Morristown
Elementary
Anti-Bullying
Initiative
Be a STAR With 4 Easy Steps!
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STICK TOGETHER: the first step! Bullying is everyone’s problem. We all need
to treat one another with respect at all times.
TELL THE BULLY TO STOP: the second step! This is especially true when
name calling is involved. Let’s be honest with ourselves. Sometimes people
can be rude. Their rudeness doesn’t necessarily make them a bully. Bullying
is repeated acts. Everyone deserves a chance to correct their mistake, even if
that mistake came out very rudely.
ALERT AN ADULT AT SCHOOL: the third step! If it continues even though you
told him/her to stop, tell an adult immediately. Please be clear, negative
physical contact only has to occur one time to be considered bullying.
The Office of Civil Rights enforces laws that prohibit discrimination on
the basis of; race, color, national origin, sex and disability. If such
discriminatory harassment occurs even just once, a school must take
prompt action to end the harassment from reoccuring.
RESPECT OTHERS: the fourth step! Don’t handle bullying by becoming a bully
yourself.
Bullying is…
…intentional harm-doing repeated over time.
It includes:
 Pushing, shoving and other physically aggressive acts
 Spreading gossip and harmful rumors
 Social exclusion
 Teasing and name-calling
 Note Passing
 Intimidating/Threatening- Verbal and written
As defined in the Indiana Bullying Bill, 2003: IC-20-33-8-0.2, bullying is overt repeated acts or gestures
including 1. verbal or written communications; 2. physical acts committed by a student or group of students
against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate or harm the other student.
An Important Notice
Students, teachers and parents need to realize threatening is a definite
bullying act. For example, if a student says, “I’m going to kill you/shoot
you.” this is considered a bullying act.
When a student makes hand gestures representing weapons directed at
another individual this is a bullying act.
When students pass notes around (good or bad) this can appear to other
students as a being excluded or being talked about. This then is perceived
as a bullying act. Therefore, no notes are permitted to be passed at school.
When a student calls another individual a derogative name (i.e. gay, lesbian,
etc.) this rises above bullying and involve civil right implications.
Stop Bullying Now!
Morristown Elementary believes everyone, children and adults
alike, have the right to come to school or work and feel safe,
secure and accepted. To ensure that everyone has a genuine
potential to enjoy school freely, equally and without fear, the
following services have been put in place:
Classroom Presentations
Introduction to the MES Anti-Bullying Program begins in second
grade with actual hands-on information, material and role-playing
situations that may occur in or around school. All second graders
receive the school’s anti-bullying policy brochure which requires
parent signature.
The Anti-Bullying Acknowledgment is required to be returned to school
and is kept as part of student’s permanent record. The parent
signature doesn’t necessarily imply agreement with said anti-bullying
policy; it simply acknowledges receipt and awareness of said policy. A
refresher presentation will be offered for grades third through fifth if
found necessary through a parental or staff recommendation.
Anti-Bullying Focus for Kindergarten & 1st
For younger students, if a persistent case of bullying emerges,
their parents will be informed of the protocol we have in place
for grades 2nd through 5th. A parent conference will be held
with both the principal and school counselor. Parents will be
informed that the same sanctions will now be in place for their
kindergarten/first grade student.
Intimidation Notices
Intimidation notices have been developed to serve as a
means of formally making a complaint against the
alleged intimidator.
Intimidation notices will always be filled out in the
counselor’s office (if counselor is not present, notices
will be filled out in the principal’s office).
Intimidation Notices (cont.)
NOTE: Before an intimidation notice can be filled out, the person making
the complaint must have told the nearest adult staff member and, at
that time, shared specifically where the alleged bullying took place.
If this has not been done, an Intimidation Notice cannot be filed in the
counselor’s office.
Students must report all suspected bullying acts to the nearest adult
staff member. This means such reporting needs to occur immediately
and the adult staff member receiving the report needs to contact the
counselor that very day.
Remember accusing someone of bullying is a serious claim. So, if you
truly feel threatened (physically or emotionally) this warrants immediate
action. Not going to the nearest Adult to report a bullying situation
immediately, appears to make the situation not important enough to be
identified as bullying.
Intimidation Notices (cont.)
Intimidation notices serve as a warning tool. The first written
intimidation notice on file in the counselor’s office serves as an
educational proactive tool to get the student to truly think about
his/her behavior without getting into trouble, without getting
parents, teachers or administration involved.
Remember: The Counselor does not deal with discipline.
Therefore, she does not make contact with the parents or
necessarily the teachers regarding this issue.
Intimidation Notices (cont.)
Kids need to know they will make at least one mistake. Kids can, and
most will, learn from their mistakes given the opportunity to do so and
deserve at least one “warning” on their own without parent and/or school
staff involvement.
With this said, the first Intimidation Notice filed against a student is
considered a warning and stays only with the school counselor.
However, any subsequent Intimidation Notices accumulated by a student
requires referral to the school principal and parent notification via notice
sent home or phone call.
Intimidation notices remain on file in the counselor’s office for the
remainder of the school year. At the end of the school year, all
intimidation notices are destroyed.
All students begin the new school year with a clean slate!
Reprimand
Once a student receives two or more intimidation notices, he or
she will be sent automatically to the principal’s office. At this
point, parents are notified via some means of communication.
Getting one intimidation notice may not seem to be a big deal
because it doesn’t go on a student’s permanent record, but
getting two or more is a big deal because the student is sent to
the principal’s office and a discipline record begins. The
discipline record does stay on file. This is why it is very
important for parents to review and discuss the Anti-Bullying
Initiative with their children.
Outcomes of Bullying
Outcomes of bullying may result in Mr. Corn
issuing one or more of the following:
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Discussion with Mr. Corn
Detention
In-school suspension
Counseling with Mrs. Runnebohm
Loss of recess to watch a bullying video
Loss of certain school privileges
Requirement to conduct research on bullying and provide
parents and administration with a presentation of the findings.
Contact with the Morristown Police Department
All students will be afforded the Due Process Rights
Final Statement
We make every attempt to correct the behaviors before
having to take evasive actions. It is the belief of Morristown
Elementary School that students should feel safe and
welcomed at school.
MES supports the national campaign, Stop Bullying Now. For
more information check out www.StopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov or
call 1-888-ASK-HRSA.