Bullying Prevention
Bristol Township School District is committed to providing a physically safe and emotionally secure environment for all students and staff. Local school policies assist school personnel in identifying bullying, intimidation, and harassment, and provide a framework for an appropriate response that reinforces positive conduct. The district defines positive behaviors as those which evoke non-violence, cooperation, teamwork, understanding, and acceptance toward all students and staff in the learning and teaching environment. It takes a community to prevent bullying of children--stopping bullying behavior needs a team of school people, students, and families. Together we can intervene to stop bullying behaviors.
In September 2023, Bristol Township School Board of Directors approved three new elementary Anti-Bullying/School Climate Specialists. These staff members focus on putting practices and approaches in place that prevent bullying and build positive relationships for the district’s youngest students.
The main role of the Anti-Bullying/School Culture Specialists is to lead the investigation of incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in each school; and to act as the primary school staff member responsible for preventing, identifying, and addressing incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the school.
They are also responsible for coordinating and strengthening the school’s policies to prevent, identify, and address harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students, and help establish a positive school culture.
Reporting Procedures
Anyone who is the victim of or has witnessed bullying please submit the incident form to the Anti-Bullying/School Climate Specialists (Elementary) and building administration. Students can also report bullying to guidance counselors, teachers, or any other adult in the building.
Disciplinary and other action
Disciplinary action shall be in accordance with Board approved district procedures and guidelines. Depending on the severity of the offense, the disciplinary action for bullying may include loss of privileges, removal from class, suspensions, and a Board expulsion hearing. If the investigation has determined that the conduct rises to the level of a crime, disciplinary action may also include referral to law enforcement officials. In addition to imposing and disciplinary action, the building administrator will discuss the bullying behavior with the offending student and the parent/guardian and review why the behavior was inappropriate.
In some circumstances, mediation may be used as a viable alternative or in addition to disciplinary action when addressing a first offense of bullying. The building administrator shall consider the nature and sensitivity of the offense in determining whether mediation is appropriate. Mediation shall not be used without the consent of the victim and their parent/guardian or where the building administrator has a concern about retaliation being perpetrated against the victim. Victims shall not be pressured into participating in mediation.
All incidents of confirmed bullying, including those that are mediated, shall be recorded in writing and placed in the offending student's discipline file.
The penalties and prohibitions in this policy are in addition to, and do not replace or supersede, any related provisions in district policy prohibiting conduct such as harassment, violence, assault, and hazing.
What is bullying?
Bullying implies an imbalance in strength or power. The student who is bullied may have difficulty defending him/herself.
Bullying shall mean an intentional electronic, written, verbal or physical act or series of acts directed at another student or students which occurs in a school setting that is severe, persistent or pervasive, and that has the effect of doing any of the following:
Substantially interfering with a student's education;
Creating a threatening environment; or
Substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.
[School setting shall mean in the school, on school grounds, in school vehicles, at a designated bus stop or at any activity sponsored, supervised or sanctioned by the school.]
The BTSD Bullying and Harassment Report Form is below.
