NJ Anti Bullying

Why does the literature recommend a "central coordinating group" as one of the key steps for preventing or reducing bullying?

everyone getting involved in preventing bullying instead of just one group

True/False A negative school climate has no effect on bullying.

false

True/False Food service workers are not required to receive anti-HIB training.

false

True/False Out-of-school suspension is an effective consequence for bullying?

false

True/False Physical bullying is more harmful than relational or cyber-bullying?

false

True/False Punishment is an effective consequence for engaging in bullying.

false

True/False The best anti-bullying programs are complex and expensive.

false

True/False There are no consequences for false reports of bullying?

false

True/False Single component programs are effective in preventing or reducing bullying.

false

"Hot spots" List three "hot spots" in schools where bullying is more likely to occur when there is little adult supervision.

hallway, stairwell, playground, bathroom

What are some of the health and other risks associated with bullying?

suicide, self-esteem, self-concept, mental health, physical health

A School Safety Team should have the following people as members:

teachers, principal, parents, guidance counselors, students, bus driver, custodian

Please list 2 effective ways for students or bystanders to support or come to the aid of targets of bullying?

tell adults about the cruel behavior they've seen, find ways to befriend HIB targets and isolated peers

In your own words, please define "school climate."

the atmosphere in the classroom-learning environment; relationships between the teachers, students, and staff; and the school spirit.

When is the week of respect

the first Monday in October

I coordinate a school district's anti bully policy and efforts

(ABC) anti-bullying coordinator

I chair the school safety team

(ABS) Anti Bullying specialist

Who is responsible for conducting HIB investigations in schools in NJ?

(ABS) anti-bullying specialist along with the principle

Name 4 duties of the ABC.

-Coordinate and strengthen the school district's HIB policies to prevent, identify and address HIB of students. • Collaborate with the school anti-bullying specialist(s) (ABS), the BOE and the CSA to prevent, identify and respond to HIB acts in the district • Provide data, in collaboration with the CSA, to the NJDOE regarding HIB of students. • Meet with school anti-bullying specialist(s) at least 2 times each year to discuss and strengthen procedures and policies to prevent, identify and address HIB in the district.

Name two ways the school can involve parents in preventing and reducing bullying.

-Inform parents of the rates and harmful consequences of HIB. Encourage parents to discuss concerns and conflicts with school staff and to address problems. Conduct training sessions for parents. Make anti-bullying the focus of some PTA meetings. Encourage parents to monitor student's online activity.

What are some of the duties of a School Safety Team?

-maintaining school climate -receive complaints of HIB reported to the Principal -receive copies of investigations of HIB -identify and address patterns of HIB -educate on HIB and how to prevent it -participate in training

Name 3 skills that can help an ABS conduct effective HIB investigations.

1. Supportive 2. Thorough 3. Organized 4. Objective 5. Resourceful 6. Willing to ask for help

Please list the 5 of the 11 best practices for preventing bullying?

1. a focus on the entire school environment, which includes a comprehensive school-wide effort to fully identify and address problem areas and change in student and staff behavioral norms. 2.data driven decision making 3. a commitment to sharing the responsibility for HIB prevention by all school staff, including district and school administrators, teachers, clerical, custodial, food service, and transportation. 4.establishment of a coordinating group within the school to exercise a leadership role in the school's HIB prevention efforts. 5. a policy fo HIB is developed. the policy must inclue at a minmum (a statement prohibiting HIB of a student, a definition, the type of behavior expected, a procedure for reporting, a procedure for investigation, communication with parents, appeals to BOE. range of responses, prohibition of consequences and remidial actions, finally procedure for publicizing the policy and school HIB staff)

How does the 2010 version of the NJ ABR differ from earlier versions? Use 3 examples

1. substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students 2. Single incident or series of incidents 3. HIB off school grounds

What is the timeline (in school days) for investigating reported incidents of bullying?

10 school days

How many times a year does the CSA report on HIB to the BOE?

2

On average, bullying affects what percentage of students?

32%

Please explain the "80/20 principle" in terms of bullying?

80% of the students in a school are responsible for 20% of the bullying

When developing its anti-bullying policy, who should the BOE include in the process?

ABS

A principal and ABS meet to decide the responses or consequences for an act of bullying. What are some of the factors that they should consider when deciding on consequences for bullying?

Age, developmental age; degree of harm; severity of behavior; past or continuing incidents; history of inappropriate behavior, relationships between parties; context of alleged incidents.

Pleas list 4 widely held myths about bullying.

Bullies are rejected by their peers and have no friends. Bullies have low self-esteem. Being a victim builds character. Many childhood victims of harassment become violent as teens.

What is the timeline (stated in school days) for reporting bullying incidents to the principal?

All acts of HIB must be reported to the school principal on the same day; written report must be reported to the school principal within two school days of the accident; investigation must be done within one school day of the verbal report; investigation must be complete within 10 school days of the date of the written report; results must be reported to the CSA within two school days of completion of investigation.

How does the NJ ABR define bullying?

Any form of bullying (gesture, written, verbal, physical, electronic communication) single incident or series of incidents motivated by discrimination on school property that disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students. with the intent of physical or emotional harm to his person or damage property that has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students that creates a hostile educational environment by interfering with the students'ts education or by severly or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.

According to the NJ Anti-bullying Bill of Rights which members of a school community are required to receive anti-HIB training?

BOE members, new and old education staff, school employees and volunteers that have contact with students

Name 4 duties of the ABS

Chair the School Safety Team (SST). Lead, in coordination with the principal, the investigation of Act as the primary school official responsible for preventing, identifying and addressing incidents of HIB in the school. Assist the principal in determining the responses to be implemented that have been established by the BOE.

How does conflict differ from bullying?

Conflict: mutually competitive or opposing action or engagement. Includes disagreements, arguments and fights. A norma, part of growing up and of life. HIB: HIB is one sided. One or more students are victims of one or more person's aggression, as it applies to the HIB definition under the ABR. the intent is to physically or emotionally hurt someone.

Why are anti-bullying laws and policies important?

Guides school and district staff in developing both a short-term and a comprehensive, long-range approach to preventing HIB. Provides timelines and benchmarks for achieving the plan, implementing the ABR and evaluating the activities of the plan. Sets forth specific strategies to address identified trouble areas. Yields data to aid in self-evaluation and reporting to the school community. Helps in determining and implementing next steps

Give 3 examples of "school grounds" under the NJ ABR.

Playground, school bus, lunch room

A comprehensive HIB reduction program consists of the following 5 components:

Preventing, reporting, remediating, responding, investigating

Please list 5 ways or best practices for preventing or reducing bullying.

Specific HIB Policy and Consistent Enforcement. Administrative Support. Comprehensive Approach to Improving School Climate. Student Awareness and Support. Ongoing support by all adults.

Where can you find information for contacting a district's anti-bullying coordinator or a school's anti-bullying specialist?

The school's website

True/False The Week of Respect takes place beginning on the first Monday in October?

True

What is the goal of the NJ ABR?

To develop and sustain safe, supportive and civil schools in which HIB does not occur

When investigating HIB, who should a ABS interview? List 4

a. The target b. The perpetrator c. Bystanders d. Staff/teachers involved

Why is cyber-bullying a particularly harmful form of bullying?

a. Victims don't know the bully or why they're being targeted b. Anonymity breeds cruelty c. Bullying can involve many people at once

Why is it important to encourage and maintain positive, ongoing communication among students, staff, parents and community members?

adults & staff more aware of what's going on with students and keep positive relationships so they aren't afraid to say something if there's bullying going on

Please list 2 theories that help explain bullying among peers. Source: SEL and Bullying Prevention

attraction theory, dominance theory

Which of the following is NOT a likely to prevent bullying? a) a public awareness campaign sending the message bullying is unacceptable. b) In school suspension. c) School wide pledge to be civil and respectful. d) Embedding anti-bullying messages into instruction. e) Teaching bystanders the power of numbers and how to befriend targets of bullying.

b) In school suspension.

Why is "data-driven decision making" an important principle that many effective managers practice?

backing up decisions and programs with data

Involving students in developing "rules" that they understand, believe in and enforce is sometimes referred to as: a) School spirit b) The honor system c) Ownership or commitment d) A sense of belonging

c) ownership or commitment

How does the social-ecological theory help to explain why some students engage in bullying?

children develop within a multi-layered "ecosystem" that naturally supports their ability to bond and develop. Numerous studies indicate that when social ecology zones are disturbed, children begin to exhibit stress and behavioral variance that compensates for or exaggerates their condition.

What are 2 ways that teachers can prevent or reduce cyber-bullying?

create a public service announcment against bullying, design a school wide pledge, build an awareness campaign, cross-grade mentoring, use cyberbullying scenarios depicting the problem

What are the responsibilities of the Board of Education (BOE) under the NJ ABR?

develop HIB policy HIB training (receive HIB training and implement others HIB training.) HIB remediation- receives CSA's report on results of each HIB investigation, hold hearings, in executive session, within 10 days of requests from parents of HIB offenders or victims, issue a written decision to affirm, reject or modify the CSA's decision at the regularly scheduled meeting.

What message does punishment send to perpetrators of bullying?

don't do it

Effective HIB prevention requires the support of which of the following: a) Administration b) Students c) Parents d) Faculty e) All of the above

e) All of the above

Does bullying change in high school? How?

it becomes harassment

Why is it important for teachers to think of bullying as a "learned behavior?"

it can be unlearned

Please list 2 effective ways for adults to support or help targets of bullying?

maintain supervision, give advice and support

Bullying reaches its height or peak or in _________ ___________

middle school

What type of school climate is associated with increases in HIB?

negative school climate

How effective are zero-tolerance or "1 strike and you are out" policies in reducing or preventing bullying?

not effective a. It unfairly targets victims of bullying who have lashed out and been caught. b. It establishes a negative school climate and does not allow for remediation.

What are the responsibilities of the superintendent or CSA under the NJ ABR?

policy (develop the HIB policy in consultation with others, post a prominent link to the policy on the homepage website, annually disseminate the policy) remediation (receive reports from the principal, decide whether to provide intervention services. provide BOE with HIB report, provide parents of the offenders and victims with written information about the investigation within 5 days of the report to BOE) program (appoint ABC, ensure that existing and new school leaders receive training, develop a process for discussing the district's HIB policy with students, ensure that the district annually establishes bullying prevention programs) public reporting (report at a public hearing to BOE 2 times each year all acts of violence, vandalism, and HIB occurring the previous reporting period)

What year or grade does bullying begin?

pre-school

In a school, who determines the consequences for acts of bullying that have been documented by an investigation?

principal and ABS; as appropriate selection from the BOE

Why does an improvement in school climate help to reduce HIB?

research reports strongly indicate that a positive school climate directly influences indicators of school success. helps promote academic acheivement and make students feel more comfortable to learn and more focused on school than others

True/ False Embedding anti-bullying messages in the curriculum may help to reduce bullying.

true

True/False A school district's HIB policy should be included in its code of student conduct?

true

True/False All students have a right to a safe, orderly learning environment.

true

True/False Bullying helps to create a hostile educational environment in schools.

true

True/False Bystanders should report bullying rather than trying to stop it themselves.

true

True/False Homophily is a theory that helps explain why some students engage in bullying.

true

True/False If a teacher witnesses bullying, she or he should immediately act to ensure the target's or victim's safety.

true

True/False People who have problems with anger- management are more likely to bully others.

true

True/False Perpetrators (those engaging in bullying) may experience depression and other negative psychological or physical effects.

true

True/False Schools that stress social emotional learning usually will have lower levels of bullying.

true

True/False Stamping out bullying is everyone's job.

true

True/False The ABR requires schools to assess their climate annually or at least once a year?

true

True/False The NJ ABR protects a person reporting bullying from acts of reprisals.

true

True/False Victims should be encouraged to walk away from bullying (and not "give the bullying a lot of lip)."

true

True/False We respect and protect each other should be a theme for all students and staff in a school.

true

True/False When students see respectful behavior modeled by adults, they are less likely to engage in bullying.

true

When should a principal notify parents that their child has been involved in a reported HIB incident?

within one day

Within how many days of the completion of the investigation should the principal forward the results to the CSA?

within two school days of the verbal report

Does the ABR accept verbal or anonymous reports of bullying?

yes it is reported within two school days to the CSA by the principal

Does the curriculum have an effect on school climate?

yes, structural considerations such as curriculum have an effect as well with teaching and learning. curriculum must accommodate growth for the student at their pace.