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Bullying, Intimidation and HarassmentBullying, Intimidation and HarassmentParadise Knoll Elementary SchoolParadise Knoll Elementary School

October 11, 2011October 11, 2011

Dr. Stephen WisniewskiDr. Stephen WisniewskiPrincipalPrincipal______________________________________________________________

Paradise Knoll SchoolParadise Knoll School 103 Paradise Road 103 Paradise Road

Oak Ridge, NJ 07438Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 Tel: 973-697-7142Tel: 973-697-7142

Fax: 973-697-9444Fax: 973-697-9444www.wmtps.orgwww.wmtps.org

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Overview:Overview:I.I. TerminologyTerminology

II.II. Enhanced District ResponsibilitiesEnhanced District ResponsibilitiesI.I. School Safety Teams & ResponsibilitiesSchool Safety Teams & Responsibilities

II.II. InvestigationsInvestigations

III.III. FormsForms

IV.IV. Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

Bullying, Intimidation and HarassmentBullying, Intimidation and HarassmentParadise Knoll Elementary SchoolParadise Knoll Elementary School

October 11, 2011October 11, 2011

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New Jersey Anti-BullyingNew Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act Bill of Rights Act

On January 5, 2011, Governor Christie signed the Anti-On January 5, 2011, Governor Christie signed the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, which creates a duty for public Bullying Bill of Rights Act, which creates a duty for public schools to:schools to:

Investigate reportsInvestigate reports of harassment, intimidation or of harassment, intimidation or bullying;bullying;Collect and report dataCollect and report data to the State regarding reports to the State regarding reports of harassment, intimidation or bullying;of harassment, intimidation or bullying;Provide training to teachers and staffProvide training to teachers and staff on the on the school’s harassment, intimidation or bullying policies school’s harassment, intimidation or bullying policies and prevention methods;and prevention methods;Appoint an Appoint an anti-bullying specialistanti-bullying specialist in each school; in each school; Appoint a district Appoint a district anti-bullying coordinatoranti-bullying coordinator;;And form a And form a school safety teamschool safety team in each school. in each school.

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What is “HIB?”What is “HIB?”

Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying is “any gesture, any Harassment, Intimidation or Bullying is “any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communicationcommunication,, whether it be: whether it be:– a single incident or;a single incident or;– a series of incidents, a series of incidents, – that is that is reasonably perceived as being motivated reasonably perceived as being motivated

either by anyeither by any actual or perceived characteristicactual or perceived characteristic, that , that takes place:takes place:

– on school property;on school property;– at any school-sponsored function;at any school-sponsored function;– on the school bus; or on the school bus; or – off school grounds . . . that substantially disrupts or off school grounds . . . that substantially disrupts or

interferes with the orderly operation of the school interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other studentsor the rights of other students

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Defining The Terms?Defining The Terms?

Actual or Perceived CharacteristicsActual or Perceived Characteristics:: Such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual Such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual

orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic;or by any other distinguishing characteristic;

School ResponsibilitiesSchool Responsibilities::– a a reasonable personreasonable person should know, under the circumstances, that should know, under the circumstances, that

specific behavior will have the effect of specific behavior will have the effect of physically or emotionally physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harmstudent in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his to his person or damage his property;person or damage his property;

– has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; oror

– creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student’s education or by with a student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the studentphysical or emotional harm to the student.” .” N.J.S.A.N.J.S.A. 18A:37-14 18A:37-14

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““Cyber-bullying”Cyber-bullying”

By including the phrase “or any electronic By including the phrase “or any electronic communication” in the above definition, the Anti-Bullying communication” in the above definition, the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights also protects students from Cyber-Bullying, Bill of Rights also protects students from Cyber-Bullying, including information exchanged via including information exchanged via email, text email, text messagesmessages, and/or , and/or Facebook Facebook or other on-line social or other on-line social networks. networks.

Electronic communicationElectronic communication: “A communication transmitted : “A communication transmitted by means of electronic device including, but not limited by means of electronic device including, but not limited to a telephone, cellular phone, computer or pager.” to a telephone, cellular phone, computer or pager.” N.J.S.AN.J.S.A. 18A:37-14.. 18A:37-14.

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New District RequirementsNew District Requirements Adopt an Adopt an anti-bullying policyanti-bullying policy, prominently posted on the District’s website. , prominently posted on the District’s website. Create Create anti-bullying coordinator(s)anti-bullying coordinator(s) and and anti-bullying specialist(s).anti-bullying specialist(s).– School Anti-Bullying Specialist bears primary responsibility to prevent, identify, and investigate claims of harassment, School Anti-Bullying Specialist bears primary responsibility to prevent, identify, and investigate claims of harassment,

bullying or intimidationbullying or intimidation– District Anti-Bullying Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and strengthening policies, collaborating to prevent, identify District Anti-Bullying Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and strengthening policies, collaborating to prevent, identify

and respond to bullying, harassment and intimidation and to provide data to the DOE. and respond to bullying, harassment and intimidation and to provide data to the DOE.

Create Safety TeamsCreate Safety Teams: Principals, a teacher in the school, a school anti-bullying specialist, a parent of the : Principals, a teacher in the school, a school anti-bullying specialist, a parent of the student in the school and any other individual as determined by the principal with names and school student in the school and any other individual as determined by the principal with names and school contact information posted on the District’s website and all individual school websites.contact information posted on the District’s website and all individual school websites.

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Members of the TeamMembers of the Team

School Safety TeamsSchool Safety Teams– Chaired by the anti-bullying specialist;Chaired by the anti-bullying specialist;– Team receives copies of all reports;Team receives copies of all reports;

Must meet at least two (2) times per year;Must meet at least two (2) times per year;

Look for and identify behavior;Look for and identify behavior;

Review reports to ensure that the legal Review reports to ensure that the legal requirements are met;requirements are met;

Makes recommendations for education and Makes recommendations for education and training.training.

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InvestigationInvestigationInvestigation begins with principal (or designee) Investigation begins with principal (or designee) within within one (1) dayone (1) day of receiving the report. of receiving the report. – Anti-Bullying specialists complete the investigation. Anti-Bullying specialists complete the investigation. – Maximum of Maximum of 10 days10 days to complete the investigation. to complete the investigation.

If information is missing at the end of 10 days, a If information is missing at the end of 10 days, a report must still be prepared and amended after that report must still be prepared and amended after that information becomes available. information becomes available.

Conclusion reported to Superintendent within Conclusion reported to Superintendent within 2 days2 days of of investigation’s completioninvestigation’s completion– Superintendent determines the remedial action: Superintendent determines the remedial action:

intervention, discipline, counseling and/or other intervention, discipline, counseling and/or other appropriate measures appropriate measures

Superintendent reports to the Board at the next meeting.Superintendent reports to the Board at the next meeting.

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Parental RightsParental Rights

After investigation results are reported to the After investigation results are reported to the Board, the District has Board, the District has five (5) daysfive (5) days to report to report information to the parents. information to the parents.

Parents are entitled to know: Parents are entitled to know: Nature of investigationNature of investigation

If bullying, harassment and/or intimidation was found; and/or If bullying, harassment and/or intimidation was found; and/or

Whether discipline or services were provided. Whether discipline or services were provided.

Parents have the right to request a Board Parents have the right to request a Board hearing.hearing.

Must be provided within 10 days in executive session.Must be provided within 10 days in executive session.

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HIB vs Code of ConductHIB vs Code of ConductAlthough new HIB law is tough, not every issue at school Although new HIB law is tough, not every issue at school is HIB.is HIB.Must fit into the definition reviewed at the opening of this Must fit into the definition reviewed at the opening of this presentation.presentation.Schools can still follow-up with Code of Conduct Schools can still follow-up with Code of Conduct infractions.infractions.If a parent calls the school and states that their child is If a parent calls the school and states that their child is being bullied, the report must follow the HIB procedures. being bullied, the report must follow the HIB procedures. If a parent calls to report conflict between two students, If a parent calls to report conflict between two students, the School Safety Team can decide if it should follow the School Safety Team can decide if it should follow HIB or Code of Conduct.HIB or Code of Conduct.Incidents at school can be reported by teachers as either Incidents at school can be reported by teachers as either HIB or Code of Conduct. HIB or Code of Conduct. HIB investigation can be found at “not an incident of HIB” HIB investigation can be found at “not an incident of HIB” and the student can still be held accountable under the and the student can still be held accountable under the Code of Conduct.Code of Conduct.

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Questions/DiscussionQuestions/Discussion