Bullying
The Appleton Area School District is committed to providing students with a safe, secure, and healthy school environment that allows all students to maximize their learning potential.
The Board of Education considers bullying to be detrimental to the health and safety of students and disruptive to the educational process and is prohibited.
What is bullying?
Bullying is deliberate or intentional behavior using words or actions, intended to cause fear, intimidation or harm. Bullying includes aggressive and hostile behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power between the bully and the bullied and is behavior that is repeated over time rather than an isolated incident.
This behavior may include but is not limited to physical and verbal assaults, nonverbal or emotional threats or intimidation, harassment, social exclusion and isolation, extortion, use of computer or telecommunications to send messages that are embarrassing, slanderous, threatening or intimidating (cyber-bullying). Bullying may also include teasing, put-downs, name calling, rumors, false accusations, and hazing. Bullying based on sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, cognitive, emotional or learning disability in its education programs or activities is also prohibited by law and Board policy. In addition, the District prohibits bullying or discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.
Bullying behavior is prohibited in all schools, buildings, properties, educational environments as well as on any school grounds or school buses. This includes any property or vehicle owned, leased, contracted, or used by the AASD such as public transportation regularly used by students to go to and from school and to school-sponsored events.
Students who engage in any form of bullying behavior at school or at a school-sponsored activity, will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Board policy. This action may include off campus behavior that causes substantial disruption to the educational environment. Consequences and sanctions for such actions, including retaliating against someone for reporting bullying behavior, may include but are not limited to, parent notification, suspension, expulsion, or referral to law enforcement officials for possible legal action. Student services staff will support the identified victim.
Read the full Board Policy, 443.71 here.
Bully & Incident Reporting
If you think there’s a threat to you, a friend, your school, or the community, don’t wait. SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT with a confidential tip that can bring much-needed help.
Are staff trained?
Education, intervention, awareness, and prevention exists for staff and students to ensure a learning environment that is free of bullying or intimidation. Staff have participated in Bullying Prevention training. This training focuses on pre-correction of inappropriate behavior, rewarding the use of the three-step response, and responding to reports of disrespectful behavior.
It is well known that schools are successful when they help children grow academically, socially, and emotionally. For this to happen, it is imperative that we have a safe environment that is supportive and conducive to growth. By setting forth clear social and behavioral expectations, it is our goal to create an atmosphere for learning.
What can families do?
To be most effective, bullying prevention efforts are the shared responsibility of parents/guardians, staff, and the community. Parental pride and involvement in the school sets a positive example for children. As adults, we can:
- Teach self-respect
- Discuss the seriousness and negative effects of bullying behaviors
- Work together with your student’s school to develop a consistent approach to bullying behaviors
- Set a good example. Children learn more by actions than from words
Resources
Bullying Prevention Resources
National Bullying Prevention Center Resources
StopBullying.gov
DPI Brochure for Parents