High School District Anti-Bullying Task Force Presents New Policy to BOE

The Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education approved, upon second reading, the new Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) Policy at the board meeting on Monday, Aug. 22.

The new Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights was signed into law on January 5, 2011. Dr. Nicole Hazel, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for the Freehold Regional High School District, spearheaded the HIB Policy for the district. 

“Our district has been diligently working to develop the anti-bullying policy and the other policies that are implicated by this law,” Hazel said. “We all know that bullying is a complicated issue for many reasons. The intent of the law is to ensure that our schools maintain a positive school climate and culture that promotes respect and a supportive and caring learning environment.”

Additionally, Hazel said, law's intent is to strengthen standards for preventing, reporting, investigating and responding to bullying incidents, as well as reducing the risk of suicide among students. The law requires that all districts update the anti-bullying policy by the time the law goes into effect on Sept. 1. 

A district Anti-Bullying Task Force has been formed that is made up of the Assistant Principal of each school and an anti-bullying specialist, who was selected by the school’s principal. The task force has developed the policy and operating procedures and protocols for implementation, according to Hazel. 

A safety team has also been established within each high school; the safety team’s objective is to encourage and perpetuate a positive ambience within the school. 

Extensive anti-bullying training has been provided to school administrators, principals, assistant principals, task force members, the school safety team and anti-bullying specialists.

Assistant Principal of Lavetta Ross said that the new HIB policy refers to any act of bullying, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents. Furthermore, the new law states that the incident can happen off-school grounds. 

“If it happens off-school grounds it must be something that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students,” Ross said. 

The new HIB policy requires:

• a statement prohibiting HIB of a student (which the policy had included previously)
• the new statutory definition
• a description of the kind of behavior expected from each student
• the consequences and appropriate remedial actions for a person who has committed an act of HIB
• a procedure for reporting an act of HIB
• a procedure for prompt investigation of reports of violations and complaints
• ways to respond to acts of HIB (such as a suitable mix of support services, counseling, intervention, etc.)
• prohibits reprisal and retaliation against any person who reports an act of HIB and the consequences and remedial actions for a person who does
• the consequences and appropriate remedial action for a person found to have falsely accused another as a means of HIB
• a statement of how the policy will be publicized
• a link to the policy be on the district Web site homepage and distributed to parents annually
• contact information about the district anti-bullying coordinator and school anti-bullying specialists be listed on the district and school homepages 

Scott Liptzin, the Assistant Principal of Marlboro High School, explained to the board and the audience the new processes the schools will undergo for reporting a bullying issue. 

“It is the obligation of any adult employed by the district - teacher, member of the professional staff, support staff, bus driver, custodian, maintenance worker or contracted service provider, a board of education member or central office staff - to report any circumstance that may involve into a HIB case,” Liptzin said, “It’s their obligation, again their legal obligation.”

When a HIB incident occurs, a witness or the victims will provide a verbal report of the incident to the principal of the school, or a principal’s designee, on the same day it occurred. A complaint statement will be filled out by the person making the grievance, and the assistant principal or anti-bullying specialist will make sure the principal receives the written report within 48 hours of the verbal complaint. Simultaneously, the superintendent will be made aware of the investigation, according to Liptzin. 

The principal initiates an investigation with the anti-bullying specialist (ABS) within one day, and the specialist has ten days to complete the investigation after receiving the written complaint. Once the investigation is completed, the superintendent will receive a report within two days. 

At the same time, the principal will inform the parents or guardians of every student involved in the HIB incident the same day that a verbal report has been made; counseling or other interventions will be discussed. The parents are entitled to receive information about the investigation within five days of the its completion and a parent may request a hearing with the board of education which will be held within ten days of the request, according to Liptzin. 

When the superintendent is made aware of the incident he has the right to recommend additional action to reduce HIB overall and he must report the investigation and all subsequent actions to the board of education by their next meeting. The board shall issue a decision to reject, modify, or affirm the superintendent’s decision, but the board’s decision can be appealed by the Commisioner of Education.  

The Freehold Regional High School District has implemented prevention programs and initiatives to help communicate the anti-bullying policy:

• Freshman Orientation Anti-Bullying Program
• Parent-Teacher Organization HIB Presentation
• Student Class Meetings to review HIB policy
• Parent Presentations
• “Week of Respect” Activities (10/3-10/7)
• “Violence Prevention Week” Activies (10/17-10/21)
• Peer Leadership Programs
• Counseling Programs
• Staff Professional Development
• Suicide Prevention Programs

“It’s one thing to meet a state mandate and be engaged in compliance, it’s another thing to put together a comprehensive program that I think will benefit all the students in our school,” Superintendent Charles Sampson said. 

While some concerns were brought up by board members about incidents occurring off-school grounds, the task force assured the board that each incident will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.