This session was on the topic of bullying: what it is and how it is handled by Orozco. Ms. Sovell and Social Worker Prendiville presented and answered questions.
Bullying Policy
“Bullying” means any severe or pervasive (repeated over time) physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students, that has or can be reasonably predicted to have one or more of the following effects:
placing the student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or property;
causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student's physical or mental health;
substantially interfering with the student's academic performance; or
substantially interfering with the student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.
The Board asks every Chicago Public School (“CPS”) student, with the support of his/her parent(s), guardian(s) and the adults at school, to commit to the following principles, which will apply to everyone on school property and at school-related activities:
I will not bully others.
I will try to help anyone I suspect is being bullied.
I will work to include students who are left out.
If someone is being bullied, I will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.
The Principal/Designee shall report to the parent/legal guardian of all involved students, via telephone, personal conference and/or in writing, the occurrence of any alleged incident of bullying, and shall document these notifications in the Incident Report in IMPACT. When the investigation is complete, the Principal/Designee shall notify the parents/legal guardians of all students involved of the outcome of the investigation. Parents/legal guardians of the students who are parties to the investigation may request a personal conference with the Principal/Designee to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying, and any resources available in or outside the school to help the students address the underlying reasons for the bullying (see “Referrals” section below).