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October is Bullying Prevention Month |
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We all know schools are a primary place where bullying can happen. Young people who experience bullying are more likely to feel lonely and want to avoid school. They are more likely to have symptoms of depression that can contribute to their risk for suicide. Young people who bully others and those that witness bullying can also experience negative mental health effects. Helping to make a supportive and safe school climate where all students are accepted is key to making sure all students can learn and grow. Ensuring that our staff knows how to accurately identify bullying and how to respond correctly is a vital part of any school’s bullying prevention plan.
Did you know?
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The 2023 General Assembly passed SB 1072 which requires principals or their designees to notify the parent of any student involved in an alleged incident of bullying within 24 hours of learning of the allegation of bullying. (§ 22.1-279.6.).
School teams should ensure that a system is developed for how alleged bullying incidents will be reported, addressed, and communicated to the parents of those involved.
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All staff are aware of this change in Code and what they should do when there is a report of bullying, or they suspect bullying.
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Families, students, and staff understand the types of bullying and the definition of bullying.
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Staff should also learn about what to look for as warning signs that some students might be involved in bullying and who might be at more risk for being involved.
- All school staff need to know what to do; as well as; what not to do when bullying behaviors occur or are reported to them.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Due to the before mentioned change to § 22.1-279.6. we are beginning the process of updating and revising the Virginia Department of Education’s Model Policy to Address Bullying in Virginia’s Public Schools to reflect the new requirements for parental notification. We also recognize that there are other areas where the guidelines could be improved and updated since being published in 2013. As we begin drafting these changes and researching best practices in bullying prevention, we wanted to include feedback from school staff in the revision process. Please consider reviewing the current model policy and then completing the Model Policy to Address Bullying Feedback Form to share your ideas, strategies, questions, and/or favorite resources for responding to and preventing bullying in our schools.
We also want to hear from students! If you know a student that has experienced bullying, or are working with a group of student leaders, or have an upcoming classroom lesson on bullying prevention please consider collecting student’s thoughts and ideas through the Student Voice: Bullying Prevention Feedback Form. Students will not need to be familiar with the current policy to provide feedback. The form includes directions for explaining the purpose of the survey to students and possible collection strategies.
(Parent feedback will be gathered through our partnerships with parent organizations such as the Virginia Parent Teacher Association).
This Bulletin Includes:
Bullying Prevention Related Resources
Important Dates this Month
Bullying Prevention Professional Development Opportunities
Updates and Highlights from the Office of Specialized Student Services
BULLYING PREVENTION RELATED RESOURCES
The following organizations and agencies have compiled a library of Bullying Prevention Resources for schools.
Flyers and Posters to Assist in Prevention and Awareness
Videos to Assist in Prevention and Awareness
Research and Policy Brief
Addressing School Bullying Since the Onset of COVID-19
This Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) research and policy brief, explores how school bullying has changed since the onset of COVID-19 as well as research-based strategies for how educators and division leaders can best respond to it. The brief answers the following questions:
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What is the nature of school bullying since the onset of COVID-19?
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Which students have been particularly impacted by bullying since the pandemic?
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What are recommended strategies for preventing school bullying since the onset of COVID-19?
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What are current policies in Virginia and MERC school divisions related to addressing bullying?
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What are the key takeaways and enduring questions about addressing school bullying since the onset of COVID-19?
IMPORTANT DATES THIS MONTH
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 is Unity Day!
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Unity Day was started by the National Bullying Prevention Center as the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month and continues to grow every year as a tangible representation of the universal message that our society wants to promote kindness, acceptance and inclusion to prevent bullying. Why unity? For years, bullying was justified with expressions such as, “Bullying is a natural part of childhood,” “Bullying makes kids tougher,” or “Bullying is a rite of passage.”
The goal of Unity Day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable, and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.
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October 15-21, 2023 is America’s Safe Schools Week
Significant progress is being made to ensure that all our nation's schools are safe, secure, and productive. At the forefront of this movement are hundreds of exemplary school, district, state, and national programs. To recognize these successes and encourage others, October 15-21, 2023, has been proclaimed America's Safe Schools Week. The National School Safety Center (NSSC) invites you to participate in this annual observance that was originally established by the NSSC in 1984.
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In recognition of America’s Safe Schools Week, the Office of Specialized Student Services (OSSS) will be offering a webinar on how to support students after a threat or suicide risk assessment (October 16, 2023, at 2 p.m.). More information can be found below in the Updates and Highlighted Resources from the OSSS Section of this newsletter.
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BULLYING PREVENTION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
MERC Seminar: Addressing School Bullying Since the Onset of COVID-19
VCSC offers several training opportunities for the school community. Requests can be made using this training request form.
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Bullying Prevention and Intervention for educators and school based mental health personnel (4 hours)
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Bullying Prevention: Bullying versus Conflict (1.5 or 3 hours for educators, law enforcement, and others working with youth and 1 hour for parents)
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Cyberbullying for educators, school based mental health personnel, and communities (2-2.5 hours)
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UPDATES AND HIGHLIGHTED RESOURCES FROM OSSS
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Best Practices in Assessment for School Psychologists and School Social Workers Webinar
October 12, 2023, 2-4 p.m.
The Office of Specialized Student Services is offering a free, virtual training to Virginia school psychologists and school social workers. Registration is required and limited to school psychologists and school social workers working in Virginia K-12 public schools. This training will feature a recorded presentation by Dr. Eric Rossen and Dr. Katie Eklund, which will be followed by a discussion about current practices in Virginia. Interested school psychologists and school social workers can access the Zoom link for this training by completing this Best Practices in Assessment Webinar Registration form.
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Define and create shared definitions of trauma-informed practices.
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Build knowledge of recent case law related to the application of identified trauma on special education decision making.
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Discuss recent literature related to trauma assessment and trauma-informed assessment.
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Describe different approaches to assessment when working with students with trauma histories.
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Consider the value of ecological and systematic assessment and screening.
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Apply trauma-informed practices to report writing as well as oral reporting of assessment results.
This webinar was part of the 2023 School Psychology and School Social Worker Regional Trainings offered May through July. This webinar will be the basis of an upcoming book study (more details coming soon).
Stopping the Domino Effect: Supporting Students After a Suicide Risk or Threat Assessment Webinar
October 16, 2023, 2-3 p.m.
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When schools conduct a threat or suicide risk assessment, teams convene to discuss the level of threat and determine what immediate actions need to occur to ensure everyone’s safety. What happens after the assessment is complete? How can we use the results of the assessment to design a support plan for the student(s) involved to prevent future threats of violence? To prevent future incidents and address the root cause of the threat, schools cannot respond with disciplinary action alone.
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This webinar will be presented by specialist in the Office of Specialized Student Services, VDOE. Attendees will gain an understanding of how to design a plan of support after a threat or suicide risk assessment that offers on-going support and reduces the risk of future violence. We will discuss the importance of determining the root cause of the threat intentionally selecting interventions. When we do these well, we can promote student sell-being and prevent more serious threats from occurring.
*This webinar will be recorded and shared with all that register
Participants will be able to:
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Apply root cause analysis techniques to determine the root cause of a threat;
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Intentionally select supports and interventions to promote student well-being; and
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Create a proactive case management plan with ongoing monitoring to ensure fidelity, effectiveness, and progress.
Stopping the Domino Effect Webinar Registration Form
School Social Work Community of Practice
Calling school social workers! You are invited to a monthly School Social Work Community of Practice where you’ll collaborate with other school social workers and share best practices. The School Social Work Community of Practice will meet virtually on the last Monday of each month from 3-4:30 p.m., beginning on Monday, October 30. If you are interested, please complete this Community of Practice survey by October 13. School social workers who have been selected for this cohort will be notified shortly after; we are hoping to hear from school social workers from a variety of school divisions and a variety of experience levels. Please reach out to Alex Javna, Student Services Specialist, with any questions at Alexandra.Javna@doe.virginia.gov.
School Social Work Mentorship Program
Are you a new school social worker? The VDOE is hosting a mentoring program for school social workers with three or fewer years of experience and who would like to connect with more experienced colleagues. More specifically, we are recruiting school social workers from divisions who do not currently have a local mentorship opportunity for school social workers. Selected school social workers will be matched with an experienced school social worker for monthly mentorship meetings. Interested school social workers should compete this School Social Worker Mentorship Program survey by October 13. Please contact Alex at Alexandra.Javna@doe.virginia.gov with any comments or questions.
Are you an experienced school social worker? The VDOE is hosting a mentoring program for school social workers with three or fewer years of experience, and we are looking for experienced mentors to support them. Selected mentors will be matched with a new school social worker for monthly mentorship meetings. School social workers who are interested in serving as mentors should compete this School Social Worker Mentorship Program survey by October 13. Mentors will be compensated for their time and expertise. Please contact Alex at Alexandra.Javna@doe.virginia.gov with any comments or questions.
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