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.

 

ISBE defines bullying as "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: 

1. placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student's or students' person or property; 

2. causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student's or students' physical or mental health; 

3. substantially interfering with the student's or students' academic performance; or 

4. substantially interfering with the student's or students' ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school. 

Bullying is prohibited on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or expression, unfavorable discharge from military service, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic." (District 57 Policy 7:180). 

 

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