October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Together, with our students, staff and families, IUSD schools continue to raise awareness and support kind and respectful school cultures. Below are five fast facts about bullying prevention on our campuses.
- Bullying is preventable. Everyone has a role to play in preventing bullying. Effective bullying prevention approaches the problem from many angles and involve staff, students and families in creating a culture of respect. We help educate students about this important topic, including how to seek help, encourage them to engage in kindness, create opportunities for social connectedness, and to stand up for others. To learn what you can do at home, visit stopbullying.gov for more information.
- We promote positive behaviors and welcoming school communities. All IUSD schools, implement Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, also known as PBIS, which establishes student expectations for the learning and teaching environment, social culture and campus norms. PBIS helps us support students by educating, preventing and/or addressing behaviors such as bullying and encourages a culture of respect and kindness.
- Our schools offers a variety of social-emotional supports to prevent and address bullying. Our school staff, including teachers, mental health team members, counselors, nurses, administrators and other staff are here to listen, help and support our students.
- IUSD schools promote positive digital citizenship and the appropriate use of social media. We use Common Sense Media curriculum that provides information and resources for staff, students and families. Please click here to learn more about K-12 digital citizenship in IUSD. Included in this resources is digital citizenship presentation for parents.
- We encourage students to say something. We want all students to know they are not alone and their voice matters, so speak up, we care. Our school staff strive to create positive relationships with students so they have a trusted adult they can share their concerns with. Also, IUSD’s Say Something Anonymous Reporting System enables students to seek support anonymously for themselves or for friends.
For comprehensive information about bullying, cyber bullying, and IUSD actions, visit iusd.org/BullyingPrevention. For mental health and other supports, visit iusd.org/Prevention and iusd.org/Counseling.