Transcript Creating and Sustaining Supportive and Engaging Schools

Creating and Sustaining Supportive
and Engaging Schools
Information for parents regarding Fairfield Public School District’s
Response to Connecticut General Statute, Section 10-222d – An Act
Concerning the Strengthening of School Bullying Laws
Presented by:
Andrea Leonardi – District School Climate Coordinator
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Law –
CT General Statute 10-222d
 The newly amended legislation, which
took effect July 1, 2011, effectively shifts
the focus of the “bullying law” from
reacting to bullying and mean-spirited
behavior to proactively building and
maintaining a positive school climate.
Essential Shift in Thinking
From
To
Fixing the Problem
A.K.A –
Isolated Bullying Prevention
Programs
Assemblies only
Punishment
Intentionally working to create
and sustain a school climate
where ALL students, parents,
employees are and feel physically,
socially, emotionally, and
intellectually safe
What is School Climate?
 School climate refers to the quality and character of
school life. School climate is based on patterns of
students', parents' and school personnel's experience
of school life and reflects norms, goals, values,
interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning
practices, and organizational structures.
Why focus on School Climate?
A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning
necessary for a productive, contributing and satisfying life in a democratic
society. This climate includes:
 Norms, values and expectations that support people feeling socially,
emotionally and physically and intellectually safe.
 People are engaged and respected.
 Students, families and educators work together to develop, live and
contribute to a shared school vision.
 Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize the benefits and
satisfaction gained from learning.
 Each person contributes to the operations of the school and the care of the
physical environment.
(This definition of school climate and a positive, sustained school climate were
consensually developed by the National School Climate Council that NSCC co-leads
with the Education Commission of the States.)
School Climate – Continuous
Improvement Process
Stage 1 – Planning
We are here!!!
Stage 5 –
Reevaluation/
Development
Stage 4 Implementation
Stage 2 - Evaluation
Stage 3 – Data
Analysis/ Action
Planning
The School Climate Improvement
Process
 The National School Climate
(www.schoolclimate.org) suggests a 5 Stage
School Climate Improvement Process
Stage 1 – We are here!
Preparation and Planning
 Forming a representative SC Committee and establishing
ground rules collaboratively.
 Building support and fostering "Buy In" for the SC
Improvement Process.
 Establishing a "no fault" framework and promoting a
culture of trust.
 Ensuring your team has adequate resources to support the
process.
 Celebrating successes and building on past efforts
 Reflecting on Stage One work
Stage 2
Evaluation
 Systematically evaluating the school's strengths,
needs and weaknesses with any number of school
climate as well as other potential measurement tools
 Developing plans to share evaluation findings with
the school community
 Reflecting on our Stage Two work
Stage 3
Understanding the findings, Engagement & developing an
action plan
 Understanding the evaluation findings
 Digging into the findings to understand areas of consensus
and discrepancy in order to promote learning and
engagement.
 Prioritizing Goals
 Researching best practices and evidence-based
instructional and systemic programs and efforts
 Developing an action plan
 Reflecting on Stage Three work
Stage 4
Implementing the Action Plan
 Coordinating evidence-based pedagogic and systemic efforts
designed to (a) promote students' social, emotional and civic as
well as intellectual competencies; and (b) improve the school
climate by working toward a safe, caring, participatory and
responsive school community.
 The instructional and/or school-wide efforts are instituted with
fidelity, monitored and there is an ongoing attempt to learn
from successes and challenges.
 The adults who teach and learn with students work to further
their own social, emotional and civic learning.
 Reflecting on Stage Four work.
Stage 5
Reevaluation and Development of the Next Phase
 Reevaluating the school's strengths and challenges
 Discovering what has changed and how.
 Discovering what has most helped and hindered the
SC Improvement Process
 Revising plans to improve the school climate.
 Reflecting on Stage Five work
District School Climate Coordinator
The District School Climate Coordinator shall:
 Facilitate the District School Climate Team;
 Ensure the implementation of the District School Climate Plan;
 Provide leadership to the School Climate Specialists;
 Plan and implement, along with administrators and School Climate Specialists, annual
training for School Climate Team members;
 Create, along with School Climate Team members, annual training modules for school
employees;
 Insure that all school employees receive annual training;
 Provide timely and accurate data to the Superintendent, district, and CSDE as
requested and as required by state statute;
 Facilitate annual revisions to the District School Climate Plan based on feedback from
School Climate Teams ;
 Review all reports of suspected bullying and investigation reports.
District Level School Climate Team
District Level School Climate Team
 Beginning in January of 2012 the District School
Climate Coordinator shall establish a District School
Climate Team. Membership shall include:
 All School Climate Specialists (In the case of Co-School
Climate Specialists, one representative from each
school shall serve on the district team)
 Community members
 Parents
 Students
District School Climate Team continued
This Team shall:
 Meet quarterly (at minimum);
 Review and amend, as necessary, the District School Climate Plan;
 Review all school climate improvement plans;
 Review all district data and measurements of school climate;
 Make recommendations to the Superintendent regarding necessary
changes to Board of Education Policy;
 Perform any other duties as determined by the School Climate
Coordinator that are related to improving school climate (including,
but not limited to the prevention, intervention, and response to
school bullying for the district);
 Gather and disseminate to school climate committees best practice
information on the prevention, intervention, and response to
bullying and youth suicide.
School Climate Specialist(s)
 School Climate Specialist
 Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year each school principal will serve as, or
designate, from existing staff, a School Climate Specialist (Co-School Climate
Specialists are allowable).
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 The School Climate Specialist, in collaboration with the school principal shall:
 Provide leadership to the school community in the prevention, intervention,
and response to reports of bullying, discrimination, and otherwise meanspirited behavior*** in the school;
 Ensure implementation of District School Climate Plan;
 Coordinate the provision of annual training to all staff on the prevention,
intervention, and response to bullying, discrimination, and otherwise meanspirited behavior in schools and on the prevention, intervention and
response to youth suicide in collaboration with the School Climate
Committee;
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School Climate Specialist(s)
Continued
 Ensure that all students, parents, and school employees are notified annually of
process by which they can make reports of bullying;
 Chair the School Climate Committee;
 Coordinate the school’s efforts in gathering multiple measures of school climate
data;
 Use the above mentioned data to lead the development of the School Climate
Improvement Plan in alignment with the district plan;
 Serve as their schools’ representative on the District School Climate Committee;
 Investigate or supervise the investigation of reported acts of bullying in
accordance with the District School Climate Plan and Board of Education Policy;
 Ensure the implementation of intervention/response plans for all verified acts of
bullying
 Collect and maintain records of reports and investigations of bullying in the
school
School Climate Committee
For each school year commencing July 1, 2012 each
school principal shall establish a committee or
designate at least one existing committee in the school
to be responsible for developing and fostering a safe
school climate. Team membership shall be designated
by the school principal and shall include at least one
parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the school.
School Climate Committee
 Receive copies of completed reports following investigations of bullying (parents,
students, or community members will not receive copies of reports as sharing these
reports would violate student confidentiality rights under federal law - FERPA);
 Identify and address patterns of bullying among students in the school;
 Review and amend school policies/practices relating to bullying;
 Review and make recommendations to the District Safe School Climate Coordinator
regarding the District Safe School Climate Plan based on issues and experiences
specific to the school;
 Educate students, school employees and parents and guardians of students on issues
relating to school climate and bullying;
 Collaborate with the School Climate Specialist in the collection of data regarding
school climate and bullying in accordance with the District Safe School Climate Plan
and state statute;
 Perform any other duties as determined by the school principal that are related to
improving school climate and to the prevention, intervention, and response to school
bullying, discrimination, or otherwise mean-spirited behavior for the school.
An Important Note on
Confidentiality!
The Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA)
protects all students and their families from the
disclosure of personally identifiable education records.
Any individual NOT on the faculty of the school is
prohibited from accessing this information without the
written consent of the parent of the child in question.
A History Lesson
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46 state have bullying laws on the books
Each state has a different definition
CT has had bullying legislation for 10 years
CT legislation has been amended 6 times
Each time legislation has been amended the
definition has changed
CT’s Legislation is 10 years old. Can anyone guess what
happened that created the anti-bullying movement?
So What is Bullying?
CT’s Statutory Definition
The new legislations defines bullying as:
“The repeated use by one or more students of a written,
verbal or electronic communication, such as cyber bullying,
or a physical act or gesture directed at another student
attending school in that same school district that:
 Causes physical or emotional harm to such student or
damage to such student’s property;
 Places such student in reasonable fear for harm to himself
or herself or of damage to his or her property;
 Creates a hostile environment at school for such student;
 Infringes upon the rights of such student at school;
 Substantially disrupts the educational process or orderly
operation of the school.”
Bullying is Prohibited! (Subject to
escalating disciplinary consequences)
 On school grounds,
 at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, function
or program whether on or off school grounds
 at a school bus stop,
 on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased or used by
the Board of Education, or
 through the use of an electronic device or an electronic
mobile device owned, leased or used by the Board of
Education… AND
Bullying is Prohibited! (Subject to
escalating disciplinary consequences)
Outside of the school setting IF the bullying:
 Creates a hostile environment at school for the victim
(or anyone else),
 Infringes on the rights of the victim (or anyone else)
at school, or
 Substantially disrupts the educational process or the
orderly operation of the school
What does Bullying look like?
Examples of bullying include, but are not limited to:
 exclusion from peer groups within the school
 verbal taunts, name-calling and disparaging language including ethnicallybased or gender-based verbal disparaging language
 targeting of a student based on the student’s actual or perceived
“differentiating” characteristics such as race; color; religion; ancestry;
national origin; gender; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression;
socioeconomic or academic status; physical appearance; or mental, physical,
developmental, or sensory disability.
 physical violence and attacks
 sexual harassment including unwanted sexual attention or insulting or
degrading sexual remarks or conduct
 threats and intimidation
 extortion or stealing of money and/or possessions
 the misuse of electronic communications for the purpose of bullying,
harassing, or sexually harassing other students within school or out of
school (“cyber bullying”)
Kids will be kids?
Teasing
 Allows the “teaser” and the person
teased to swap roles with ease.
 Isn’t intended to hurt the other
person.
 Maintains the basic dignity of
everyone involved.
 Pokes fun in a lighthearted, clever,
and benign way.
 Is meant to get both parties to laugh.
 Is only a small part of the activities
shared by people who have
something in common – friends.
 Is innocent in motive.
 Is discontinued immediately when the
person teased becomes upset or
objects to the teasing.
Taunting
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Is based on an imbalance of power and is
one-sided: the bully taunts, the bullied is
taunted.
Is intended to harm or at minimum to
maintain the current imbalance of power.
Involves humiliating, cruel, demeaning, or
bigoted comments thinly disguised as jokes.
Includes laughter directed at the target, not
with the target.
Is meant to diminish the sense of self-worth
of the target.
Induces fear of further taunting or can be a
prelude to physical bullying.
Is sinister in motive – Is meant to further
solidify the power structure (you are weak
and I am strong).
Continues especially when targeted person
becomes distressed or objects to the taunt.
Reporting Alleged
Bullying/Harassment/Mean-Spirited
Behavior
Students may file:
 Oral Reports to school employees
 Written reports
 Anonymous reports
 Each school shall inform students of the process for anonymous reporting annually
 District is investigating electronic means for reporting
NOTE: There are two kinds of anonymous reports – those when the student
wishes to remain anonymous and those that are truly anonymous.
***CT General Statute 10-222d - The safe school climate specialist must review
anonymous reports, but no disciplinary action may be taken solely on the basis
of any anonymous report.
Reporting – If you SEE something SAY something
Tattling
 intentionally trying to get
someone in trouble for
behavior which, honestly,
doesn’t really bother you.
Telling/Reporting
 Going to an adult for help
with any dangerous,
hateful, mean-spirited,
threatening behavior ,
that has really affected
you (or someone else) on
some level.
Reporting/Telling
We should encourage everyone to report/tell trusted
adults about mean-spirited behavior because IF kids
could make the problem go away on their own, this
wouldn’t be an issue. Sometimes they just can’t. And
so they have got to tell – or report to an adult.
If you SEE something, SAY something!
Reporting Alleged
Bullying/Harassment/Mean-Spirited
Behavior
 Parents may file written reports (parental reports
should/must be signed and include contact
information in the even that follow-up is needed)
Reporting Alleged
Bullying/Harassment/Mean-Spirited
Behavior
School employees who witness acts of bullying, harassment, or
mean-spirited behavior or receive reports of bullying MUST report
it to the school administration or school climate specialist.
School employees must:
 Orally notify the school climate specialist or school administrator
(if the school climate specialist is unavailable) as soon as
possible, but not later that one (1) school day after such school
employee witnesses or receives a report of bullying (school
climate specialist shall maintain a list of oral and written
reports), and;
 File a written report as soon as possible, but not later than two
(2) school days after making such an oral report.
Reporting Alleged
Bullying/Harassment/Mean-Spirited
Behavior
School Employees defined:
*** CT General Statute 10-222d defines “School employee” as:
 a teacher, substitute teacher, school administrator, school
superintendent, guidance counselor, psychologist, social
worker, nurse, physician, school paraprofessional or coach
employed by a local or regional board of education or
working in a public elementary, middle or high school; or
 Any other individual who, in the performance of his or her
duties, has regular contact with students and who
provides services to or on behalf of students
Investigations and “Verified Acts of
Bullying”
 All incidents will be investigated
 When the evidence gathered supports that the
incident meets the statutory definition of bullying it
will be considered a verified act of bullying and result
in parent notification (both victim and perpetrator)
that includes each meeting with school officials, AND
 A School Safety and Intervention Plan being
developed for BOTH the victim and the perpetrator
School Safety and Intervention Plan Victim
 For the victim this plan must:
 Include a school safety plan that describes what school staff will
do to ensure safety in the school environment.
 Include an intervention strategy to teach the skills and
dispositions necessary to decrease the likelihood of further
victimization
 Identify a case manager
 Be provided to the parent and shared with the student
 Be monitored by the School Climate Specialist or his/her
designee (to be identified in the plan) to ensure implementation
fidelity and adjusted as necessary to provide a safe environment
School Safety and Intervention Plan –
Victim – A NOTE
At no time should the plan for the victim further
isolate the victim. If changes to schedule,
programs, and activities need to be made to
provide safety, they should not negatively
impact the victim in any way.
School Safety and Intervention Plan Perpetrator
For the perpetrator this plan must include:
 Any disciplinary action to be taken,
 Next steps should bullying occur again (repeated acts of bullying may lead
to suspension and/or expulsion in accordance with Board of Education
Policy #5119)
 Clearly state that retaliation against the victim, the reporter, or any
individual participating in the investigation is prohibited;
 Identify a case manager
 Be provided to the parent and shared with the student
 Include an intervention strategy designed to teach the skills and dispositions
necessary for participation in a safe school climate
 Include actions to be taken to restore the student into the community
(Restorative Discipline)
Notification of Law Enforcement
The Principal or his/her designee MUST notify the
appropriate law enforcement agency when such
principal or his/her designee believes that any act(s) of
bullying may constitute criminal activity. When a
principal or his/her designee makes such a report the
principal or his/her designee shall inform the District
School Climate Coordinator within one (1) school day of
making such a report.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are students, staff and families notified of the Safe School Climate Plan?
 Student codes of conduct must include language concerning bullying.
 Students and parents or guardians of students must be notified annually of
 The process by which they may file complaints of bullying.
 No later than thirty days after Board of Education approves the District
School Climate Plan the plan will be (a) published on the district website and
of the website of each individual school, and (b) included in the school
district’s publication of the rules, procedures and standards of conduct for
schools and in all student handbooks.
 At the beginning of each school year, each school must provide all school
employees with a written or electronic copy of the school district's safe
school climate plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will incidents be investigated?
 School officials will conduct reasonable investigations that may include, but
is not limited to: interviews with complainant, alleged perpetrator, and
witnesses, review security video tape (if available), review of previously
reported incidents, disciplinary history, etc.
 The identity of the student (or parent) as the complainant is personallyidentifiable information that can be disclosed only with the consent of the
parent (or eligible student).
 Student statements may be appropriate, depending on the age of the
students.
 All parties to the investigation will be admonished that the investigation is a
confidential matter that they should not discuss with others.
 Anonymous reports must be reviewed, and they will be investigated,
provided that no disciplinary action may be taken solely on the basis of an
anonymous report.
Frequently Asked Questions
How complaints of cyber bullying investigated?
 The focus of an investigation of cyber bullying will always begin with
the question, what is the impact of the behavior on the victim in
school? The following questions might assist:
 Does the cyber bullying create a hostile environment for the student
at
 School?
 Does the cyber bullying infringe on the rights of the victim at
school?
 Does the cyber bullying substantially disrupt the educational
process or the orderly operation of a school?
 To the extent available printouts of any IMs or postings or other
related information should be requested as part of the
investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the timeline for the completion of the investigation?
 The statute provides that the investigation must be
completed “promptly.” While no specific timeline is
outlined in this statute, other federal, state and local
guidelines speak to schools taking “prompt and effective
action calculated to end the harassment (bullying), prevent
its recurrence and, as appropriate, remedy its effects.” In
order to limit the harm to all parties dealing as immediately
as possible once an allegation has been made is critical.
 Expediency, however, does not mean doing less than is
required to complete a thorough investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What constitutes a “Verified Act of Bullying”?
The Principal/School Climate Specialist/Designated Investigator will focus on
the statutory definition of bullying:
Was the conduct repeated?
 Did the conduct cause physical or emotional harm to the student or damage
to the student’s property?
 Did the conduct place the student in reasonable fear of harm to him or
herself, or of damage to his/her property?
 Did the conduct create a hostile environment at school for such student?
 Did the conduct infringe on the rights of the student at school?
 Did the conduct substantially disrupt the educational process or orderly
operation of the school?
NOTE: Cyber bullying will be verified only if one or more of the last three
questions are answered YES.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be a written report?
 The statute requires that the district’s safe school climate plan must
establish a procedure for each school to document and maintain
records relating to incident reports and investigations of bullying in
the school and to maintain a list of the number of verified acts of
bullying in the school and make that list available for “public
inspection”.
 Consistent with district obligations under state and federal law
regarding student privacy, the list will not contain any personally
identifiable student information, or any information that alone or in
combination would allow a reasonable person in the school
community to identify the students involved. The list will be limited
to basic information such as the number of verified acts, name of
school and relevant date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can written reports be shared with the parents of the
victim and/or of the perpetrator?
 The statute requires that parents of perpetrators and
victims be “notified” if bullying is verified. Any
written report would likely include personallyidentifiable student information. Disclosure of
information such as might be contained in an
investigation report would likely violate FERPA and is
therefore not to be provided.
Note
Parents of the victim often demand to know the
disciplinary actions taken against the perpetrator. It
would be a violation of the student’s rights to
confidentiality (and the school’s obligation to protect
those rights) under the Federal Education Rights to
Privacy Act (FERPA) for staff to discuss such actions and
is therefore prohibited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will be done to notify parents of the results of the investigation?
 Within forty-eight hours of the completion of the investigation, school
officials must notify parents of any student who commits a verified act of
bullying and the parents of any student against whom any such act of
bullying was committed. Such parents must be invited to a meeting “to
communicate to such parents or guardians the measures being taken by the
school to ensure the safety of the student against whom such act was
directed and to prevent further acts of bullying.” This meeting will result in
the creation of a written School Safety and Intervention Plan for both the
victim and the perpetrator. A copy of their child’s plan will be provided to
the parent and shared with the student.
 Note: Each of the meetings should be held separately. At no time would it
be appropriate for the parents of the perpetrators to meet with the parents
of the victims.
What Can Parents Do to Improve
School Climate?
 Be role models of kindness, compassion, and
tolerance (Your kids are watching!!)
 Show them that you value those traits by praising
those attributes when you see them in others and in
them
 When you see/hear mean spirited talk – INTERVENE
 Talk to your children about the difference between
“tattling” and “reporting”
What Can Parents Do to Improve
School Climate?
 Accept and celebrate differences!!
 Listen to the “chatter”
 Report things you see/hear to school officials with
sufficient detail
 Monitor online “chatter”
Resources for Parents/Students
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Connecticut State Department of Education - www.sde.ct.gov
National School Climate Center - www.schoolclimate.org
Office of Civil Rights – www.ed.gov
Character Counts - www.charactercounts.org
National Association of School Psychologists – www.naesp.org
Stop Bullying Now! - www.stopbullying.gov
Peace Builders - www.peacebuilders.com
Stop Bullying Now! - www.stopbullyingnow.com
Kids Health - www.kidshealth.org
Anti-Bullying – www.antibullying.net
Kids Against Bullying – www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org
Olweus Bullying Prevention – www.olweus.org
John Halligan – www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org
National PTA – www.pta.org
National Education Association – www .nea.org