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Barre Town Supervisory District Policy Manual
Purpose
The Barre Town School District (“the
District”) is committed to providing a safe and supportive school
environment in which all students are treated with respect. This policy
involves incident(s) and/or conduct that occur on school property, on a
school bus, bus stop, or at a school-sponsored activity where direct harm
to the welfare of the school can be demonstrated.
Bullying is a form of dangerous and
disrespectful behavior that will not be permitted or tolerated. Bullying
may involve a range of misconduct that, based on the severity, will
warrant a measured response of corrective action and/or discipline, as
assembled in the BTMES Discipline Policy. Behaviors that do not rise to
the level of bullying, as defined below may be subject to intervention
and/or discipline under the BTMES Discipline Policy.
Definition
Bullying means an overt act or combination
of such acts directed against a student by another student or group of
students and which:
(a) is intended to ridicule, humiliate,
or intimidate the student, and,
(b) is repeated over time, and
(c) occur during the school day, on school property, on a school bus, or
at a school sponsored activity.
Conduct that might otherwise be considered
bullying but does not occur during the school day, on school property, on
a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event still may be subject to
disciplinary action pursuant to 16 V.S.A. Section 1161(a) and 1162;
however, such misconduct would not meet the definition of bullying.
Notice of Prohibition against
Bullying and Anti-Bullying Interventions
The Barre Town School District recognizes
that students should have a safe, orderly, civil and positive learning
environment and that bullying has no place and will not be tolerated in
its school.. The District shall:
(a) Include the prohibition against
bullying in the student or school handbook and other ways make students
aware of the prohibition against bullying, the penalties for engaging in
bullying, and the procedures for reporting bullying, including the
identification of the Designated Employee.
(b) Develop age-appropriate methods of
discussing the meaning and substance of this policy with students and
staff to help prevent bullying. Training may be implemented within the
context of professional development and the school
(c) curriculum to develop broad awareness
and understanding among all members of the school community. Staff
training shall enable staff to recognize, prevent and respond to
bullying.
Reporting, Investigating and Parental
Notification
To address bullying, the Barre Town School
District:
(a) Encourages a student who believes
that s/he is the victim of bullying or who witnesses conduct that s/he
believes might constitute bullying, should report the conduct to a
designated employee or to any other school employee.
(b) When student reports such conduct to a school employee, other than a
designated employee, that school employee shall refer the report to a
designated employee.
(c) An employee, who witness’s conduct that s/he believes might
constitute bullying under this policy, shall take prompt and appropriate
action to stop the conduct and immediately report the conduct to the
Designated Employee, who will cause the investigation to begin.
(d) Encourages students to report personally or anonymously to teachers
and school administrators acts of bullying.
(e) Encourages parents or guardians of students to file written reports
of suspected bullying.
(f) As with any other disciplinary action, this policy requires BTMES
administrators to notify the parent or guardian of a student who commits
a verified act of bullying of the response of the school staff and
consequences that may result from further acts of bullying.
(g) To the extent permitted under the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act, (FERPA), requires school staff to notify the parent or
guardian of a student who is a target of bullying, of the action taken
to prevent any further acts bullying.
(h) Any student, who knowingly makes false accusations regarding
bullying, may be subject to disciplinary action.
Data Gathering
The Barre Town School District shall
provide the Vermont Department of Education with data requested by the
Commissioner.
Date Adopted:
1st Reading: Feb. 16, 2005
2nd/Final Reading: Mar. 2, 2005
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