Bullying Prevention within the PBIS Model

Sparta Area School DistrictSouthside Elementary School

Carla O’Rourke, School Counselor

Getting Started

• District Bullying Prevention Committee– Meeting for the last 8-9 years to identify areas of

concern and develop a plan of action– Comprised of School Counselors, School

Psychologists, Principals, Parents, Students, Law Enforcement, District Administration, CLC members, Boys and Girls Club representative, Community members, School Board Members

Community Group

• In the summer of 2012 a Community Bullying Prevention Taskforce was formed and lead by leaders in the Ministerial Association

• Collaboration between the 2 groups to more comprehensively address the topic of bullying—Community ownership vs. School ownership

Bullying Prevention Action Plan• Implement a school and community-wide bullying prevention

program. “Not In Our School” or “Not in our Town” Stand up for Each Other. The slogan will be on a Banner over Water Street, signs for schools, businesses and community members. We will launch the program with a kick-off day in each of our 11 schools followed by ongoing events in our schools and community.

• “Not in Our School” video created by Sparta High School students for student viewing

• Classroom guidance activities in individual schools, “morning meeting” topic

• School-wide announcements and posters

Bullying Prevention Action Plan• School assemblies targeting bullying prevention• Placemats/tray liners to local participating restaurants • Wristbands with message to all Sparta Area School District

students• Balls and t-shirts with message distributed at home athletic events• Public Service announcements• Advertisement on district athletic events calendar• Ministerial group involvement: integration into youth group

activities, theme on church bulletins and marquees• Bullying Prevention Reference Guide for coaches and advisors; also

for community lead youth activities

Slogan

• Banner across Water Street• Signs for display at our schools and in our

community• Video created by high school students

Southside Elementary School• Staff meetings and activities• Friendship Salad Assembly• Citizenship Group presentations on playground

behavior• Classroom Guidance lessons on the topics of

Friendship, Feelings, Bullying (defining it, what to do about it)

• Student surveys on the topic of bullying-2nd and 3rd grade students

• Friendship Groups

Staff Meetings/Activities

• Defining “Bullying”; review of District definition and policy

• Group activities identifying bullying behavior from student conflict

• How does this “fit” with student interactions, Cool Tools, Disciplinary Actions

• Defining our school climate• What is the “comfort” level when addressing

bullying situations

Citizenship Group

• Created signs for the school-wide assembly and classroom presentations

• Performed skits in classrooms depicting appropriate playground behavior using our Friendship Skills

Citizenship Group Classroom Presentation

Citizenship Group creating posters

Friendship Salad Assembly

• Using our Friendship Skills ingredients (fruit, marshmallows and yogurt) were added to a Friendship Salad– Smile, Share, Be Kind, Be a Good Sport, Use

manners– Attempt to add a rotten banana representing

inappropriate behavior– All students, staff, community members were

invited to share the Friendship Salad

Sharing-one of the “ingredients” in our Friendship Salad

Scoopie visits classrooms after the Friendship Salad Assembly

Students enjoying the Friendship Salad in their classrooms

Classroom Lesson creating the Friendship Salad

Students enjoying the Friendship Salad

Classroom Lessons

• What a friendship is?• Six Friendship Skills: Smile, Share, Be Kind,

Report, Be a Good Sport, Use Manners• Friendship problems• Role plays• Empathy activities

Bullying Surveys

• 2nd and 3rd grade students completed a short survey on the topic of bullying

• Used Survey Monkey• Will be utilizing this data when planning for

the school year

Bullying Survey

Public Service Announcements• Students from our school district recorded

Bullying Prevention PSAs at our local radio station, COW97

School Community Involvement

• Students• Staff• School Board members• Parents• Community Members

Resources

• Students• Colleagues• Parents and Community Members• Schools Where Everyone Belongs, Stan Davis• Bullying in the Girl's World: A School-Wide Ap

proach to Girl Bullying (Grades 3-8), Diane Senn and Susan Bowman