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School of Education
Training & Technical Assistance Center

National Bulling Prevention Month

by VDOE |  October 2, 2023

We all know schools are a primary place where bullying can happen. Young people who experience bullying are more likely to feel lonely and want to avoid school. They are more likely to have symptoms of depression that can contribute to their risk for suicide. Young people who bully others and those that witness bullying can also experience negative mental health effects. Helping to make a supportive and safe school climate where all students are accepted is key to making sure all students can learn and grow. Ensuring that our staff knows how to accurately identify bullying and how to respond correctly is a vital part of any school’s bullying prevention plan. 

The 2023 General Assembly passed SB 1072 which requires principals or their designees to notify the parent of any student involved in an alleged incident of bullying within 24 hours of learning of the allegation of bullying. (§ 22.1-279.6.).  

Did you know?

School teams should ensure that a system is developed for how alleged bullying incidents will be reported, addressed, and communicated to the parents of those involved.

This means:

  • All staff are aware of this change in Code and what they should do when there is a report of bullying, or they suspect bullying.  
  • Families, students, and staff understand the types of bullying and the definition of bullying.  
  • Staff should also learn about what to look for as warning signs that some students might be involved in bullying and who might be at more risk for being involved. 
  • All school staff need to know what to do; as well as; what not to do when bullying behaviors occur or are reported to them.

We want to hear from you.

Due to the before mentioned change to § 22.1-279.6. we are beginning the process of updating and revising the Virginia Department of Education’s Model Policy to Address Bullying in Virginia’s Public Schools to reflect the new requirements for parental notification. We also recognize that there are other areas where the guidelines could be improved and updated since being published in 2013. As we begin drafting these changes and researching best practices in bullying prevention, we wanted to include feedback from school staff in the revision process. Please consider reviewing the current model policy and then completing the Model Policy to Address Bullying Feedback Form to share your ideas, strategies, questions, and/or favorite resources for responding to and preventing bullying in our schools.  

We also want to hear from students! If you know a student that has experienced bullying, or are working with a group of student leaders, or have an upcoming classroom lesson on bullying prevention please consider collecting student’s thoughts and ideas through the Student Voice: Bullying Prevention Feedback Form. Students will not need to be familiar with the current policy to provide feedback. The form includes directions for explaining the purpose of the survey to students and possible collection strategies.  

(Parent feedback will be gathered through our partnerships with parent organizations such as the Virginia Parent Teacher Association). 

Bullying Prevention Related Resources

Important Dates this Month

Bullying Prevention Professional Development Opportunities

Updates and Highlights from the Office of Specialized Student Services

BULLYING PREVENTION RELATED RESOURCES

The following organizations and agencies have compiled a library of Bullying Prevention Resources for schools. 

Flyers and Posters to Assist in Prevention and Awareness:

Videos to Assist in Prevention and Awareness

Research and Policy Brief

Addressing School Bullying Since the Onset of COVID-19 

This Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) research and policy brief, explores how school bullying has changed since the onset of COVID-19 as well as research-based strategies for how educators and division leaders can best respond to it. The brief answers the following questions: 

  1. What is the nature of school bullying since the onset of COVID-19?  
  2. Which students have been particularly impacted by bullying since the pandemic?  
  3. What are recommended strategies for preventing school bullying since the onset of COVID-19?  
  4. What are current policies in Virginia and MERC school divisions related to addressing bullying?  
  5. What are the key takeaways and enduring questions about addressing school bullying since the onset of COVID-19? 

Wednesday, October 18, 2023 is Unity Day!

Unity Day was started by the National Bullying Prevention Center as the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month and continues to grow every year as a tangible representation of the universal message that our society wants to promote kindness, acceptance and inclusion to prevent bullying. Why unity? For years, bullying was justified with expressions such as, “Bullying is a natural part of childhood,” “Bullying makes kids tougher,” or “Bullying is a rite of passage.” 

The goal of Unity Day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable, and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.

October 15-21, 2023 is America’s Safe Schools Week 

Significant progress is being made to ensure that all our nation's schools are safe, secure, and productive. At the forefront of this movement are hundreds of exemplary school, district, state, and national programs. To recognize these successes and encourage others, October 15-21, 2023, has been proclaimed America's Safe Schools Week. The National School Safety Center (NSSC) invites you to participate in this annual observance that was originally established by the NSSC in 1984.

Don’t Miss Out! 

In recognition of America’s Safe Schools Week, the Office of Specialized Student Services (OSSS) will be offering a webinar on how to support students after a threat or suicide risk assessment (October 16, 2023, at 2 p.m.). More information can be found below in the Updates and Highlighted Resources from the OSSS Section of this newsletter. 

BULLYING PREVENTION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

MERC Seminar: Addressing School Bullying Since the Onset of COVID-19

October 3, 4-5:30 p.m. 

This seminar will review findings from the Addressing School Bullying Since the Onset of COVID-19 Research and Policy Brief by MERC. Participants will have an opportunity to learn from bullying prevention strategies used by colleagues across the Commonwealth and collaborate in solidarity during Bullying Prevention Month.

Addressing School Bullying Since the Onset of COVID-19 Webinar Registration Form

Bully Prevention Trainings from the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSC)

VCSC offers several training opportunities for the school community. Requests can be made using this training request form.

  • Bullying Prevention and Intervention for educators and school based mental health personnel (4 hours) 
  • Bullying Prevention: Bullying versus Conflict (1.5 or 3 hours for educators, law enforcement, and others working with youth and 1 hour for parents) 

Cyberbullying for educators, school based mental health personnel, and communities (2-2.5 hours)