bullying from other forms of aggressive behaviours:

HOW TO MEET THE MINISTRY MANDATE FOR ERASE AND PREVENT BULLYING

ERASE BULLYING STRATEGY In June, 2012, the Ministry of Education announced a 10 point anti-bullying strategy - Expect Respect and A Safe Education ERASE Lead provincial trainer, Theresa Campbell, has identified “student connectedness” as the essential condition in preventing or minimizing inappropriate or bullying behaviours and ensuring safe and caring school environments

ERASE BULLYING STRATEGY “A school is not, and does not feel safe without a sense of connectedness. Connectedness involves levels of communication and caring that creates feelings of being valued, respected and wanted. Schools and school districts should continuously develop innovative strategies to make every student feel valued, respected, safe, wanted and connected. Many students come to school each day because school is the only place they feel physically safe, yet they are not connected emotionally.” - Preventing Bullying & Ensuring Safe and Caring School Communities

RECENT RESEARCH Relationships between adults and students are the most important factor in promoting safe and caring schools A culture of student connectedness is essential in preventing or minimizing inappropriate/bullying behaviours to ensure a safe and caring school community Cultures of connectedness and climates of safety must be created, promoted and practiced: they do not evolve on their own It must involve all members of the school community if it is to be successful, sustainable and effective.

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE A concern has been that a superficial response will meet the mandate but have no lasting effect on school cultures Cyber bulling workshops, Bully Awareness Packages, Bully Proofing Your School, Bully Beware. These are all ways to technically meet the mandate, however, they address the symptoms of the problem.

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE The clear message is that an effective response needs to be a process that becomes part of the school culture and has three distinct components: 1 A process for enhancing student connectedness (students that are connected to their school, the adults and each other are less likely to choose inappropriate behaviours and more likely to tell an adult when it happens) 2 A process for addressing inappropriate/bullying behaviour (when staff has a clearly defined process for addressing inappropriate/bullying behaviours, they are more likely to follow it with consistency and students feel supported/safer) 3 A process for building student resiliency (students can expect to be the focus of unwanted bothering. They need to be taught skills that are appropriate for handling these types of conflict)

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: STUDENT CONNECTEDNESS Many of our schools began using a model of student connectedness a number of years ago Positive Behaviour Support is a highly effective way to achieve this goal A number of schools have a set of school values and what these look like as behavioural expectations in various locations around the school This is their Matrix

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: STUDENT CONNECTEDNESS When a school’s matrix is being used to its maximum advantage the following is in place: Every student, staff and visitor knows what the common expectations for behaviour in your school look like as these are overtly and routinely taught to all students and posted throughout the school Students receive regular, predictable feedback (positive reinforcement) for meeting expectations Students receive instructional corrections when they are guilty of not meeting expectations

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: STUDENT CONNECTEDNESS When this process of having School-Wide Expected Behaviours is in place, the number of positive inter- actions between staff and students increases When staff commit to regular, predictable feedback for behaviour, like they do for academics, students feel noticed for doing the right thing When staff commits to ensuring everyone in the building will address any student in any setting when they are not meeting expectations by using an instructional correction, students learn the expectations in a way that is not seen as punitive These two practices alone will significantly enhance the level of connectedness your students feel

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: INAPPROPRIATE/BULLYING BEHAVIOUR All schools respond to inappropriate behaviour Unfortunately, the process can be inconsistent Sometimes the information concerning problem behaviours a student is displaying is not being shared widely enough for others to know that it is happening in other locations as well Not everyone on staff has a clear understanding of what the definition of bullying actually is Students and parents often operate with the understanding that all inappropriate behaviour is bullying

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: INAPPROPRIATE/BULLYING BEHAVIOUR The district has prepared a resource for more immediate use Adapted from the ministry’s Focus on Bullying Provides a clear definition of bullying Provides a 3 Level Response to Inappropriate Behaviour as well as Bullying Behaviour

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: STUDENT RESILIENCY All students will receive unwanted bothering Some students are better skilled at dealing with these negative interactions than others The Area Counsellor Team lessons have a focus on Problem Solving Strategies that enhance student skills:  Empathy  Anger Management  Ignore/Walk Away/Play Somewhere Else  Being Assertive  Reporting

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: STUDENT RESILIENCY Like any other skill, these topics require on going practice and re-teaching before students can become proficient in using them Developing a yearly practice of re-teaching these ACT lessons will help students become more proficient in using these skills

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE The clear message is that an effective response needs to be a process that becomes part of the school culture and has three distinct components: 1 A process for enhancing student connectedness (students that are connected to their school, the adults and each other are less likely to choose inappropriate behaviours and more likely to tell an adult when it happens) 2 A process for addressing inappropriate/bullying behaviour (when staff has a clearly defined process for addressing inappropriate/bullying behaviours, they are more likely to follow it with consistency and students feel supported/safer) 3 A process for building student resiliency (students can expect to be the focus of unwanted bothering. They need to be taught skills that are appropriate for handling these types of conflict)

RICHMOND’S RESPONSE: STUDENT CONNECTEDNESS When a school’s matrix is being used to its maximum advantage the following is in place: Every student, staff and visitor knows what the common expectations for behaviour in your school look like as these are overtly and routinely taught to all students and posted throughout the school Students receive regular, predictable feedback (positive reinforcement) for meeting expectations Students receive instructional corrections when they are guilty of not meeting expectations

WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION? STUDENT CONNECTEDNESS Of the three main elements for “preventing bullying and cultivating safe and caring school communities” the foundation is Student Connectedness Without this in place, no program, process or initiative will be successful Developing “innovative strategies to make every student feel valued, respected, safe, wanted and connected” does not mean we need to re-invent the wheel Schools can build on the work they have previously done on School-Wide Expectations using Positive Behaviour Support

SCHOOL-WIDE EXPECTATIONS WHAT DO OUR STUDENTS SAY? Each year, Grades 4, 7, 10 and 12 students participate in the Satisfaction Survey Several questions on the survey are related to the topic of Student Connectedness

SATISFACTION SURVEY

HOW PBS MEETS THE MINISTRY MANDATE FOR ERASE: For behaviour expectations to be understood, they need to be explicitly taught, consistently reinforced and instructionally corrected. When this happens consistently (all staff involved) connectedness between staff and students is strengthened and there is an increased sense of fairness. When these relationships are strengthened and students perceive that adults will help ( 2 or more adults care about them), they are more likely to report problem behaviours such as bullying and the incidents of bullying decrease. With all of these factors in place, all students feel more welcome and safe at school. And an added bonus: With all of these factors in place, academic achievement improves.

SCHOOL PLANNING TOOL In Richmond, schools must complete a planning tool that illustrates how they are going to meet the ERASE mandate during the current academic year.

SCHOOL PLANNING TOOL

PLANNING TOOL GUIDE In order to help schools complete the tool, a series of questions is available that will guide the process.

PLANNING TOOL GUIDE

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PLANNING All schools plans are posted online so that schools may learn from each other.

THREE LEVEL RESPONSE TO INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR/BULLYING This resource provides staff with a framework for responding to a variety of behaviours Inappropriate Of Concern Of Serious Concern (which would also include actual bullying) Question: Look at the steps for Level One – How is this an instructional correction?

WHERE IS THIS? To find this information, go to SD38 website Look under Health and Safety – Children – ERASE bullying resource

STUDENT RESILIENCY GO to SD 38 website (sd38.bc.ca) Look under Departments and Services Click on Area Counsellor Team Lesson, posters and supplemental lessons are all available.