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Report to the Board on Results of the 2017 - 2018 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) Self-Assessment
The Self Assessment Process
During the month of June, the anti-bullying specialists in each building completed the required comprehensive self-assessment of the building’s programs, initiatives and procedures for investigation and reporting. The self-assessment process included the gathering of documentation to evidence the ratings provided.
The self-assessment is comprised of 8 core elements, each with 2 to 5 indicators to be reviewed. Districts could receive a score of 0 (does not meet the requirements), 1 (Partially meets the requirements), 2 (meets the requirements or 3 (exceeds all requirements). The 8 Core elements are as follows:
- HIB Programs, Approaches or Other Initiatives
- Training on the BOE – approved HIB Policy
- Other Staff Instruction and Training Programs
- Curriculum and Instruction on HIB and Related Information and Skills
- HIB Personnel
- School-Level HIB Incident Reporting Procedure
- HIB Investigation Procedures
- HIB Reporting
Harassment Intimidation and Bullying Program Effectiveness
All three buildings scored well above the 50 points required to meet all state requirements in this area. The elementary schools achieved a score of 73 and 74 and the middle school received a score of 73. The maximum score a building can achieve is 78 which would mean that the district exceeded all requirements in all indicators of every core element. Our overall district score was averaged to be 73.
There were no HIB incidents reported in one elementary school and 3 reports in the last weeks of school in the second elementary school, none of which were found to be HIB incidents but violations of the Code of Conduct. In the middle school, from September through late March, there were 4 incidents, 2 of which were found to qualify as an HIB offense. There were 6 additional incidents reported in late May and June, 4 of which were found to be HIB offenses. Below please find a summary of building scores for each of the 8 core elements:
School
Core
Element 1
Core
Element 2
Core Element 3
Core
Element 4
Core
Element 5
Core
Element 6
Core
Element 7
Core
Element 8
School Grade
Ann
Blanche Smith
15
8
13
6
7
6
12
6
73
Meadowbrook
14
9
14
6
7
6
12
6
74
George White
12
9
14
6
8
6
12
6
73
Maximum Average Score Available
15
9
15
6
9
6
12
6
78
District Avg. s core
13.6
8.3
13.6
6
7.3
6
12
6
72.8
Professional Development for Staff and Targeted Student Assistance
- Staff continued to spend a good deal of time at the middle school dealing with the issue of cyber-bullying. Despite repetitive discussions and counseling with students in general and individually regarding this topic, it continues to be the source of the majority of the cases at the middle school. Typically these incidents occur off-site and are then brought to the attention of school staff. Some of these incidents are due to students making offensive statements to each other in a joking manner via social media. Additional ways of dealing with this will be discussed at the first HIB meeting held in October.
- A good portion of the professional development for staff this year entailed information sessions with our attorney to review changes in the law and legal interpretation of some of the more loosely defined terms, such as “Other Distinguishing Characteristics”. All district forms were reviewed, revised and a sequential summary of steps along with required documentation was compiled with instructions on how to complete it .
- The district continues to provide additional support for students experiencing isolation and social anxiety through Social Skills groups that are provided both in district and out of district at all three buildings. The concept of the Peaceful Program model has been implemented in both elementary schools at this time.
- With the addition of a School Psychologist Intern this year, the Zones of Regulation Program has been used with a few students. The Coping Cats Program is also scheduled to be used with a student this summer. An increase in staffing for a School Psychologist has resulted in the planning of at least one six week program that rotates students out and in throughout the year at each building next year.
In the 2018-2019 School Year, the following areas have been targeted, district-wide, in an effort to continue to enhance our existing programs:
- Expand the cyber-bullying prevention program
- Implement a small group instruction program on self-regulation and coping for students who
experience isolation from peers due to their inappropriate social interaction.
