BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

Bullying

Bullying means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students or employees. It is further defined as unwanted and repeated written, verbal, or physical behaviour, including any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, by a student or adult, that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment; cause discomfort or humiliation; or unreasonably interfere with the individual’s school performance or participation; and may involve but is not limited to:

1. Teasing
2. Social Exclusion
3. Threat
4. Intimidation
5. Stalking
6. Physical violence
7. Theft
8. Sexual, religious, or racial harassment
9. Public humiliation
10. Destruction of property

Harassment

Harassment means any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of data or computer software, or written, verbal or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that

1. places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to person or damage to personal property.
2. has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits.
3. has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school.

Committment

The school is committed to providing an educational setting that is safe, secure, and free from harassment and bullying for all of its students and school employees.

Unlawful bullying and harassment of any type is not tolerated and is prohibited:

1. anywhere on the school premises and at any time of the day.
2. on a school transport.
3. during any school outing or activity conducted by the school.
4. through the use of data or computer software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, or computer network. This includes electronically transmitted acts (i.e., internet, e-mail, cellular telephone, or a wireless hand-held device) that a student or a group of students exhibit towards another particular student, that create an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student.

Policy

The following plan is intended to prevent bullying and harassment and to cultivate the school climate so as to appropriately identify, report, investigate, and respond to situations of bullying and harassment as they may occur on school grounds, at school-sponsored events, and through school computer networks.

This policy has been developed in consultation with administrators, teachers, the Principal and the school council.

Expected Behaviour

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a proper way regards to the rights and welfare of other students and school staff, the educational purpose underlying all school activities, and the care of school facilities and equipment.

Students are expected to abide by the school rules.

Students are expected to address each other and adults using respectful language.

Students are expected to refrain from any form of undue physical contact.

Students are expected to make use of technological devices appropriately, keeping in mind respect for themselves and their peers at all times.

Students are expected to understand that we can all be very different from each other in different aspects of our lives.

Students are expected to respect the person, property, and rights of others; to obey constituted authority; and to respond to those who hold that authority.

School administrators, teachers and other staff should serve as role models for students and are expected to demonstrate appropriate behaviour, to treat others with civility and respect, and to refuse to tolerate harassment or bullying.

Consequences

To students:

Consequences and appropriate remedial action for students who commit acts of bullying or harassment or who are found to have falsely accused another as a means of bullying or harassment may range from positive behavioural interventions, detentions, community work in the school  up to and including exclusions.

To school employees:

Consequences and appropriate remedial action for a school employee found to have committed an act of bullying or harassment or found to have falsely accused another as a means of bullying or harassment shall include verbal warnings, written warnings, notification to the School Principal and other disciplinary actions in accordance with PSMC Code.

Procedure for Reporting

Referrals

Referrals can be made to any member of staff.

School staff, all other professionals and all members of staff working within our educational establishment are to verbally intervene immediately to stop bullying behaviour.

Any student or student’s parent/guardian who believes the student has been or is the victim of bullying or harassment should immediately report the situation to the Head of school or the Assistant Head in charge of Form. The student or student’s parent/guardian may also report concerns to teachers and other school staff (LSAs, School counsellor and Guidance), however each referral needs to be passed on to the designated member of staff, to be logged into the incident report logbook and ta take the necessary action. The following steps should be followed by the staff:

Student to Student Bullying

If a student is making the referral:

• Listen to reporting student carefully.
• Speak to the perpetrator (separately from reporting student).
• Speak to witnesses for further clarification.
• Inform designated member of staff about incident.
• Discuss with designated member of staff who is going to address the issue.

 

If the student’s parent/guardian are making the referral, the bullying incident must immediately be reported to the Head of School or designated member of staff.

Cyber Bullying

Inform SMT, who in turn informs parents of the students involved.

SMT to keep record of the meetings with the parents and decisions taken (if any).

SMT to advise parents to file a police report (this needs to be included in the incident report log book).

Should SMT still have concerns about the student/s’ safety they are to inform APPOGG.

 Adult to Student Bullying

Any form of adult to student bullying is considered as child abuse.

Head of School needs to be informed immediately.

Head of School is obliged to inform Director of Student Services, in writing and copy College Principal.

The Director of Student Services will set up a board to investigate the case.

Outcome will be forwarded to the Director General of the Directorate for Educational Services.

If allegations are unfounded, the Director General will dispose of all collected data.

If allegations are sustained, DG is to proceed according to the established regulations and legislations.

Student to Adult Bullying

To be dealt with at SMT level.

Further advice is to be sought from College Principal, who in turn refers to the Director of the Student Services Department.

Adult to Adult Bullying

Reference needs to be made to the regulations and legislation in force at that time.

All school teachers and staff and all other members of the school community, including visitors and contracted workers are requested to report any act that may be a violation of this policy to the designated person.

Written and oral complaints shall be considered official reports. People making the complaints may opt for their name to be unrevealed. The latter cannot be granted if the bullying and/or harassment may lead to self-harm or harm to others.

The use of the school’s on-line behaviour monitoring system is encouraged when reporting such incidents.

Informing the Designated Member

Our school has one (SMT member) who is there to keep a written record of each bullying incident and take the necessary action as deemed necessary.

This members is: Mr Silvio Borg

In his absence please refer to any member of the SMT.

What help is available?

Students (perpetrators and victims alike) are offered the support of the guidance teachers and/or school counsellor on a regular basis.

Should the guidance teachers feel that the case is still unresolved; a referral is made to the anti-bullying service.

Procedure for Investigation

The investigation of a reported act of bullying or harassment is deemed to be a school-related activity and shall be promptly investigated by the designated person. Documented interviews of the victim, alleged perpetrator, and witnesses shall be conducted privately and shall be confidential. The investigator shall collect and evaluate the facts including but not limited to:

• The nature of the behaviour.
• How often the conduct occurred.
• Whether there were past incidents or past continuing patterns of behaviour.
• The relationship between the parties involved.
• The characteristics of the parties involved.
• The identity of the alleged perpetrator, including whether the individual was in a position of power over the individual allegedly subjected to bullying or harassment.
• The number of alleged bullies/harassers.
• The age of the alleged bully/harasser.
• Where the bullying and/or harassment occurred.
• Whether there have been other incidents in the school involving the same or other students.
• Whether the conduct adversely affected the student’s education or educational environment.
• The context in which the alleged incidents occurred.

Whether a particular action or incident deemed to be an act of bullying is reported a determination based on all the facts and surrounding circumstances shall be filed.  This shall include a recommendation of remedial steps necessary to stop the bullying and/or harassing behaviour.

A maximum of ten school days shall be the limit for the initial filing of incidents and completion of the investigative procedural steps. The highest level of confidentiality possible shall be provided regarding the submission of a complaint or a report of bullying and/or harassment and for the investigative procedures that are employed.

Parent Notification

The designated person shall report the occurrence of an incident of bullying to the parent/guardian of all students known to be involved in the incident on the same day an investigation of the incident. Notification shall be by telephone, personal conference, and/or in writing.

According to the level of infraction, the victim’s parents will also be notified by telephone and/or in writing of actions being taken to protect the child. The frequency of notification will depend on the seriousness of the bullying or harassment incident.

If the bullying incident result in the perpetrator is being charged with a crime, the College Principal and/or Head of school shall inform the parent/guardian of both the perpetrator as well as the identified victim involved in the bullying incident.

Upon the completion of the investigation and if criminal charges are to be pursued against the perpetrator, the appropriate law enforcement agencies shall be notified by telephone and/or in writing by the College Principal or the Head of School.

Counselling Referral

In cases where the designated member of staff feels that specialised intervention is required, he may request consultation with school staff (e.g., school counsellor, guidance teachers, etc.) to determine the severity of concern and appropriate steps to address the concern. A school-based action to address intervention and assistance as determined appropriate by the intervention team that includes:

• counselling and support to address the needs of the victim(s) of bullying or harassment.
• interventions to address the behaviour of students who bully and harass others (e.g. empathy training, anger management, etc.).
• intervention which includes assistance and support for parents as may be deemed necessary or appropriate.

Anti-Bullying Service.

If the case is still unresolved, guidance teacher is expected to report back to    designated member of staff, and refer case to the Anti-Bullying Service.