Bullying, intimidation, and harassment diminish a student's ability to learn and a school's ability to educate. Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors is an important District 57 goal.

 

Bullying is prohibited during school-sponsored programs and activities, while in school or on school property, including the bus, and through the transmission of information from a school computer or other similar electronic school equipment.

 

District 57 has adopted Second Step Bullying Prevention Program materials to be used for classroom-based instruction and school-wide implementation. District 57 staff explicitly teach students age-appropriate positive behavior expectations to achieve our goal of providing a safe and caring learning environment. Second Step teaches specific grade-level definitions of bullying. 

 

In order to reduce bullying and prevent new bullying incidents at your child's school, it's important to report bullying in a timely manner. Students are always encouraged to seek out an adult (parent, teacher, instructional assistant, principal, assistant principal, etc.) to report a bullying incident. As a parent and guardian, if your child shares an incident or interaction with a peer that may be bullying, please contact your building administrator. Additionally, you can utilize the "See Something, Say Something" form to report any potential bullying incidents. Building administrators use the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) definition of bullying when investigating incidents of bullying.

 

Bullying includes cyberbullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

 

 

Bullying may take various forms, including without limitation one or more of the following: harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive. 

Cyberbullying means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system, or photo-optical system, including without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyberbullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying.(District 57 Policy 7:180). 

 

If you or someone you know needs help or wants to discuss mental health concerns, contact: