Harassment/Bullying Policy
Bullying and harassment are not tolerated at Westvale Elementary. Bullying is when a person or group of people repeatedly seeks to belittle, scare, hurt, put down, tease, threaten, harm, or intimidate another person.
Bullying and harassment can be, but not limited to, the following:
- Verbal: The bully aggressively teases or calls names.
- Physical: The bully physically hits, shoves, punches, pokes, bumps, corners, or harms you.
- Visual: (leering, showing embarrassing material),
- Emotional: The bully uses gestures, notes, rumors, gossip, etc. against someone. The bully may also exclude you or use your relationships with friends as a weapon.
- Cyber: The bully uses emails, text messages, Facebook, Twitter, other social networking websites, or other electronic devices to hurt someone.
Students Responsibility:
What should you do if you are getting bullied? STOP, WALK, AND TALK
- Tell the bully to "STOP". Look the bully in the eye without emotion or fear and command him or her to stop.
- If the bully continues to bother you, WALK AWAY.
- If that doesn’t work, TALK AN ADULT (Teacher, Administrator, Counselor, Parent or an adult you trust). If you do not tell, nobody will know and you will continue to suffer at the hands of the bully.
Teacher/Administration Responsibility
- Investigate
- Inform the parents/guardians
- Provide support for the victim and consequences to the bully as necessary
All reports of bullying are confidential and handled carefully. Everyone has a right to come to school and feel safe! Parents will be notified when bullying is taking place and how the school is responding.
For those students who choose this behavior, consequences may include: (depending on the severity)
- Mandatory parent/guardian conference
- Loss of recess or activity
- Lunch Detention
- In School Suspension (ISS)
- Out of school Suspension
- Safety plans for the victim which may create changes for the bully