Goal
Creating a positive school climate and a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate is essential for student success.
Definition of Bullying:
Bullying is typically a form of repeated, persistent, and aggressive behaviour directed at an individual or individuals that is intended to cause (or should be known to cause) fear and distress and/or harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, or reputation. Bullying occurs in a context where there is a real or perceived power imbalance.
(from Policy/Program Memorandum #144)
Prevention and Awareness –Raising Strategies
- Focus on the 10 TDSB Character Attributes (Respect, Responsibility, Empathy, Kindness and Caring, Teamwork, Fairness, Honesty, Co-operation, Integrity, Perseverance) Focus on 7 Grandfather teachings (love, Respect, Courage, Honestly, Wisdom, Humility, Truth)
- Weekly quotes on these character attributes read over PA and shared in newsletters
- Kindness and Caring – Food drives, Catch someone being Kind
- Reinforce positive behaviour
- Special guest assembly – IE Anthony McLean
- Classes present a character attribute/Grandfather teaching at assemblies, Character Ed. Book
- Ongoing training for staff on Bill 157 and PPM 144 (Bullying Prevention and Intervention) and PPM 145 (Progressive Discipline and Promoting Positive Student Behaviour) at staff meetings. Ongoing discussions/updates with staff on creating a positive school climate/review of this plan at regular staff meetings. Standing item agenda at staff meetings. For example, Indigenous Trauma/Residential Schools workshop, Gender Diversity workshop
- Playground intervention strategies/teaching kids how to play
- Introduction of Playground Activity Leaders in Schools (PALS), through Toronto Public Health
- Sports Equipment available for students to play games at recess, classroom equipment bags
- Explicit teaching of cooperative games learned in gym classes at recess
- Celebration of diversity through various activities
- Pink Shirt Day
- Rainbow Week
- Orange shirt and Indigenous Veterans day
- Opportunity for students to engage in positive school life experiences, create opportunities for student leadership and provide opportunities to build positive relationships – student to student, student to staff (key!)
- Examples are Young Women on the Move, Student parliament and their sub committees, Playground Pals training, Artfest, school wide excursions, students helping Kindergarten classrooms during lunch
- Creation of a Safe and Caring Schools Committee
- Involving students, staff and parents and community partners
- Restorative Practices methodology (how to learn, work, live together in a group, how we learn to solve problems, how we build healthy relationships, how we develop empathy)
- Purple Carrots workshops Grades 1-6. Student developing problem solving and empathy training through role playing.
- Work with School Support Team to implement appropriate intervention strategies for students (social work, connection to community agencies).
- Code of Conduct shared with all members of school community (agendas) and September Welcome Back packages, Parent and Staff Handbooks
- Ongoing work with community agency George Chuvalo.
- School Climate Survey –School Year 2016-2017 with grade 4-6 students) to be shared at Safe and Caring Schools Committee meeting. Used as tool for SIP improvement and
- Explicit teaching of the reportable Learning Skills (responsibility, organization, independent work, collaboration, initiative, self-regulation)
- Student Safety Line awareness – sharing of information and posters around the school.
- Continue to create an inclusive environment keeping in mind – “inclusion is not bringing people into the same space, it’s about creating a better space for everyone”.
- Work with TDSB Gender Based Violence and Prevention Social Worker
- Zones of Regulation in classrooms. Student learn to identify feelings and strategies to calm down before becoming unregulated
Reporting Requirements
Bill 157, implemented Feb 1, 2010 requires all board employees to report to the principal if they become aware that a student may have engaged in an activity for which the student must be considered for suspension or expulsion. (see section 310 and 306 of Education Act attached)
All board employees are to respond to incidents that may have a negative impact on the school climate.
Board employees include bus drivers, and other non-board employees who come into direct contact with students on a regular basis.
Reporting will always consider the safety of others and the urgency of the situation.
Reports of serious incidents are to be made in writing to the principal using the Incident Reporting Form. Online January 2020
Records of Office Referrals are kept in the principal’s office and shared with staff involved.
Training Strategies for Members of the School Community
-staff training shared by principal through TDSB Safe Schools Department
-Social Work support
-PDD Team (Autism)
-Parent consultation/strategy sharing
-Psychology Department
Communication and Outreach Strategies
Communication is essential when solving issues. Clear and timely communication will occur with the following groups where appropriate:
-students (victim/offender/bystander)
-staff involved
-parents/caregivers
-TDSB support staff (social work, psychology, speech and language, spec. ed consultant)
-community agencies involved (e.g. CAS)
Monitoring and Review Process
-the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan will be reviewed annually by the Safe and Caring Schools Committee at the first meeting of the school year and as appropriate as situations arise which cause the team to feel a revision or addition is necessary.
-the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan will be incorporated into the School Improvement Plan
Click HERE to download this document