KINGS
Consolidated school district 144
A FAMILY OF LEARNING
Bully Prevention Policy
Bully Prevention Policy
7:180 Preventing Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment
Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment
Policy 1
Bullying includes cyberbullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
1. Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student's or students' person or property;
2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student's or students' physical or mental health;
3. Substantially interfering with the student's or students' academic performance; or
4. Substantially interfering with the student's or students' ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
Cyberbullying means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system, or photo-optical system, including without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyberbullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying.
Policy 2
Bullying is contrary to State law and the policy of this District. However, nothing in the District's bullying prevention and response plan is intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or under Section 3 of Article I of the Illinois Constitution.
Policy 3
Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying. A report may be made orally or in
writing to the Nondiscrimination Coordinator, Building Principal, Assistant Building Principal, Dean of Students, a Complaint Manager, or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking. Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the District named officials or any staff member. The District named officials and all staff members are available for help with a bully or to make a report about bullying. Anonymous reports are also accepted.
Nondiscrimination Coordinator:
Matthew Lamb 100 1st St Kings IL 61068
815-562-7191
Complaint Managers:
Matthew Lamb 100 1st St Kings IL 61068 (815) 562-7191 mlamb@kings144.org
Jodi Horn 100 1st St Kings IL 61068 (815)562-7191 jhorn@kings144.org
Policy 4
Restorative measures means a continuum of school-based alternatives to exclusionary discipline, such as suspensions and expulsions, that: (i) are adapted to the particular needs of the school and community, (ii) contribute to maintaining school safety, (iii) protect the integrity of a positive and productive learning climate, (iv) teach students the personal and interpersonal skills they will need to be successful in school and society, (v) serve to build and restore relationships among students, families, schools, and communities, and (vi) reduce the likelihood of future disruption by balancing accountability with an understanding of students' behavioral health needs in order to keep students in school.
Policy 5
The Superintendent or designee shall promptly investigate and address reports of bullying, by, among other things:
a. Making all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 school days after the date the report of a bullying incident was received and taking into consideration additional relevant information received during the course of the investigation about the reported bullying incident.
b. Involving appropriate school support personnel and other staff persons with knowledge, experience, and training on bullying prevention, as deemed appropriate, in the investigation process.
c. Notifying the Building Principal or school administrator or designee of the reported incident of bullying as soon as possible after the report is received.
d. Consistent with federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights, providing parents/guardians of the students who are parties to the investigation information about the investigation and an opportunity to meet with the Building Principal or school administrator or his or her designee to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, and the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying.
Policy 6
The Superintendent or designee shall investigate whether a reported incident of bullying is within the permissible scope of the District's jurisdiction and shall require that the District provide the victim with information regarding services that are available within the District and community, such as counseling, support services, and other programs.
The Superintendent or designee shall use interventions to address bullying, that may include, but are not limited to, school social work services, restorative measures, social-emotional skill building, counseling, school psychological services, and community-based services.
Policy 7
A reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying is prohibited. A student's act of reprisal or retaliation will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.
Policy 8
A student will not be punished for reporting bullying or supplying information, even if the District's investigation concludes that no bullying occurred. However, knowingly making a false accusation or providing knowingly false information will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.
Policy 9
The District's bullying prevention and response plan must be based on the engagement of a range of school stakeholders, including students and parents/guardians.
Policy 10
The Superintendent or designee shall post this policy on the District's website, if any, and include it in the student handbook, and, where applicable, post it where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are currently posted. The policy must be distributed annually to parents/guardians, students, and school personnel (including new employees when hired), and must also be provided periodically throughout the school year to students and faculty.
Policy 11
The Superintendent or designee shall assist the Board with its evaluation and assessment of this policy's outcomes and effectiveness. This process shall include, without limitation:
a. The frequency of victimization;
b. Student, staff, and family observations of safety at a school;
c. Identification of areas of a school where bullying occurs;
d. The types of bullying utilized; and
e. Bystander intervention or participation.
The evaluation process may use relevant data and information that the District already collects for other purposes. The Superintendent or designee must post the information developed as a result of the policy evaluation on the District's website, or if a website is not available, the information must be provided to school administrators, Board members, school personnel, parents/guardians, and students.
Policy 12
The Superintendent or designee shall fully implement the Board policies, including without limitation, the following:
a. 2:260, Uniform Grievance Procedure. A student may use this policy to complain about bullying.
b. 2:265, Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure. Any person may use this policy to complain about sexual harassment in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
c. 6:60, Curriculum Content. Bullying prevention and character instruction is provided in all grades in accordance with State law.
d. 6:65, Student Social and Emotional Development. Student social and emotional development is incorporated into the District's educational program as required by State law.
e. 6:235, Access to Electronic Networks. This policy states that the use of the District's electronic networks is limited to: (1) support of education and/or research, or (2) a legitimate business use.
f. 7:20, Harassment of Students Prohibited. This policy prohibits any person from harassing, intimidating, or bullying a student based on an identified actual or perceived characteristic (the list of characteristics in 7:20 is the same as the list in this policy).
g. 7:185, Teen Dating Violence Prohibited. This policy prohibits teen dating violence on school property, at school sponsored activities, and in vehicles used for school-provided transportation.
h. 7:190, Student Behavior. This policy prohibits, and provides consequences for, hazing, bullying, or other aggressive behaviors, or urging other students to engage in such conduct.
i. 7:310, Restrictions on Publications; Elementary Schools, and 7:315, Restrictions on Publications; High Schools. These policies prohibit students from and provide consequences for: (1) accessing and/or distributing at school any written, printed, or electronic material, including material from the Internet, that will cause substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the school or school activities, and (2) creating and/or distributing written, printed, or electronic material, including photographic material and blogs, that causes substantial disruption to school operations or interferes with the rights of other students or staff members.
Adopted September 20, 2023