BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAM

The Paulding County School District supports the use of Evidence-Based programs to improve the culture and climate in schools while systematically decreasing bullying behaviors.

 Bullying prevention should be a schoolwide initiative in order to be the most effective at improving the climate of the school.

 Programs that are being implemented in PCSD to improve school climate and reduce bullying behaviors:

• Positive Behavioral Intervention & Supports (PBIS)
• Capturing Kids Hearts
• Sources of Strength
• Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

 Bullying is a behavior that is:

• Repeated by the same person multiple times, by several people or online
• Intentional – it was done on purpose to hurt or threaten the targeted student
• Power Imbalance – the targeted student feels like they can’t defend themselves because the other student is older, bigger, more popular, etc.

 The district program believes in these best practices:

• The focus is on the social climate of the school so that the learning environment is positive and norms are developed against bullying behaviors. 
• Data is used to assess bullying at each school as well as at the district level to estimate the nature and prevalence of bullying.
• Through training sessions and workshops, information is shared so that both staff and parents buy-in to support bullying prevention.
• A representative group is developed to support each school’s bullying prevention activities and program plan and to assess data results. 
• Training for administrators, faculty, and staff and presenting classroom guidance activities for students include the definition of bullying, the effects of bullying, how to respond when bullying is observed, how to support others to prevent bullying, and when/how to report bullying.

  As you are already aware from you counselors who support you at the middle school level, bullying prevention takes active participation of administrators, counselors, teachers, other district personnel, parents and students along with the community. It takes all stakeholders to eliminate bullying and promote a positive learning environment.

 In addition to bullying prevention, the district program addresses and supports the aftermath and consequences of a student who has bullied another student.