ANTI-BULLYING INFORMATION
POINTS OF CONTACT:
District Anti-Bullying Coordinator
Mr. Christopher Mucha, Hilltop School Principal
mucha@mendhamboroschools.org
Phone: 973-543-4251
Fax: 973-543-2805
Anti-Bullying Specialist at Hilltop Elementary School
Mrs. Nicole Lanka, School Counselor
lanka@mendhamboroschools.org
Phone: 973-543-4175, ext. 150
Anti-Bullying Specialist at Mt. View Middle School
Miss Bridget Walsh, School Counselor
walsh@mendhamboroschools.org
Phone: 973-543-7075
Fax: 973-543-7993
Mt. View Middle School Administrator
Mrs. Aimee Toth, Principal
toth@mendhamboroschools.org
Phone: 973-543-7075
Fax: 973-543-7993
NJDOE State School Climate Coordinator
hib@doe.nj.gov
POLICIES & REPORTS:
Report of Perceived Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying Incident Form for Families - (please submit this report to your building principal)
Report of Perceived Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying Incident Form for LEA - (please submit this report to your building principal)
NJDOE Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) Grade Report:
The Commissioner of Education is required by statute to develop a program to grade each public school and school district's efforts to implement the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. Under the Commissioner’s Program:
The school grade is a raw score of data and the sum of the ratings for all indicators within each core element on the School Self-Assessment (e.g., 65 of 78 points). The maximum total score for a school is 78 points.
The school district’s grade is an average of the total scores of all schools in the school district.
School districts and schools must post the exact grade reports issued by the NJDOE without making any changes to the PDF document to fulfill its responsibilities for posting the grades to the school district and school’s websites.
In order to foster safe and positive learning conditions for students, the school and district grades are part of an integrated process for reinforcing and strengthening a school’s climate and culture through prevention and intervention efforts targeted toward harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB). District and school staff will use the data to educate students, staff and the community about current school practices and engage them in identifying and addressing any areas in need of improvement.
Click on the links below to view the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Grade Reports issued by the NJDOE for Mendham Borough Schools:
For additional information provided by the NJDOE on the prevention, remediation, and reporting of HIB in schools, click here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
In the Mendham Borough School District, we strive to establish an environment of respect. There are instances where respect is not shown and conflicts occur. Working with staff, students and parents, we aim to solve problems peacefully.
WHAT IS HIB AND HOW IS DIFFERENT FROM CODE OF CONDUCT VIOLATIONS?
HIB stands for Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying. It is different than a code of conduct violation because in order for an incident to constitute HIB, evidence of the following must be present:
A reasonable perception of the incident being motivated either by any actual or perceived characteristic;
Substantial disruption or interference with the operation of the school or the rights of other students; and
One or more of the following criteria –
A reasonable person should know, the incident will physically or emotionally harm the student or damage the student's property, or places the student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm himself or his property; or
Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.
Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; o
CAN A FINDING OF HIB BE SUBSTANTIATED IF THE INCIDENT WAS ONLY MOTIVATED BY AN ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED CHARACTERISTIC?
No. Each of three criteria identified in definition of HIB (N.J.S.A. 18A:37-14) must be satisfied for the incident to be deemed HIB.
WHAT IS NOT CONSIDERED HIB?
HIB is not code of conduct violations or disputes between children. Both Hilltop and Mountain View Schools take code of conduct violations very seriously and handle these incidents with appropriate consequences and remedial measures. However, a code of conduct violation does not go through the same procedures involved with HIB cases.
HOW TO REPORT SUSPECTED HIB?
Best practice is always to foster communication with your child’s teacher. Consistent and honest communication can aid in prevention of HIB incidents. However, if necessary, reporting forms are available in the main office as well as on the website www.mendhamboro.org. Completed forms should be turned into the building principal. Reporting of possible HIB incidents should occur as soon as HIB is suspected. This allows the Anti-Bullying Specialist to begin investigation as soon as possible yielding the most reliable information.
CAN A PARENT REFUSE TO ALLOW SCHOOL STAFF TO SPEAK WITH THEIR CHILD?
No. The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act does not require parental consent and does not provide parents with the right to deny a school district permission to interview their child. It is critical for parents/guardians to understand that the school may only consider the information they gather during the HIB process, and must still proceed with the investigation and make a determination. A student who does not speak with school staff or withholds information will not have their side of the story considered in the findings.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD IS ACCUSED OF HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, AND BULLYING?
Don’t panic. Students may pick up on a parent’s anxiety over the situation. Conflict resolution, coping skills, and learning about differences among peers are part of the educational process that the ABR seeks to strengthen in school districts. The ABR is not a criminal statute and students are treated with respect, care, and due regard by administrators, teachers , and the ABS throughout the process. Encourage your student to be truthful and reassure them that staff members are present to help them and all students feel safe and secure when attending school.
HOW DO WE EDUCATE?
Hilltop School nurtures an environment rich with good character and core values. The strength of each character education pillar is infused throughout the building and throughout the school day. The culture and climate of the educational environment should be one in which children feel safe allowing them to learn to their potential. By following the principles of The Responsive Classroom, we seek to establish a community within each class and throughout the building. Through morning meetings, positive teacher language and community rules formation, students establish a rapport and respect for their classmates. Using real-life teachable moments and teaching bystanders to be upstanders give strength to promote our core values.
Mountain View School utilizes their Advisory program to help middle level students develop socially and emotionally, while reinforcing values and pro-social behaviors. Each marking period, students participate in activities that help them engage in self-exploration as it relates to the following topics: community, responsibility, integrity and leadership.
Practicing these skills in a structured setting allows students to enjoy relationships and negotiate life independently and responsibly, while making school meaningful and pleasurable. Effective Advisories allow students to practice what they crave: relationships, autonomy, competence and fun! It promotes a positive school climate, establishes trust in our school community (student-to-student, and student-to-adult), and an adult advocate for each student at Mt. View.