Goddard USD 265 Bullying Policy
The USD 265 Board of Education believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment.  The district, school and community have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance.
Goddard USD 265 will not tolerate behavior that infringes on the safety of any student and/or disrupts the educational process.  A student shall not bully, intimidate or harass another student through words or actions, written, drawn, or spoken.  Such behavior includes, but is not limited to:  direct physical contact, such as hitting or shoving; threats; verbal assaults, such as teasing or name-calling; and social isolation or manipulation either in person or on the internet, while on the school district’s property or as an educational disruption brought to the school district through a personal or commercial internet communication.

This policy applies to students on school grounds, while traveling to and from school in school provided vehicles, while waiting for the arrival of, or immediately following the departure of any school bus at designated school bus stops and at school-sponsored activities whether on or off campus.  This policy also includes conduct occurring off campus which manifests itself at school and results in a disruption of the educational process.
Students who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action set forth in the student behavior code.

“Every student in Goddard Public Schools has the right to learn in a safe, bully free environment.  Every student also has the responsibility to be part of the solution and help other students function in the same, bully free environment”

Lázaro San Martín
Director of Student Services and Assessments
lsanmartin@goddardusd.com

What to look for:

• Excuses for not wanting to go to school
• Unexplained bruises, torn clothes
• Loss of appetite / hungry after school
• Need for extra school supplies or money
• Sleep problems
• Secretive / sullen / temper outbursts
• Rushes to bathroom when arriving home
• Frequent trips to the school nurse

What else can parents do????

• Keep factual records of the events, not opinions!
• Contact the building leadership and share details
• What happened
• What was said by whom
• When did it happen? 
• Is this a reoccurrence? 
• Where did it happen
• Who was involved
• Who were the witnesses
• Teach your child self respect, assertiveness
• Let your child know it is ok to express anger appropriately
• Encourage and monitor friendships
• Teach social skills.  Sharing. Compromise. Apologies. I messages
• Encourage Reporting (means student does it because it is the right thing to do) VS Tattling (means student does it to get someone else in trouble)
• Do not advise ignoring or attacking the bully!!!
• Encourage your child to stand for what is right and follow the steps:

1. Student should let the bully know that they expect the behavior to stop verbally or in writing
2. Student should discuss the issue with their parent / guardian
3. Student should report it to an adult in school as much factual detail as possible
• What happened
• What was said by whom
• When did it happen? 
• Is this a reoccurrence? 
• Where did it happen
• Who was involved
• Who were the witnesses

• Evaluate if this behavior is being modeled at home – seek counseling if needed
• Do not use physical punishment, or humiliation.  Instead remove privileges
• Keep in mind you don’t have a bad child.  You have a child that is making poor choices.  Therefore address the behavior.  All you want is the behavior to stop.  All children are capable of learning.
• Think about your parental supervision.  Does it have to be increased?  What else can you change regarding parental supervision?  Are you too much of the “good guy”? Are you too much of the “bad guy”?  Is not a matter of finding fault, it is a matter of changing behavior