By Melissa Greene
Kilgore ISD forms bullying guide
KILGORE, TX — A parent’s complaint about how school officials handled
bullying of his child has led to changes in how educators will respond
to future accusations.
After an examination of district policies, Superintendent Cara Cooke said, it became clear the policy didn’t need to change, but how it was used.
“A policy is only as good as its implementation, and that’s where we came at this from,” she said of a new step-by-step guide that aims to ensure all incidents are handled equally according to the existing policy.
The district’s review of the matter began after Todd McElmurry filed a grievance with the school board in May claiming personnel failed to respond sufficiently after his son was bullied by a fellow student at Kil-gore Heights Elementary School.
Board members agreed with McElmurry the incident met the definition of bullying and began what Cooke called a thorough district-wide examination of how discipline policies were being handled.
“We wanted to think it through and react logically rather than emotionally,” she said. “The point of discipline is to help our kids grow and change behaviors.”
Deputy Superintendent Dennis Williams said a June 11 meeting with all principals and assistant principals provided opportunity for discussion and review of discipline reports to identify problem areas.
“Bullying was on the list, but not at the top of the list,” he said.
Reports were collected and data was broken down by campus and individual classrooms.
Classrooms where a higher number of discipline reports were filed could mean a teacher needed more classroom management training, Williams said.
Officials then met with attorney Haley Turner for an update on laws regarding student discipline and assistance in preparing a new discipline matrix — a plan for how the district will handle different types of infractions at each campus.
“We also added an element (to the discipline matrix) to make sure implementations are age and grade appropriate,” Williams said.
On Tuesday, the school board reviewed the result of those meetings — the KISD Administration Anti-Bullying Toolkit — a binder with step-by-step guidelines for principals investigating and documenting reports of bullying and harassment.
“This is no ‘watered-down version’ — it is a district piece,” Cooke said.
When an incident of bullying is reported, a checklist in the handbook will be to used by principals to gather information. Once compiled, six steps will be used to determine whether the incident qualifies as bullying or harassment under school policy.
Responsive steps are then outlined.
“This ensures consistency, it ensures equal treatment for equal infractions,” Williams said. “It also says ‘this is the way we are going to investigate.’ ”
Copies of local and state discipline policies, as well as sample letters for parents or guardians of children accused of, or subjected to, bullying are part of the manual, as well as options for correcting conduct that include separating students or appointing an escort.
“This is not just bullying prevention. It is bigger than that. It is about changing a culture,” Cooke said.
A sample stay-away agreement is also included, and can be signed by students, or representatives for students who are too young to sign, Williams said, adding that oil and water don’t mix, and sometimes the best answer it to separate students.
“We’re also looking proactively at methods to break that cycle (of bullying),” Cooke said.
The district will soon present a positive behavioral program, Cooke said, but held off introducing that plan to teachers and faculty so it didn’t get lost in the hustle and bustle of back-to-school and the opening of two new campuses.
“We want to do it right, not just throw it out there,” she said, adding that the district is moving toward a district-wide character education program.
Williams also said he is hoping to bring Brooks Gibbs to address students. Gibbs is a nationally renowned youth motivational speaker who for more than a decade has spoken in schools on issues surrounding bullying.
A district-wide discipline team as well as a team at each campus will collect and review data periodically, Williams said.
“Once (the new implementation process) is set into motion, it’s not one of those go forth and conquer kind of things. We will review periodically, and if we need to make adjustments, we can sooner rather than wait until the end of the year,” Williams said.
“We’ve got the policy, now we have the plan,” Cooke said.
Reference Link: http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/kilgore-isd-forms-bullying-guide/article_69ddc68e-7820-583f-bf36-dc4c772e07b3.html
After an examination of district policies, Superintendent Cara Cooke said, it became clear the policy didn’t need to change, but how it was used.
“A policy is only as good as its implementation, and that’s where we came at this from,” she said of a new step-by-step guide that aims to ensure all incidents are handled equally according to the existing policy.
The district’s review of the matter began after Todd McElmurry filed a grievance with the school board in May claiming personnel failed to respond sufficiently after his son was bullied by a fellow student at Kil-gore Heights Elementary School.
Board members agreed with McElmurry the incident met the definition of bullying and began what Cooke called a thorough district-wide examination of how discipline policies were being handled.
“We wanted to think it through and react logically rather than emotionally,” she said. “The point of discipline is to help our kids grow and change behaviors.”
Deputy Superintendent Dennis Williams said a June 11 meeting with all principals and assistant principals provided opportunity for discussion and review of discipline reports to identify problem areas.
“Bullying was on the list, but not at the top of the list,” he said.
Reports were collected and data was broken down by campus and individual classrooms.
Classrooms where a higher number of discipline reports were filed could mean a teacher needed more classroom management training, Williams said.
Officials then met with attorney Haley Turner for an update on laws regarding student discipline and assistance in preparing a new discipline matrix — a plan for how the district will handle different types of infractions at each campus.
“We also added an element (to the discipline matrix) to make sure implementations are age and grade appropriate,” Williams said.
On Tuesday, the school board reviewed the result of those meetings — the KISD Administration Anti-Bullying Toolkit — a binder with step-by-step guidelines for principals investigating and documenting reports of bullying and harassment.
“This is no ‘watered-down version’ — it is a district piece,” Cooke said.
When an incident of bullying is reported, a checklist in the handbook will be to used by principals to gather information. Once compiled, six steps will be used to determine whether the incident qualifies as bullying or harassment under school policy.
Responsive steps are then outlined.
“This ensures consistency, it ensures equal treatment for equal infractions,” Williams said. “It also says ‘this is the way we are going to investigate.’ ”
Copies of local and state discipline policies, as well as sample letters for parents or guardians of children accused of, or subjected to, bullying are part of the manual, as well as options for correcting conduct that include separating students or appointing an escort.
“This is not just bullying prevention. It is bigger than that. It is about changing a culture,” Cooke said.
A sample stay-away agreement is also included, and can be signed by students, or representatives for students who are too young to sign, Williams said, adding that oil and water don’t mix, and sometimes the best answer it to separate students.
“We’re also looking proactively at methods to break that cycle (of bullying),” Cooke said.
The district will soon present a positive behavioral program, Cooke said, but held off introducing that plan to teachers and faculty so it didn’t get lost in the hustle and bustle of back-to-school and the opening of two new campuses.
“We want to do it right, not just throw it out there,” she said, adding that the district is moving toward a district-wide character education program.
Williams also said he is hoping to bring Brooks Gibbs to address students. Gibbs is a nationally renowned youth motivational speaker who for more than a decade has spoken in schools on issues surrounding bullying.
A district-wide discipline team as well as a team at each campus will collect and review data periodically, Williams said.
“Once (the new implementation process) is set into motion, it’s not one of those go forth and conquer kind of things. We will review periodically, and if we need to make adjustments, we can sooner rather than wait until the end of the year,” Williams said.
“We’ve got the policy, now we have the plan,” Cooke said.
Reference Link: http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/kilgore-isd-forms-bullying-guide/article_69ddc68e-7820-583f-bf36-dc4c772e07b3.html
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