Bullying Policy

Delaware Department of Justice
Bullying Prevention & School Crime
Contact (Ombudsperson): 1-800-220-5414

Definition of Bullying
Bullying is any intentional written, electronic, verbal or physical act or actions against a student, school volunteer or school employee that a reasonable person, under the circumstances should know will have the effect of:

  • Placing a student, school volunteer or school employee in a reasonable fear of substantial harm to his or her emotional or physical well-being or substantial damage to his or her property.
  • Creating a hostile, threatening, humiliating or abusive educational environment due to the pervasiveness or persistence of actions or due to a power differential between the bully and the target; or
  • Interfering with a student having a safe school environment that is necessary to facilitate educational performance, opportunities or benefits; or
  • Perpetuating bullying by inciting, soliciting or coercing an individual or group to demean dehumanize, embarrass, or cause emotional, psychological or physical harm to another student, school volunteer or school employee.

A brief description of the school’s Bully Prevention Program.

The program at Cab Calloway consists of mediation, conflict resolution, empathy and interpersonal skill development. Parent contact is required any time a significant incident has occurred between students. Our middle school health classes will continue teaching a unit on bullying.

A brief description of the supervisory procedures in non-classroom areas.

Teachers are to actively engage in hall duty between class periods. Staff members are assigned cafeteria duty to ensure safety. Administrators and other staff monitor stairwells, hallways, and non-classroom areas.
Duties assigned to cover non-classroom areas before school, during lunch and after school. Reviewed and revised as needed on a yearly basis as well as throughout the school year.

Reporting Requirements

If a faculty/staff member observes bullying behavior or has been informed by a student and/or parent that bullying behavior is taking place they are to report it to the school administration and/or school counselors immediately. All reports of bullying are investigated.

Investigative Procedures – What assurances are in place to guarantee the victim is interviewed?

When bullying behavior is reported, the reporting student/s is asked to write a statement, which includes identifying anyone who may have witnessed the incident. Witnesses are interviewed and asked to write statements as well. The person accused of bullying is interviewed separately from the reporting student and is asked to submit a written statement. An investigation ensues after all statements have been reviewed.
Teachers report potential bullying behavior as a referral via RAP. If they observe bullying behavior taking place the student/s involved are immediately referred to an administrator. The administration then follows up, investigating each referral/incident.

Report to DOE

The Principal or his/her designee will report confirmed bullying incidents within five working days.
Once it has been established that a bullying (systematic and repeated) behavior has taken place and consequences have been issued per the RCCSD Code of Conduct (pg. 54) then DOE will be contacted.

Range of Consequences

Once bullying behavior has been confirmed we will use the Board recommended “Consequences for Bullying,” (pgs. 5-6 of Board Policy 8023) as guidelines for consequences. Depending on the situation we will always begin with the least punitive consequence in an effort to effect a change in behavior. We will also endeavor to educate the student/s as needed on acceptable behavior as well as provide strategies for dealing with the triggers that may lead to bullying. Again, we will refer to Board Policy 8023; page 5-6 as a guideline.

Procedures for student or caregiver to provide information on bullying activity.

Caregivers, students and all staff are encouraged to report bullying behavior when it occurs. This report can come via phone, email, written correspondence or in person. Confidentiality is maintained whenever possible. The “Bullying Request for Support Form” will be available on our website as well as in all of our offices (Administration, Guidance, etc.).

Notification of caregiver of bullies and targets.

Caregivers are contacted anytime there is a referable confrontation between two or more students whether or not bullying has been confirmed.

Procedures for communication between school staff members, mental health, and health professionals.

When bullying has been confirmed by the school administration, the students, both bully and victim, are referred to one or more of the following resources as deemed necessary: Guidance Counselor, Student Interventionist, School Nurse, or Wellness Center. Based upon the recommendations from one or more of these resources the administration will refer the student/s to seek outside medical help.