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St. Joseph School Bullying Prevention-Intervention Plan
Introduction
This plan is intended to serve as the school blueprint for enhancing the school's capacity to prevent and respond to issues of bullying within the context of the school and school-based initiatives. It is effective upon publication and remains in effect until rescinded or modified by the issuing authority of the school. The plan will be reviewed biannually. Identification and enforcement of these protocols is the responsibility of all faculty, administration, parents and students to ensure this plans success.
Expectations
St. Joseph school is a safe place for children to grow their unique talents and personalities. To ensure the accomplishment of this goal we subscribe to a single standard for everyone. The golden rule: treat others as you wish to be treated. This singular rule applies to all members of our learning community teachers, administrators, students parents without exception. We are all part of this community and we are expected to sustain it by our direct action.
We practice the Golden Rule without thinking about it. It is a central tenet of our culture. Critical to our success is that each person contribute through active application of the Golden Rule to behavior at school, at home and in the community. Awareness is not enough. Practicing the Golden Rule is essential to sustaining our community. Our parents, children and teachers build our community every day.Our children know and trust each other, our parents and our faculty. Saint Joseph School community expects that every member of our community will treat others as they would like to be treated with respect and dignity. These practices promote social learning, valuing others as well as tolerance for differences. As a community, we will take action to create a safe and supportive environment with opportunities for each student to develop social coping skills, knowledge and strategies combat bullying behavior. We will investigate promptly all reports or complaints of bullying and retaliation and take prompt action to stop that behavior.
Prevention Plan:
- Faculty/staff and volunteers. Faculty staff and volunteers who have significant contact with students will bi-annually review all protocols regarding bullying and what to look for.
- Notice to the St. Joseph school community regarding the plan.
- Professional development as part of the professional development program designed to develop common understandings of the tools necessary for faculty staff and volunteers to create and sustain a school culture that promotes safety civil communication and respect for differences will participate in professional development to review those skills for staff members and to help volunteers and classroom aides in the identification and prevention of bullying behavior.
- Principles of the school culture in the classroom society to be practiced in daily affairs in order to meet the Standard of the Golden Rule:
- Promote and model the use of respectful language
- Fostering an understanding of and respect for diversity and differences among our school community
- Build relationships and communications networks with families
- Constructively manage classroom behaviors and social skills to be learned
- Use positive behavioral intervention strategies
- Engage students in school or classroom planning around appropriate behavior in maintaining the rules of the classroom society.
- Maintaining a safe and caring classroom for all students
Reporting Protocol:
- Reports of bullying or retaliation may be made by faculty, staff, students, parents or others. Reports may be oral or written. Oral reports of bullying or retaliation made to a faculty or staff member will be recorded in writing and forwarded by the most expeditious means immediately to the principal.
- Reports made by individuals may be made anonymously. St. Joseph school will use a variety of reporting resources including but not limited to the following:
- Incident reporting form
- Voicemail
- Dedicated mailing address ATTN: Principal
- Email address to the Principal
NOTE: Use of an incident report form is not required to make a report. Copies of incident reporting forms are available at the front desk for students and parents. Copies of the incident report form are posted on the St. Joseph school website.
Procedures:
- Faculty or staff will report immediately to the principal when they witness or become aware of conduct that may be bullying or retaliation. The requirement to report to the principal or designee does not limit the authority of the faculty or staff member to respond to behavior incidents consistent with school didn't discipline and our intervention processes.
- Students parents or others who witness or become aware of an incident of bullying or retaliation involving a student should report to the principal or designee immediately. Reports may be made anonymously but no action will be taken against alleged antagonist solely on the basis of an anonymous report. An investigation will be conducted to establish facts. Students parents and others request assistance with faculty member to complete the written report students will be provided with practical say private and age-appropriate ways to report and discuss an incident of bullying with the faculty staff or Principal.
Response to Reports of Bullying or Retaliation:
- Safety: Before investigating allegations of bullying or retaliation the principal will assess the need to restore safety as well as to protect the assumed victim from possible further incidences. The Principal will take appropriate steps to protect any student from retaliation for reporting bullying witness bullying or retaliation a student who provides information during investigation a student who has reliable information about a reported act of bullying or retaliation.
- Notice to parents: The principal will notify promptly the parents of the students involved with the incident of the procedures we are using to respond to it.
- Notice to another school: If the reported incident involves students from another school, the principal or designee first informed of the incident will promptly notify by telephone the principal or designee of the other school of the incident so that each school may take appropriate action.
- Notice to law enforcement: If the principal has a reasonable basis to believe that criminal charges may be pursued against the antagonist the principal will notify the local law enforcement agency. In making this determination the principal may consult with individuals the principal deems appropriate including but not limited to the General Counsel of the Archdiocese.