Section I: Leadership

Leadership at all levels will play a critical role in developing and implementing Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plans (“the Plan”) in the context of other whole school and community efforts to promote positive school climate. Leaders have a primary role in teaching students to be civil to one another and promoting understanding of and respect for diversity and difference. Leadership consists of but is not limited to principals, assistant principals, and central office administration. Leadership is responsible for setting priorities and for staying up-to-date with current research on ways to prevent and effectively respond to bullying. It is also the responsibility of leaders to involve representatives from the greater school and local community in developing and implementing the Plan.

1. Public involvement in developing the Plan.  As required by M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O, the Plan must be developed in consultation with teachers, school staff, professional support personnel, school volunteers, administrators, community representatives, local law enforcement agencies, students, parents, and guardians. Consultation must include, at a minimum, notice and a public comment period before the Plan is adopted by the school committee or equivalent authority.  Schools and districts may choose to involve representatives from each of these constituencies in other aspects of Plan development, including needs assessments, working groups, task forces, and public meetings.  The Plan should identify the ways that each of the various constituencies will be involved.
    

2. Assessing needs and resources.  The Taunton Public School Plan is the district’s blueprint for enhancing capacity to prevent and respond to issues of bullying within the context of other healthy school climate initiatives.  As part of the planning process, school leaders, with input from families and staff, should assess the adequacy of current programs; review current policies and procedures; review available data on bullying and behavioral incidents; and assess available resources including curricula, training programs, and behavioral health services.  This “mapping” process will assist our schools and district in identifying resource gaps and the most significant areas of need.  Based on these findings, our schools and district should revise or develop policies and procedures; establish partnerships with community agencies, including law enforcement; and set priorities.  

   Taunton Public Schools, at least once every four years, beginning with 2015/16 school year, the district will administer a Department of Elementary and Secondary-developed student survey to assess school climate and the prevalence, nature, and severity of bullying in our schools.  Additionally, our district will annually report bullying incident data to the Department.

   When available our school district will also consider doing the following: 1) surveying students, on school climate and school safety issues; and 2) collecting and analyzing building-specific data on the prevalence and characteristics of bullying (e.g., focusing on identifying vulnerable populations and “hot spots” in school buildings, on school grounds, or on school buses).  This includes annual school climate surveys administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to students in grade 4, 5, 8 and 10 as part of MCAS administration.
   This information will help our schools to identify patterns of behaviors and areas of concern, and will inform decision-making for prevention strategies including, but not limited to, adult supervision, professional development, age-appropriate curricula, and in-school support services.

3. Planning and oversight.  The Taunton Public School Plan identifies the building principal (or designee) as the leader responsible for the following tasks under the Plan:  1) receiving reports on bullying; 2) collecting and analyzing building- and/or school-wide data on bullying to assess the present problem and to measure improved outcomes; 3) creating a process for recording and tracking incident reports, and for accessing information related to targets and aggressors; 4) planning supports that respond to the needs of targets and aggressors.  District administration will assist building level principals with planning for ongoing professional development that is required by the law and choosing and implementing the curricula that the school or district will use.  They will also support the development of new or revising current policies and protocols under the Plan, including an Internet safety policy, and designating key staff to be in charge of implementation of them; amending student and staff handbooks and codes of conduct to, among other things, make clear that bullying of students by school staff or other students will not be tolerated; leading the parent or family engagement efforts and drafting parent information materials; and reviewing and updating the Plan each year, or more frequently.

4. Priority statements. The district is committed to providing all students with a safe learning environment that is free from bullying and cyberbullying.  This commitment is an integral part of our comprehensive efforts to promote learning, and to prevent and eliminate all forms of bullying and other harmful and disruptive behavior that can impede the learning process.

   Each school in the district expects that all members of the school community will treat each other in a civil manner and with respect for differences. Principals or their designee are responsible for implementing and monitoring the Bullying Prevention Plan at their school.

   We recognize that certain students may be more vulnerable to become targets of bullying, harassment, or teasing based on actual or perceived characteristics, including race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, socioeconomic, status, homelessness, academic status, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, or sensory, disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics. The school or district will identify specific steps it will take to create a safe, supportive environment for vulnerable populations in the school community, and provide all students with the skills, knowledge, and strategies to prevent or respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing. The Taunton Public Schools will afford all students the same protection regardless of their status under law. 

   Taunton Public Schools may establish separate discrimination or harassment policies that include these or other categories of students. Nothing in this section shall alter the obligations of a school district, charter school, non-public school, approved private day or residential school or collaborative school to remediate any discrimination or harassment based on a person's membership in a legally protected category under local, state or federal law

   We will not tolerate any unlawful or disruptive behavior, including any form of bullying, cyberbullying, or retaliation, in our school buildings, on school grounds, or in school-related activities.  We will investigate promptly all reports and complaints of bullying, cyberbullying, and retaliation, and take prompt action to end that behavior and restore the target’s sense of safety.  We will support this commitment in all aspects of our school community, including curricula, instructional programs, staff development, extracurricular activities, and parent or guardian involvement.

   The Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan (“Plan”) is a comprehensive approach to addressing bullying and cyberbullying, and our schools and district is committed to working with students, staff, families, law enforcement agencies, and the community to prevent issues of violence.  In consultation with these constituencies, we have established this Plan for preventing, intervening, and responding to incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, and retaliation.  The principal is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the Plan except when a reported bullying incident involves the principal or the assistant principal as the alleged aggressor.  In such cases, the Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for investigating the report, and other steps necessary to implement the Plan, including addressing the safety of the alleged target.  If the Superintendent is the alleged aggressor, the School Committee, or its designee shall be responsible for investigating the report, and other steps necessary to implement the Plan, including addressing the safety of the alleged victim.