Westford Public Schools
Systemwide Bullying Prevention
March 1, 2010
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Bullying has two key components:
• Repeat Harmful Acts
• Imbalance of Power
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Bullying includes:
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Assault
Tripping
Intimidation
Rumor-spreading and isolation
Demands for money
Destruction of property
Theft of valued possession
Destruction of another’s work
Name calling
Sexual harassment
Ostracism based on perceived sexual orientation
Hazing
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Important to remember:
• Not all taunting, teasing and fighting among school children
constitute bullying and bullying entails repeated acts by
someone perceived as physically or psychologically more
powerful.
• Most students do not report bullying to adults. As a result,
school personnel may underestimate the extent of bullying.
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Some reasons victims give for not notifying an adult of bullying:
• Fearing retaliation
• Fearing shame of not being able to stand up for themselves
• Fearing they would not be believed
• Not wanting to worry their parents
• Having no confidence that anything would change as a result of
reporting
• Thinking their parents’ or teachers’ advice would make the
problem worse
• Fearing their teacher would tell the bully who told on him/her
• Thinking it was worse to be thought of as a snitch
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Bullying Behavior:
• Bullying more often takes place at school.
• Boy bullies tend to rely on physical aggression more than girl
bullies, who often use teasing, rumor-spreading, exclusion and
social isolation.
• Boys are more likely to bully than girls.
• Bullies often do not operate alone.
• Bullying by boys tends to decline after age 15. Bullying by girls
tends to decline significantly at age 14. Therefore early
intervention is important.
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
• There is a strong belief that the degree of the school principal’s
involvement helps determine the level of bullying.
• 25% of students victimized by bulling reported they were
belittled about their race or religion.
• A number of researchers believe that bullying occurs due to a
combination of social interaction with parents, peers, and
teachers. The history of the parent-child relationship may
contribute to cultivating a bully, and low levels of peer and
teacher intervention combine to create opportunities for chronic
bullies to thrive.
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Cyber-bullying prevents significant challenges since the
ability to publicize harmful content represents the bully’s
imbalance of power (as opposed to physical size or
strengths).
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
General Requirements for an Effective Strategy to
Counter Bullying in Schools:
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Enlisting the school principals’ commitment and involvement.
2.
Using a multifaceted, comprehensive approach:
– Establish a school-wide policy that addresses indirect bullying (rumorspreading, isolation, social exclusion), as well as direct bullying.
– Provide guidelines for teachers and other staff and students on specific
actions to take if bullying occurs.
– Educating and involving parents so that understand the problems,
recognize its signs and intervene appropriately.
– Adopting specific strategies to develop with individual bullies and victims,
including meeting with their parents.
– Encouraging student to report known bullying.
– Develop a reporting system to track bullying and the interventions used
with specific bullies and victims.
– Encouraging students to be helpful to classmates who may be bullied.
– Conducting post-intervention surveys to assess the strategies’ impact on
school bullying.
Source: Sampson, Ran; Bullying in Schools; U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policy Services
Emerson Hospital Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Violence Related Behavior
2008 YRBS Data:
Grades 6 and 8
• 25.1% (23.4%- aggregate) of 6th graders and 22.1%
(23.4% - aggregate) of 8th graders report having
been bullied in school during the past twelve months
prior to the survey.
• Among all respondents 2.2% (3.0% - aggregate) of 6th graders and 3.8%
(4.0% aggregate) of 8th graders report having
resisted with physical force.
2008 YRBS Data:
Grades 9-12
• 17.0 % of all respondents (15.5% aggregate) 22%MA YRBS) report having been bullied in school
during the twelve months prior to the survey.
• The incidence of this experience was much higher
in grade 9 (26.8%), 10 (14.2%), 11 (14.7%), and 12
(20.2%) and was higher among males.
• Further, 4.2% of all respondents report that they
resisted being bullied in school with physical force.
Next Steps… 2010 YRBS
• The survey will be administered on March 9 at Stony
Brook and the Academy and on March 11 at Blanchard
Middle School.
• The wording of two questions concerning bullying was
updated to reflect changing technology and the impact of
cyber bullying.
• Behavioral/Experiential Cross-tabulations will be applied
for questions from the grades 6 and 8 surveys focusing on
“bullying and having an adult that the students can talk to
in school”.
• The above will effect surveys for grades 6, 8 and 9-12.
Title IV
Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant
• This federal grant provides funding for the Peer
Mediation Program.
• Both middle schools’ and at the Academy’s programs
have been supported by this grant.
• Through training and education in diversity, tolerance,
self-advocacy and conflict resolution students learn to
assist their peers in overcoming conflicts and help to
create a positive school culture.
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades K-2
Laying the Groundwork
• Build community and trust
• Foster collective responsibility
• Responsive Classroom philosophy and strategies
• Promote core values (morning meeting, routines, assemblies)
• Share a common language
Teaching Strategies/Tools
• Small and large group classroom/guidance lessons
• Conflict resolution & problem solving strategies
– Solution Wheel
– CAPS – conflict resolution strategy
• Role playing in small and large group settings
• Social skills groups
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades K-2
Providing Resources
• Literature, videos and games to teach specific concepts and
skills
• Guidance WebPages
• School Newsletters
• Training opportunities for all staff
• Parent workshops
Responding to Situations
• Student self-referral system
• Social replay
• Processing sheets for conflict resolution
• Apology of Action
• Social contracts
• Behavioral plans
• Pre-K/5 Handbook policies on bullying (see pp. 20-21)
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades 3-5
• High expectations for student behavior
• Community building focus (Staff, Students, & Parents)
• Proactive Guidance Program
(Guidance Counselor and Classroom Teachers)
• All School Assemblies
• Westford Academy Peer Mediators
Next Steps:
• Expansion of Responsive Classroom training
• Continued sharing of resources and best practices
between schools
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades 6-8
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Guidance Counselors and Guidance curriculum
Rachel's Challenge
Peer Mediation
Web Site and Friday Email for resources
Cooperation with community (WPD, WPC, WA)
February 26 presentation to students about cyber bullying
Email accounts set up to communicate information to school
Advisor/Advise programs (PRIDE/BEST)
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades 9-12
Articulated- through the Westford Academy Mission
• Safe environment
• Foster tolerance
• Life-long learning
Defined
• Student Manual, Policy page 75 – 76
Procedure
• Promptly and reasonably investigate allegations of
bullying. “Retaliation will not be accepted in any way,
shape or form.”
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades 9-12
Prevention & Education
• Peer Counseling Training and Programs
– Outreach to elementary & middle school
• Peer Mediation
• Counselor intervention
– relationship building
– parent connection
• Advisory Programming
– Communication skills
– Internet harassment
– Dating violence
• Health Class Curriculum
• Social Worker Support
– individual & small group
• Recognized GSA organization
• Best Buddies
• Administration Intervention
Westford Public Schools
Bullying Prevention
Grades 9-12
Challenges
• Cyber Bullying
• Texting
• Parental Education
• Facebook
• Other forms of media
• Activities outside of school