Bully Free Schools K-6 Bullying Prevention Program Faculty Update March 2008

RI General Assembly Action In February 2003 declared “that bullying disrupts a school’s ability to educate students and threatens public safety by creating an atmosphere in which such behavior can escalate into violence” By September 2004 require every district to have policy that addresses bullying and ensures protection of the right of all students to learn in a safe and supportive environment free from harassment, intimidation or bullying.

Cranston Public School Policy “The Cranston Public Schools recognizes that each student, staff member, teacher, and administrator has a right to attend/or work in schools, that are safe and secure and are conducive to learning, free from threat of physical or emotional harm, actual or implied. It is the policy of the CPS that harassment and/or bullying of students by other students, personnel, or the public will not be tolerated.”

Anti-Bullying Policy “This policy is in effect while students are on school grounds or property immediately adjacent, using school transportation, at bus stops, or attending school-sponsored activities, and while away from school grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management, and welfare of the school district.”

Definition of Bullying Bullying occurs when an individual or group, while at school, intentionally assaults, batters, threatens, harasses, stalks, menaces, intimidates, extorts, humiliates, taunts, shuns or maliciously spreads rumors about others or participates in the organizing of others to engage in any of the aforementioned.

Bullying: verbal, written or physical behavior usually of some duration. Social Emotional intentionally unfriendly name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors, taunting, deliberately excluding, treating with disrespect tormenting (i.e.hiding books, threatening gestures)

Bullying Physical Racial Sexual Homophobic Pushing, kicking, hitting, any use of violence racial taunts, graffiti, gestures unwanted physical attention or contact, sexually abusive comments focusing on sexuality or sexual preference

Policy “Any incidences of abusive behavior ( verbal, written or physical) including, but not limited to, bullying, harassment, (including sexual harassment as defined by CPS policy # ), blackmail, extortion, intimidation, threats, unwanted physical contact of any kind or fighting will be addressed in accordance with the language regarding such contained in both the secondary and elementary editions of the CPS Disciplinary Policy and Procedure Handbook.”

Procedure Any student or employee being harassed, intimidated or bullied should report incident Anyone with information or knowledge of harassing, intimidating or bullying behavior is obligated to report All accusations are to be investigated Appropriate disciplinary sanctions shall be applied

Treatment of Bullies Victims Identify bully behavior Keep log of incidents Deal consistently with bullying incidents Educate 1st time offender Beware of punishment Sanction if warranted Identify resources Listen/take seriously Intervene/do not minimize Provide support Do not force to face bully Identify resources

K-6 Bullying Prevention Program Counselors collaborated to develop best practice lessons for use citywide with all K-6 students Students and staff in 6 schools (Eden Park, Garden City, Gladstone, Hope Highlands, Rhodes, Stadium) participated in a cutting edge research project with UMass last spring to evaluate program effectiveness 1,376 students and 261 staff participated in the study

Research Project Results Students districtwide showed highly statistically significant gains in learning the bullying information presented by counselors pre/post common assessments showed growth from 60% pre to 95% post Staff surveys showed significant pre to post improvement in student behavior regarding bullying behavior

School Climate Results Most students and staff reported finding the school safe Almost all staff reported being able to stop bullying Most 1st and 2nd graders believe staff respond to bullying 81% of 3rd to 5th graders would ask an adult for help

School Climate Research Results Increase in reporting bullying behaviors after lessons Increased reporting contributes to reducing bullying behavior 50% or more report seeing children being left out and seeing children fighting at school

More School Climate Responses Only 65% of 3rd to 5th graders report students sticking up for others Only 57% of 3rd to 5th graders reported that adults know about the bullying that goes on 9% of 3rd to 5th graders reported having been bullied the previous week

How Can You Help? Take bullying reports seriously Intervene, listen Report bullying incidents to the principal Follow through consistently every day Do not minimize bullying as a rite of passage Do not accept bullying as a right of adults Reinforce learning from Guidance lessons

Use Common Language Kindergarten: use mean behavior versus bully 1st grade: use bully, target and bystander 2nd grade: add follower, defender 3rd grade: add supporters, possible defenders 4th grade: all of the above 5th grade: all of the above 6 th grade: all of the above

Our Challenge Stop Bullying Now!