Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or expression, unfavorable discharge from military service, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited at Britten School. No student shall be subjected to bullying:
- During any school-sponsored education program or activity
- While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus stops waiting for the school bus, or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities
- Through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment
Britten School utilizes a three tier framework evidence based public health approach to bullying prevention. The tiers are as follows:
Tier One– Includes universal prevention which is school wide systems for all students, staff and settings. These include twice weekly social skills groups, weekly all school community meeting, structured classrooms and continuous supervision of students based on a low faculty to student ratio. Faculty training on bullying prevention will occur throughout the school year. During October which is Bullying Prevention Month, school-wide assemblies and Pledge Days will be planned.
Tier Two– Includes selective prevention which is specialized group intervention and supports for students with risky behavior such as changing a student’s classroom placement or assigning seating on bus to and from school and requesting additional supervision on a school bus. Faculty also provides small group processing for bus related incidents and peer mediation when clinically appropriate.
Tier Three– Includes individual prevention such as one to one processing, meeting with a parent, meeting with the referring school district if problem is repetitive and severe, special programming such as removal from group therapy and possibly social skills group and replaced with individual therapy, and/or removal from the school bus. Loss of good standing will be in effect, which curtails social privileges throughout the school day. In-School Suspension which will provide intensive clinical treatment for one or more days as deemed appropriate dependent on the offense and developmental level of the students. The targeted peer has the right to make an impact statement with the perceived bully.