One of the district’s primary missions
“is to provide safe and secure environments for all students and staff.” In the
effort to better educate our students, a research-based curriculum (Second Step) has been added to homeroom
instructional time in grades K-8 this year. Lessons are taught by homeroom
teachers weekly and referred to on a regular basis when social conflicts occur.
School
policy defines bullying as: “behavior where one person (or group) repeatedly engages
in harmful action towards another person (or group) acting on a real or
perceived imbalance of power or view of superiority”. Students who are “engaging
in bully, which includes any ongoing pattern of physical, verbal, or electronic
abuse on school grounds” are subject to disciplinary action. Victims “of bullying
or harassment, or who observe such occurring, are to promptly report the
problem to their teacher or to the principal so the problem can be addressed”.
Parents
can be a great help to school officials by addressing the problem honestly with
their child if they feel they are the victim of a bully. Strong lines of
communication help in handling the issue. Make sure they know it is not their
fault and they do not have to tolerate this repeated harassment. Help them
develop a plan for how to better cope with the bully and that they are not
alone.
The next essential step is to involve
the school immediately!
Approach a teacher or school administrator and inform them of what is going on.
It is important to provide adult intercession in the process in order to fully
stop the problem. This is especially important because it is difficult to
determine how many people are being affected by the situation.
It
is recommended for adults to always remember to remain calm and do their best
to be supportive. This is a difficult time for a child and matters might only
be made worse if adults react too strongly or do not take them seriously
enough.
School
personnel do not take bullying lightly and utilize policies that provide steps
to take in stopping the bullying. However, if the incidents are not reported,
it is impossible to take action. No one likes to be bullied or made to feel
inferior in life. The only way to stop a bully is to confront them directly and
for bystanders to stand up against the bully in defense of the victim.
Ongoing,
open communication between the child, parent, and school personnel is critical
to stop these negative behaviors. It is our job to teach kids what bullying is
and what to do about it. It is a student’s responsibility to report the
incidents to a caring adult. By working together, we can help keep all our
students and staff feeling safe and respected in the school environment!
-Dr.
Paula Sissel
Superintendent/Elementary
Principal