Bullying Prevention

District 6 has strong expectations for reporting all bullying incidents. Board Policy JICDE

• All staff are trained annually in taking proactive steps to prevent, recognize and intervene in bullying situations.  
• Educational staff that witness or who become aware of a bullying situation should address it right away, ensuring the child’s safety.
• Staff are trained in the implementation of procedures for immediate intervention, investigation, and confrontation of students engaged in bullying.
• Students engage in social emotional learning opportunities that address social awareness and bullying.
• Staff are trained on tools to change the behavior of students engaged in bullying.  Referrals to the school counselor, small group work to teach new behaviors, or other restorative approaches may be taken.  
• Partnership with parents and the community is essential to the prevention and intervention of bullying. 
• Referrals to the office and disciplinary consequences may occur.  
• Targets of bullying are supported through a layered continuum of support.  
• Social support and positive school climate efforts for all students are developed through positive behavior interventions, social skills development, and peer social network programs.
• The Family and Student Support Team advises school administration on prevention and intervention practices.

Reporting Procedures 

• Please contact your student's school staff (administrator, teacher, counselor) to share concerns. 

•  SAFE 2 TELL
• D6 BULLYING REPORTING FORM

Our schools take a proactive approach to dealing with bullying by providing the following training and prevention education for our students and staff:

• Social Emotional Learning teaches explicit lessons as a regular part of the curriculum in our schools. Bully Prevention Units are taught at all grade levels.
• In addition to the general all-staff training, teachers, counselors, and administrators are trained on how to coach and create safety and behavior plans and continue to follow up with students involved in bullying. 
• Staff members are trained and given resources to help create a positive classroom climate to minimize the likelihood that bullying will occur.

We all have a role — how to prevent and/or respond to bullying.

All kids involved in bullying—whether they are bullied, bully others, or see bullying — may experience negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use and suicide.

Parents, school staff and community members all play an important role in supporting our students when providing for their physical, social and emotional needs.

Parents, school staff, and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying.

They can:

• Help kids understand bullying. Talk about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell kids bullying is unacceptable. Make sure kids know how to get help.
• Keep the lines of communication open. Check in with kids often. Listen to them. Know their friends, ask about school, and understand their concerns.
• Encourage kids to do what they love. Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost confidence, help kids make friends, and protect them from bullying behavior.
• Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.

Instead of happening face-to-face, cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using computers, cell phones and other electronic devices. Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social media, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.

Kids who know what bullying is can better identify it. They can talk about bullying if it happens to them or others. Kids need to know ways to safely stand up to bullying and how to get help.

• Encourage kids to speak to a trusted adult if they are bullied or see others being bullied. The adult can give comfort, support, and advice, even if they can’t solve the problem directly.
• Encourage the child to report bullying if it happens.
• Talk about how to stand up to kids who bully. Give tips, like using humor and saying “stop” directly and confidently.
• Talk about what to do if those actions don’t work, like walking away
• Talk about strategies for staying safe, such as staying near adults or groups of other kids.
• Urge them to help kids who are bullied by showing kindness or getting help.

When we respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior, they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. There are simple steps we can take to stop bullying on the spot and keep kids safe. 

Do:

• Intervene immediately. It is OK to get an adult to help.
• Move away from the situation or individual
• Make sure everyone is safe.
• Stay calm.
• Model respectful behavior when you intervene.

Avoid these common mistakes:

• Do not ignore it. Don’t think others can work it out without help.
• Do not immediately try to sort out the facts.
• Do not force other kids to say publicly what they saw.
• Do not question the children involved in front of other kids.
• Do not talk to the kids involved together, only separately.
• Do not make the kids involved apologize or patch up relations on the spot.

District 6 is using many different programs to address bullying, including:

The two primary curriculums include:

Second Step Bully Prevention Unit for Kindergarten thru 5th grade and

PBIS Bully Prevention Lessons for Grades 6-12

This curricula is further supported by the following programs that vary across the district schools. 

• No Place for Hate
• Safe2Tell
• Link Crew (High School)
• WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) (Middle School)
• Rude Vs. Mean Vs. Bullying

For more information about what your school is doing, please contact your school's administration.