Bullying Prevention and Response

Pleasant Hill community unit school district #3

BULLYING PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PLAN

INTRODUCUTION

 

Pleasant Hill Community Unit School District #3 (hereinafter “District” or “School”) is committed to providing a safe, caring and positive environment to maximize the learning experience for all students. Bullying, intimidation and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate.

 

Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors and providing all students equal access to a safe, non-hostile learning environment are important District goals. Every member of this school community must take personal responsibility for the emotional and physical safety of one another and the environment. It is a violation of school policy for any student to bully, harass or intimidate another student and it will not be tolerated.

 

It is the responsibility of the school administration and principals to make clear to students and staff that bullying or harassment in the school building, on school grounds, on the bus or school sanctioned transportation or at school sponsored functions will not be tolerated. School principals or their designees shall be responsible for the implementation of bullying prevention and intervention procedures, including investigating all charges of bullying, cyberbullying and/or retaliation.

 

Violations of school and/or district policy and procedures will be addressed in conformance with existing disciplinary policies. In addition, all reporting, investigations and responses shall be consistent with local, state and federal law regarding anti-discrimination and the protection of civil and human rights. Consultation with district legal staff and representatives of local, regional and state law enforcement and justice agencies may be required to ensure the rights of targets/victims and aggressors/perpetrators are maintained.

 

 

BULLYING PROHIBITED

 

Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, military status, unfavorable discharge status from the military service, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is contrary to both State law and the policy of the District, and is prohibited. However, nothing in this bullying prevention and response plan is intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment

 

Bullying is prohibited in each of the following situations:

 

1. During any school-sponsored education program or activity.
2. While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus stops waiting for the school bus, or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities.
3. Through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment.
4. Through the transmission of information from a computer that is accessed at a non-school related location, activity, function or program or from the use of technology or an electronic devise that is not owned, leased or used by a school district or school if the bullying causes a substantial disruption to the educational process or orderly operation of a school.  This subparagraph 4 applies only in cases in which a school administrator or teacher receives a report that bullying through this means has occurred; it does not require administrators, teachers and other staff to monitor any non-school related activity, function or program.

 

Definitions

 

Bullying includes cyber-bullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

 

1. Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s or students’ person or property;
2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students’ physical or mental health;
3. Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance; or
4. Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by a school.

The District uses and enforces this definition of bullying.

Cyber-bullying means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system, or photo-optical system, including without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages or facsimile communications.  Cyber-bullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying.  Cyber-bullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying.

 

Bullying may take various forms, including without limitation, one or more of the following:  harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive.

 

Restorative measures means a continuum of school-based alternatives to exclusionary discipline, such as suspensions and expulsions, that: (i) are adapted to the particular needs of the school and community, (ii) contribute to maintaining school safety, (iii) protect the integrity of a positive and productive learning climate, (iv) teach students the personal and interpersonal skills they will need to be successful in school and society, (v) serve to build and restore relationships among students, families, schools and communities, and (vi) reduce the likelihood of future disruption by balancing accountability with an understanding of students’ behavioral health needs in order to keep students in school.

 

School personnel or staff means persons employed by, on contract with, or who volunteer in a school district, including without limitation school district administrators, teachers, school guidance counselors, school social workers, school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, school resource officers and security guards.

 

Reporting Bullying or Retaliation

 

School personnel are required to report immediately to the building principal or his/her designees, or if not available, to the District’s Nondiscrimination/Title IX Coordinator or the Complaint Manager or their respective designees, any instance of possible bullying or retaliation the staff member becomes aware of or witnesses. The requirement to report to the principal or designee does not limit the authority of the staff member to respond to behavioral or disciplinary incidents consistent with school or district policies and procedures for behavior management and discipline.

 

At the beginning of each school year, the district and/or the principal of each school building will  provide the school community including teachers, staff, students and parents/guardians, written notice of its policies for reporting possible incidents of bullying and retaliation. A description of the reporting procedures and resources, including the name and contact information of the principal or designee, will be incorporated into the District’s Parent and Student Handbooks and posted on the District’s website.

 

The District will:

• • Include a copy of the Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form in the information packets that are distributed for students at the beginning of the school year and in the Parent and Student Handbooks;
  • Make the Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form available in the school’s main office, counseling office, school nurse's office and other locations determined by the principal or designee; and
  • Make the Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form available on the district’s website.

It is important to note, that students, parents/guardians or other individuals who are not school or district staff members are not required to complete a Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form in order to file a complaint; however, completing and submitting the form is highly encouraged.  Reports of possible bullying or retaliation made by students, parents/guardians or other individuals who are not school or district staff members, may be made orally or in writing, via telephone/cellphone, text or face-to-face, by email, in writing or anonymously submitted. If the form is not initiated by students, parents/guardians or other individuals who are not school or district staff members, the school staff to whom the initial communication is made is responsible for completing the form and providing it to the principal or designee.

 

Reporting by Staff

 

Any staff member that encounters an interaction that may constitute bullying will first  try to address the incident between the target(s)/victim(s) and aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s). The staff member will then report the incident immediately to the building principal or designee so the investigation process may begin. This initial report should ideally include:

• • • Date, time and location of the incident;
    • Individuals involved and their roles (e.g., target/victim, aggressor/perpetrator, bystander/witnesses);
    • Details of the incident;
    • Information about if/how the incident is part of a pattern of bullying, harassment or retaliation (e.g., prior documented incidents); and
    • Any actions taken by staff to defuse the situation.

The report that is made immediately may be provided orally, by email or via a written note. The initial report must be documented in writing using the Staff Incident Reporting Form within 72 hours of the initial report of the incident.

 

 Reporting by Students, Parents/Guardians and Others

 

The District and each school expects students, parents or guardians and others who witness or become aware of an instance of possible bullying or retaliation involving a student to immediately report it to the building principal or his/her designee, or if not available, to the District’s Nondiscrimination/Title IX Coordinator or the Complaint Manager or their respective designees. This may be done by telephone/cellphone, text, face-to-face, by email, in writing, or anonymously. Though highly encouraged, Students, parents/guardians and others are not required to complete the Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form. If an oral report of a bullying incident is made to the building principal or his/her designee, or to the District’s Nondiscrimination/Title IX Coordinator or the Complaint Manager or their respective designees, he/she will complete a Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form to document in writing the allegation. A Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form or other documentation may also be completed by the principal or designee to complement written reports of bullying by a student, parent/guardian or others in those instances where additional data is secured to substantiate or complete the allegation. This form, as well as the District’s Misbehavior Incident Reporting Form  may also be completed by school staff to complete the incident file.

 

In addition to the foregoing, reports of possible bullying or retaliation may be made orally or in writing to any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking.

 

The District’s building principals, Nondiscrimination/Title IX Coordinator and Complaint Manager are set forth below:

 

Building Principals

 

 

INSERT

 

Nondiscrimination/Title IX Coordinator and Complaint Manager

 

Kylee Orr, Superintendent

501 E. Quincy Street

Pleasant Hill, Illinois 62366

217/ 734-2311

kylee.orr@phwolves.com

 

Students, parents or guardians and others may request assistance from a staff member to complete a written report. Students will be provided practical, safe, private and age-appropriate ways to report and discuss an incident of bullying with a staff member or with the principal or his/her designee.

 

Students, parents/guardians may make anonymous bullying reports by telephone/cellphone, text, by mail and through the District’s website. Anonymous reports should include at least the following information:

• • • Date, time and location of the incident;
    • Individuals involved and their roles (e.g., target/victim, aggressor/perpetrator, bystander/witnesses);
    • Details of the incident;
    • Any knowledge of prior incidents that were reported or not; and
    • The relationship of the reporter to the incident (e.g., witnessed firsthand, third-party report, etc.).

Upon receipt of an anonymous report, the building principal or his/her designee, or if not available, the District Complaint Manager or designee, will initiate a preliminary investigation. If the anonymous allegation is deemed to have potential merit, a Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form will be completed by the investigating staff member and the investigation process at the school level will proceed.

 

No disciplinary action will be taken against an alleged aggressor/perpetrator solely on the basis of an anonymous report.

 

A student will not be punished for reporting bullying or supplying information, even if the school’s investigation concludes that no bullying occurred. However, knowingly making a false accusation or providing knowingly false information will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.

 

Responding to a Report of Bullying or Retaliation

 

Before fully investigating the allegations of bullying or retaliation, the building principal or his/her designee, or if not available, the District Complaint Manager or designee, and/or a team designated by one of the foregoing, will take steps to assess the need to restore a sense of safety to the alleged target/victim and/or to protect the alleged target/victim from possible further incidents. Responses to promote safety will include notifying parents/guardians that a report of alleged bullying has been received and may include, but not be limited to:

• • • Creating a personal Intervention/Safety Plan;
    • Pre-determining seating arrangements for the target/victim and/or the aggressor/perpetrator in the classroom, at lunch or on the bus;
    • Identifying a staff member who will act as a “safe person” for the target/victim; and/or
    • Altering the aggressor’s/perpetrator’s schedule and access to the target/victim.    

This is not an exhaustive list. The creation of safe environments for targets/victims will be considered for each individual person and incident.

 

The building principal or his/her designee, or, if not available, the District Complaint Manager or designee, will take additional steps to promote safety during the course of and after the investigation as necessary. The principal or his/her designee will implement appropriate strategies to protect any student who (a) reports bullying or retaliation; (b) witnesses bullying or retaliation; (c) provides information during an investigation of allegations of bullying or retaliation; or (d) has reliable information about an alleged act of bullying or retaliation from further acts of bullying or retaliation. Strategies that may be used to create a safer environment for the reporters, target(s)/victim(s) and/or aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) include:

• • • Increasing adult supervision at times and /or in locations where bullying is known to have occurred or is likely to occur;
    • Temporarily and/or permanently changing the target(s)/victim(s) and/or aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) class schedule and/or seating arrangements to reduce opportunities for retaliation; and/or
    • Establishing a safe zone for the target/victim to go to when he/she feels vulnerable.

This is not an exhaustive list. The creation of safe environments for targets/victims, aggressors/perpetrators or others impacted by the incident will be considered for each individual person and incident.

 

Obligation to Notify Others

 

The building principal or his/her designee, or if not available, the District Complaint Manager or designee, has the primary responsibility to notify the following constituencies when a possible bullying or retaliation incident has occurred. A copy of all written or electronic communication with these constituencies that are included in the Bullying Prevention and Reporting Form must be sent to the District Complaint Manager so the District administration is appropriately informed and can assist with a response as needed.

 

Notice to Parents or Guardians – Consistent with federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights, upon determining that an act of bullying or retaliation may have occurred, the principal or designee will promptly notify the parents or guardians of the target(s)/victim(s) and the aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) (or the aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) if he/she/they is/are school staff) by telephone/cell-phone of this and of the procedures for responding to it.  As appropriate, parents/guardians will be informed of the availability of social work services, counseling, school psychological services, other interventions, and restorative measures.

Notice to Another School or District - If the reported incident involves aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) or target(s)/victim(s) from more than one school district, charter school, non-public school, approved private special education day or residential school or collaborative school, the principal or designee first informed of the incident will promptly notify by telephone/cell-phone the principal or designee of the other school(s) of the incident so that each school may take appropriate action. All communications will be in accordance with state and federal privacy laws and regulations and 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7.

Notice to Law Enforcement - At any point after receiving a report of possible bullying or retaliation, including after an investigation, if the principal or his/her designee has a reasonable basis to believe that a crime may have been committed by  the alleged perpetrator, the principal or his/her designee will notify the local law enforcement agency. Notice will be consistent with the requirements of 105 ILCS 5/27/23.7 and locally established agreements with the local law enforcement agency. Also, if an incident occurs on school grounds and involves a former student under the age of 21 who is no longer enrolled in school, the principal or his/her designee shall contact the local law enforcement agency if he/she has a reasonable basis to believe a crime may have been committed by the alleged perpetrator.

In making this determination, the principal or his/her designee will, consistent with this Bullying Prevention and Response Plan and other applicable school or district policies and procedures, consult with the Superintendent and all other individuals the Superintendent deems appropriate.

 

Investigation

 

The building principal or his/her designee, or if not available, the District Complaint Manager or designee will investigate promptly all reports of alleged bullying or retaliation and, in doing so, will consider all available information known, including the nature of the allegation(s) and the ages of the alleged aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) and target(s)/victim(s) involved.

 

During the investigation the building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee will, among other things, interview students, staff, witnesses, parents or guardians and others as necessary. The principal or his/her designee (or whoever is conducting the investigation) will remind the alleged aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s), victim(s)/targets and witnesses that retaliation is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action.

 

Interviews may be conducted by the building principal or his/her designee, the District Complaint Manager or designee, or by other staff members as determined by the principal or his/her designee, and in consultation with the Superintendent and school counselor, as appropriate. To the extent practicable, and given his/her obligation to investigate and address the matter, the principal or his/her designee and the District Complaint Manager or designee will maintain confidentiality during the investigative process. The principal or designee will maintain a written record of the investigation.

 

The building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee, may review previous reports to determine the frequency of occurrences. Additional, investigation elements may include, but are not limited to, the review of school surveillance camera footage and/or bus surveillance footage.

 

Procedures for investigating reports of bullying and retaliation will be consistent with school or district policies and procedures for investigations. As appropriate, the building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee, may consult with the District’s legal counsel about the investigation and involve all other appropriate school personnel and staff persons with knowledge, experience, and training on bullying prevention.  

 

All reasonable efforts shall be made to complete the investigation within ten (10) school days after the date the report is received taking into consideration additional relevant information during the course of the investigation about the reported bullying incident

 

Determinations

 

The building principal or his/her designee, or if not available, the District Complaint Manager or designee, will make a determination based upon all of the facts and circumstances. If, after investigation, bullying or retaliation is substantiated, the principal or his/her designee, or the Complaint Manager or designee, will take steps reasonably calculated to prevent recurrence and to ensure that the target/victim is not restricted in participating in school or in benefiting from school activities. The building principal or his/her designee, or the Complaint Manager or designee, will:

• • Determine what remedial action is required, if any, and
  • Determine what responsive actions and/or disciplinary action is necessary.

Depending upon the circumstances, the building principal or designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee, may choose to consult with the target(s)/victim(s) or perpetrator(s)/aggressor(s) teacher(s) and/or school counselor and the target’s/victim’s or aggressor’s/perpetrator’s parents or guardians, to identify any underlying social or emotional issue(s) that may have contributed to the bullying behavior and to assess the level of need for additional social skills development.

 

Consistent with federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights, the building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee will promptly notify the parents or guardians of the students who are the parties to the investigation information about the investigation and an opportunity to meet with the building principal or the Complaint Manager or designee to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, and the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying.

 

Because of the legal requirements regarding the confidentiality of student records, the building principal and District Complaint Manager and their respective designees cannot report specific information to the target’s/victim’s parent or guardian about any disciplinary action taken unless it involves an order or directive entered by a court of competent jurisdiction that the target/victim must be aware of in order to report violations.

 

A reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying is prohibited.  A student’s act of reprisal or retaliation will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.

 

 

Responses to Bullying

 

The creation of school environments where every student feels a sense of belonging is integral to student success. To this end, the District will modify or institute procedures by grade level as necessary to provide a safe environment at all times of the school day including non-classroom times such as lunch, bus rides, recess, and after-school and other out-of-school time, particularly for students who have been targets/victims of substantiated allegations of bullying/cyberbullying/retaliation, as well as aggressors/perpetrators of said actions as needed to restore a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.

 

Teaching Appropriate Behavior through Skills-Building

 

Upon the building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee determining that bullying or retaliation has occurred, the school district may use a range of responses, including restorative measures, that balance the need for accountability with the need to teach appropriate behavior. Skill-building approaches that the Complaint Manager,  principal or his/her designee may consider include:

• Offering individualized skill-building sessions based on the school’s/district’s anti-bullying curricula. Providing relevant educational activities for individual students or groups of students or school staff, in consultation with guidance counselors and other appropriate school personnel;
• Implementing a range of academic and nonacademic positive behavioral supports to help students and school staff understand pro-social ways to achieve their goals,
• Meeting with parents/guardians/school staff to engage parental support and to reinforce the anti- bullying curricula and social skills building activities at home;
• Adopting behavioral plans or contract to include a focus on developing specific social skills; and/or
• Making a referral for any further evaluations as appropriate.

If a student who is found to be the target/victim or aggressor/perpetrator in a substantiated bullying incident has an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and the cause of the incident is related to his/her disability, then the provision of skill building training shall be integrated into that student’s IEP as deemed appropriate by the IEP Team.

 

Taking Disciplinary Action

 

If the building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee decides that disciplinary action is appropriate, the disciplinary action will be determined on the basis of facts found by during the investigation, including the nature of the conduct, the age of the target(s)/victim(s) and aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s)   involved, and the need to balance accountability with the teaching of appropriate behavior. Discipline will be consistent with the Parent and Student Handbooks, District policies, and relevant federal and State laws. The building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee shall consider the use of appropriate restorative measures.  

 

Discipline, the need to identify constructive limits and controls in order to develop positive behaviors in all children, is an essential ingredient in every student’s total learning experience. The goal of discipline is to help students so that they may learn to make responsible choices in their interactions with others.  Progressive discipline strategies may be used by the teachers and administrators of the District and may include any one of the following strategies and/or combination of the following discipline strategies: 

• • • Counseling that starts at the classroom level between teacher and aggressor(s)/ perpetrator(s), and if not productive, proceeds to the social worker, guidance counselor or principal;
    • Detention (office, after-school and/or weekend);
    • Assignment to a Behavior Modification Center if available at the school;
    • Suspension from school that may be imposed by the Superintendent, principal or assistant principal for up to 5 days for serious misbehavior and that may be extended to 10 days with the approval of the Superintendent,
    • Assignment to an alternative program that may be ordered by the Board of Education; recommended by the principal, and/or
    • Expulsion from school that may be imposed by the Board of Education.

 

Promoting Safety for the Target(s)/Victim(s) and Others

 

Upon the completion of the investigation, the building principal or his/her designee, or District Complaint Manager or designee, will consider what adjustments, if any, are needed in the school environment to enhance the target’s/victim’s sense of safety and the sense of safety for others as well.

 

Within a reasonable period of time following the determination and the ordering of remedial and/or disciplinary action, the building principal or his/her designee, or the District Complaint Manager or designee will contact the target(s)/victim(s) to determine whether there has been a recurrence of the prohibited conduct and whether additional supportive measures are needed. If so, the Complaint Manager, principal or his/her designee will work with appropriate school personnel to implement them immediately.

 

The District recognizes that both the alleged target(s)/victim(s) and alleged aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) have strong interests in maintaining the confidentiality of an allegation and related information. The privacy of the alleged target(s)/victim(s), alleged aggressor(s)/perpetrator(s) and all witnesses will be respected and maintained consistent with the District’s legal obligations to investigate, to take appropriate action and to comply with this Bullying Prevention and Response Plan.

 

Evaluation of Plan

 

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall assist the Board of Education with its evaluation and assessment of this plan’s outcomes and effectiveness. This process shall include, without limitation:

 

• The frequency of Victimization;
• Student, staff, and family observations of safety at a school;
• Identification of areas of a school where bullying occurs;
• The types of bullying utilized; and
• Bystander intervention or participation.

 

The evaluation process may use relevant data and information that the District already collects for other purposes. The Superintendent or his/her designee must post the information developed as a result of the evaluation on the District’s website.