Branford school officials are seeking input from parents, teachers and students as they prepare a “safe school climate plan” to meet a number of new state requirements connected to the new school bullying law.
Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez said the surveys will be distributed before the holidays to enable the district to complete the plan in January and submit it to the Board of Education for approval.
The state law includes a number of new provisions — it addresses cyber-bullying for the first time; it enables school officials to investigate bullying whether it occurs in or out of school; and it requires training for all school employees, not just teachers and administrators. To accomplish these goals, the state is asking districts to appoint a safe school climate team and adopt a safe school climate plan.
“We would be doing something like this even if it wasn’t mandated by the state,” Hernandez told the Eagle.
When asked about the prevalence of bullying in Branford, Hernandez said 24 incidents last year resulted in disciplinary action for behavior such as harassment, teasing or threatening. There are about 3,400 students in the district.
“We have a very positive school climate…but there are situations that are inappropriate and we address them,” Hernandez said.
Although the previous law required districts to keep a list of the number of verified bullying incidents, they will now have to start including the number of investigations, whether verified or not. That data must be available to the public.
According to the State Department of Education (SDE), 25 percent of Connecticut high school students and 35 percent of ninth-graders said they have been bullied on school property.
Dianne Dadio, who serves as dean of students at Branford High School, was recently named the safe school climate coordinator. She will oversee the new program and work with a representative from each of the district’s five schools.
The safe school climate plans will outline specifics of how each district will address bullying issues in accordance with the new law
“The state is focusing on bullying but the larger picture is the safe school climate…We’re looking globally at the schools,” Dadio said.
“I‘m very excited to be in this position and to move forward in a positive direction,” she added.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mary Peraro, who is also part of the team, said the surveys will provide baseline data about the perception of school safety. The surveys will be tailored to each group, with different questions for staff, parents and students. For example, one question asks parents if their child feels safe at school. Only students in grades three through 12 will receive the surveys.
Peraro said it is anticipated that results of the surveys will point out areas that are strong and areas that need improvement. The administrators and staff will work to increase awareness and enforcement of the new bullying law. “This is a team effort,” Peraro said.
Mandates of the new law, which was signed by the governor in July, are being phased in throughout the 2011 – 2012 school year. Districts were initially asked to submit safe school climate plans to the SDE by Jan. 1, but that time frame has been extended. After plans are approved by the Board of Education, they must be posted on the district’s Web site.
Hernandez said Branford’s plan “will be a living document” that will be revised each year.
“There is a lot of awareness having to do with cyberbullying and bullying in general,” Hernandez said, adding that the district will work to increase awareness about the serious nature of bullying.
“It’s very important for kids to know it’s not tolerated,” Hernandez said. “When it comes to our attention, we want to rectify it quickly.”
What The New Law Says
Conferences have been held statewide for school officials to learn more about the new bullying law, especially as it pertains to cyber bullying, which includes text, data or images sent by any mobile electronic devices, digital technology, the Internet or cell phones. Under the new cyber-bullying law on-line statements will be subject to academic disciplinary proceedings.
“This is a pretty significant change in the legislation,” Hernandez said in regard to cyber bullying.
According to the new law, school districts must investigate a report of cyber bullying even if it happens outside of school. Hernandez said the districts will need help from parents regarding such issues. “Parents have a huge role” in monitoring children’s social media usage, he said.
Click here to read an article by The Ct Mirror regarding the unique legal issues involved in the cyberbullying law.
Another new mandate is that all school employees are now required to receive annual training on how to identify bullying and intervene. Training should also focus on preventing bullying and suicide among students. The training requirements include all school district employees, and those who provide contracted services such as nurses, coaches, bus drivers and cafeteria workers.
Peraro said staff will participate in a training session in March.
Hernandez said the district hopes to expand training and to present forums for parents and the community, but there is currently no state funding for training programs or community presentations.
“We have to be very, very comprehensive in our effort to inform students and parents,” Hernandez said.
The new law stipulates that school employees who witness or receive a report of bullying are required to notify the school climate specialist or an administrator verbally within one school day, and submit a written report within two school days. The previous law only required the notice be in writing and there was no deadline.
The school climate specialist, appointed in each school, is required to investigate reports, even if the reports are anonymous. Specifics are also given for how notification is made to parents of the bully and the victim, and how meetings with parents will be held.
An important new provision addresses bullying even if it occurs off school property, such as at a bus stop, or on a school bus. It also includes acts occurring at other locations if the bullying “creates a hostile environment for a student at school, infringes on a student’s rights at school or substantially disrupts the education process or the school’s orderly operation.”
For additional information about the new bullying law, see the State Department of Education website and click on “bullying and harassment.” under the QuickLinks section.
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