Harmony Heights Bullying Prevention Plan

OUR SCHOOL COMMITMENT

We are committed to fostering a safe, accepting and supportive learning environment that promotes well-being (i.e., cognitive, emotional, social, physical) and the academic achievement of all learners. We believe that this is achieved through a Whole School Approach. We will respond to any student behaviour that is likely to have a negative impact on the school climate and will investigate all reports of bullying. We will provide support to those affected by bullying, including those who engage in bullying.

Bullying is not tolerated here.

POLICY STATEMENT

Bullying will not be accepted on school property, at school-related activities, on school buses, or in any other circumstances (e.g., online) where engaging in bullying will have a negative impact on the school climate.

Ministry of Education of Ontario, PPM 144

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

Healthy Relationships are those that provide:

⦁ A sense of security and stability

⦁ Basic needs

⦁ A sense of being valued and belonging

⦁ Support and guidance to learn essential skills and understanding

⦁ Protection from excessive stress

PREVNet, 2014

We all share a collective responsibility in fostering healthy relationships that build welcoming, respectful, safe and inclusive environments.

DEFINITION OF BULLYING

Bullying: Means aggressive and typically repeated behaviour by a pupil where,

(a) the behaviour is intended by the pupil to have the effect of, or the pupil ought to know that the behaviour would be likely to have the effect of,

(i) causing harm, fear or distress to another individual, including physical, psychological, social or academic harm, harm to the individual’s reputation or harm to the individual’s property, or

(ii) creating a negative environment at a school for another individual, and

(b) the behaviour occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance between the pupil and the individual based on factors such as size, strength, age, intelligence, peer group power, economic status, social status, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, disability or the receipt of special education;

For the purposes of the definition of “bullying” in subsection (1), behaviour includes the use of any physical, verbal, electronic, written or other means.

Cyber-bullying: For the purposes of the definition of “bullying” seen here, bullying includes bullying by electronic means (commonly known as cyber-bullying), including,

(a) creating a web page or a blog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person;

(b) impersonating another person as the author of content or messages posted on the internet; and

(c) communicating material electronically to more than one individual or posting material on a website that may be accessed by one or more individuals.

PPM 144

Our Safe and Accepting Schools Team

Our Safe and Accepting Schools Team leads our planning to promote a safe, inclusive, and welcoming school climate.

Chair: Leanne Osborne-Floyd Principal: Kim Rankin

Teacher(s): Cristina Rizzuto Support Staff:

Student(s): Parent(s): Junette James

Community Partner(s): Jenn Sullivan (Public Health Nurse)

What the Data Tells Us - School Climate Surveys and Other Data

As part of the on-going monitoring and evaluation process, schools gather data from a various of sources, including school climate surveys of students, staff and parents every two years. Our school data indicates the following:

STRENGTHS Safety:

⦁ 85% of our students feel safe overall (Top 5 Classrooms 93%, Gym 92%, Lunchroom 92%, Entrance/Exits 88%, Hallways and Neighborhood 84%)

Belonging and Connection

⦁ Feel welcomed at our school 81% and 85% students feel connected to staff

Supportive Relationships

⦁ Students feel they have a supportive relationship with their teachers 78% and staff rated as 91% (Top 5  92% students feel staff treat students with respect, 90% students feel staff encourage students to do their best, 90% students feel staff believe students can succeed, 88% students feel students support each other and 88% students feel staff encourage students)

Student Attitude

⦁ Students like 97% like using digital devices for learning, 93% feel their cultures are respected, 92% feel digital devices improve their learning and 90% like physical education

Being Bullied

⦁ 86% of our students have reported they have not been bullied

Well-Being

⦁ 80% of students say they are encouraged to make decisions and they want their voice heard

GOALS

Our goals are Harmony Heights are to:

⦁ Continue to enhance our opportunities to provide student voice

⦁ Creating a deeper awareness of the identity of our students

⦁ Building strong relationships with community, parents, families’ to truly understand who our students are as learners. School wide focus on student voice and identity through tasks included in the resource “Be the Change” (E.g., “Understanding Micro-aggressions”, The Story or Our Names and I Am and I Am Not Statements”)

AWARENESS AND PREVENTION What We are Doing In Our Classrooms and in Our School - Bullying Awareness and Prevention Strategies

Our school is implementing a variety of strategies to support student well-being and to positively impact students’ readiness to learn. These strategies involve students, staff, parents and community members as part of a whole school approach. Below are highlights of our strategies.

If our students are engaged in classroom and school experiences which align with the Ontario Curriculum and provide rich, authentic, and differentiated learning opportunities promoting principles of Safe and Accepting Schools, then our students will experience academic success and feel safe and accepted in our school community.

⦁ Restorative practices

⦁ Progressive Discipline

⦁ Character Education (embedded in daily learning and recognized at monthly assemblies)

⦁ Pink and Orange Shirt Day

⦁ International Day Against Homophobia

⦁ Lessons focused on bullying awareness and prevention

⦁ Conflict resolution

⦁ Culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy

⦁ Empathy (classroom grade buddies, restorative practices, presentations/events – e.g., Autism awareness)

⦁ Positive mental health (building resiliency in our students)

⦁ Positive sense of self - School-based community events (Community Voices, Parent and Family Engagement events)

How “Student Voice” is Present in Our School - Bullying Awareness and Prevention Strategies

Engaging students to help shape the learning environment is an important component of a whole school approach to promoting a positive school climate. The following examples are highlights of “student voice” in action at our school.

⦁ Lancer Leaders and Harmony Heights Gives Back Club

⦁ Student Inquiry-based learning (authentic and relevant topics to inspire social ally action/advocacy for others)

⦁ Safe and Accepting School Team (ongoing review of school data/needs and revision of approaches)

⦁ Leadership Opportunities, K – 8 (e.g., Assemblies, announcements, fundraisers and awareness for issues/others)

⦁ Student involvement and leadership in school wide/community events (Black History Month, Community Outreach Projects)

⦁ Student Representative on our Safe Schools Team

INTERVENTION How We Report Bullying at Our School

Procedures are in place that allow students and parents to report bullying incidents as well as procedures that outline the requirements for staff to report bullying in accordance with legislation.

Student Reporting:

⦁ Reporting bullying to a trusted adult (e.g., teacher, parent, administrator, support staff, coach, police liaison officer)

⦁ Report Bullying Now” button on the school/board website

⦁ Kids Help Line

Staff Reporting:

⦁ “The Education Act states that an employee of the board who becomes aware that a student at the school of the board may have engaged in a serious student incident shall report the matter to the principal as soon as reasonably possible” (PPM 144)

⦁ When appropriate, staff complete and submit the “Safe Schools Incident Reporting Form – Part I” to the principal. The principal provides written acknowledgement to the employee using the “Safe Schools Incident Reporting Form – Part II” (PPM 144) Parent/Community Reporting:

⦁ Reporting bullying to the classroom teacher, support staff and/or administration

⦁ Using the “Report Bullying Now” button on the school website

⦁ Reporting bullying to the classroom teacher, support staff and/or administration

⦁

How We Respond to Bullying at Our School

Our school response to bullying follows a bias-free approach to progressive discipline that involves the following immediate and long-term actions:

⦁ Ensuring the safety of all involved

⦁ Responding to any student behaviour that is likely to have a negative impact on the school climate

⦁ Conducting a school-based investigation (consulting the Police/Board Protocol, when necessary) considering mitigating and other factors

⦁ Contacting the parents of the person(s) who has been harmed and the parents of the person(s) who has caused harm, in accordance with legislation

⦁ Collaborating with community partners, when appropriate

⦁ Developing an action plan that is responsive and supportive

⦁ Engaging in Restorative Practice conferencing, when appropriate

⦁ Implementing a Safe Schools Student Safety Plan, when necessary

⦁ Implementing/reviewing a Special Education Behaviour Safety Plan, when appropriate

INTERVENTION How We Provide Ongoing Support to Those Impacted by Bullying at Our School

Support for the person(s) who has been harmed, the person(s) who has caused harm and the person(s) who has witnessed harm may include:

⦁ Furthering school-level support such as connection to a caring adult, classroom and yard considerations, special education considerations, participation in co-curricular programming

⦁ Implementing board-level supports such as social work or psychological services (with consent)

⦁ Identifying community support resources

⦁ Implementing a Safe Schools Student Safety Plan and/or Support and Responsibility Agreement (SRA), when necessary

Follow-up for the person(s) who has been harmed, the person(s) who has caused harm and the person(s) who has witnessed harm will include:

⦁ Individual monitoring based on specific needs (e.g., regular check-ins)

TRAINING/LEARNING How We Are Building Capacity for Prevention and Intervention At Our School

Training/learning opportunities occur at the board level, community level and school level. Here are highlights of our training/learning opportunities:

Student:

⦁ Welcome our students

⦁ Code of Conduct Review

⦁ Police Liaison presentation and visits

⦁ Psychological and Social Worker Service Presentation

⦁ Student Representatives on Safe and Accepting School Team

⦁ Student Support Team Meetings to provide feedback to administration

Staff:

⦁ Restorative Practice Framework training

⦁ Culturally Responsive Pedagogy training

⦁ School Climate Survey / Safe and Accepting School Team Training

⦁ DDSB Safety Week Initiatives

⦁ Mental Health First Aid for Adults

⦁ Violence Threat Assessment Protocol and Training

⦁ Psychological and Social Work Service Presentations

⦁ Safe Schools Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week

⦁ Pink  and Orange Shirt Day

⦁ Building Resiliency through Self-Regulation (Zone of Regulation and Kelso Choices)

⦁ Learning networks

⦁ Equity representative training

⦁ New Teacher Induction Program Training

⦁ Tiered approach to Mental Health Training

⦁ ASSIST Training

⦁ Public Health Nurse a part of the Safe and Accepting School Team

⦁ Training on Mental Health Kit Parents:

⦁ Parents as Partners Conference

⦁ Public Health Presentations

⦁ School Community Council (S.C.C.)

Community and Parent Representatives as part of the Safe and Accepting School Team

COMMUNICATION How We Are Communicating With Students, Staff, Parents and the Community

To support a whole school approach, the school will communicate with staff, students, parents and the community. Communication methods include:

⦁ Safe and Accepting School Team Meetings

⦁ Safe and Accepting School Team Training

⦁ Staff meetings, divisions meetings, department meetings, committee meetings

⦁ DDSB School Climate Survey

⦁ Social Media

⦁ TV in the school hall

⦁ Synervoice

⦁ Website

⦁ SCC Meetings

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Monitoring Our Progress

As part of the continuous improvement model, the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan will be monitored regularly through:

⦁ Safe and Accepting Schools Team meetings

⦁ Staff meetings, division meetings, department meetings, committee meetings

⦁ School improvement planning

Please visit www.ddsb.ca for more information on how the Durham District School Board is supporting

student well-being and promoting a positive school climate.