Bullying self assessment leaves room for improvement for Shamong Schools
The Shamong Board of Education released the results of the district’s self-assessment for determining grades under the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act.
Out of a maximum 75 points, Shamong schools scored 52, or approximately 69 percent. The score is an average of all reported incidents of HIB (harassment, intimidation, bullying) in the district’s two schools.
The eight core elements of The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act outline a number of tactics for schools to enact to stop bullying. Staff training, parent outreach, student awareness and HIB programs are just some of the policies schools must have in place.
The school self-assessment under the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights is mandatory for districts to complete, and the information released is from the 2012–2013 school year. The scores that were received were the scores the schools assigned themselves in specific categories.
Superintendent Christine Vespe said the district is already working on ways to improve its scores.
“To help improve on our scores, there is a new school wide ‘Upstanders’ program which spotlights students and staff who go above and beyond and who also stand up to help targets of bullying,” Vespe said. “The school safety team has been meeting to focus on school climate. We are currently in the process of administering a school climate survey for students in grades three and four, parents and staff.”
The assessment period took place before Vespe began working in Shamong’s district as her employment began July 1, 2013. The results of the self-assessment were submitted to the state Department of Education for feedback. Once reviewed, the score was made official and posted on the district’s website so residents have access to the information.
The Indian Mills Elementary School already has five programs in place to counteract bullying and encourage HIB education.
The Responsive Classroom to Promote Social and Emotional Growth, a six-week program called The NJ BAR Foundation’s Bully Busting Curriculum, classroom guidance lessons on bullying and conflict resolution as well as character education lessons.
At the middle school level, the administration has enacted guidance lessons that focus on bullying and how students report bullying incidents.
During Violence Prevention Week, students in language arts class wrote about how they can stop bullying. All students watched a video “Heroes in the Hallway” then wrote how they too can be a hero in their own school. A bulletin board to display the “Heroes in the Hallways” message is hung in the hall outside the main office.
“The middle school counselor delivered classroom lessons and discussions on bullying and cyber bullying during the Signs of Suicide program,” Vespe said. “Recent bullying issues in the news were discussed with students.”
Also new to the district this year is a sixth-grade bully prevention day in early June. Eighth- grade students along with their parents will be invited to watch a movie and join in discussion after the film to discuss what lessons can be taken from it.
