Bullying Prevention Policy

 

The safety and security of our students is Jeanine Schultz School’s top priority. This Bullying Prevention Policy is created pursuant to and is in compliance with Section 27-23. 7 of the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/27-23.7). Jeanine Schultz School serves a unique population of students with disabilities and, therefore, the policy set forth herein is tailored to address the needs of Jeanine Schultz School’s student population. Jeanine Schultz endeavors to provide its students with a warm, nurturing and safe environment in which our students’ individual emotional, social, and behavioral needs may be addressed.

Bullying causes physical, psychological, and emotional harm to students which interferes with a safe, civil, and healthy learning environment. Additionally, bullying has been linked to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as vandalism, shoplifting, skipping or dropping out of school, fighting, use of drugs/alcohol, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, physical appearance, socioeconomic status, academic status, pregnancy, parenting status, homelessness, age, marital status, military status, physical or mental disability, 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 strictly prohibited at Jeanine Schultz.

No student shall be subjected to bullying:

  1. During any school-sponsored education program or activity;
  2. While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities;
  3. Through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment; or
  4. Through the transmission of information from a computer that is accessed at a nonschool-related location, activity, function, or program or from the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased, or used by a school if the bullying causes a substantial disruption to the education process or orderly operation of a school. This item (4) applies only in cases in which a school administrator or teacher receives a report that bullying through this means has occurred and does not require a school to staff or monitor any non-school-related activity, function or program.

Nothing in this policy is intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution under Section 3 of Article 1 of the Illinois Constitution.

 

Definitions

Bullying, includes cyber-bullying (as defined below), and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

  • A) Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student or students’ person or property;
  • B) Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student or students’ physical or mental health;
  • C) Substantially interfering with the student or students’ academic performance; or
  • D) Substantially interfering with the student or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the school.

Bullying may take various forms, including without limitation one or more of the following: harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is intended to be illustrative and non-exhaustive.

Cyber-bullying is defined as bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system, or photo-optical system, including without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. “Cyber-bullying” includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or the knowing impersonation of another person, as the author of posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying in this policy. “Cyber-bullying” also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying per this policy.

Restorative Measures means a continuum of school-based alternatives to exclusionary discipline, such as suspensions and expulsions, that: (i) are adapted to the particular needs of the school and community, (ii) contribute to maintaining school safety, (iii) protect the integrity of a positive and productive learning climate, (iv) teach students the personal and interpersonal skills they will need to be successful in school and society, (v) serve to build and restore relationships among students, families, schools, and communities, (vi) reduce the likelihood of future disruption by balancing accountability with an understanding of students’ behavioral health needs in order to keep students in school, and (vii) increase student accountability if the incident of bullying is based on religion, race, ethnicity, or any other category that is identified in the Illinois Human Rights Act.

School personnel means persons employed by, on contract with, or who volunteer in the school, including without limitation school administrators, teachers, school service providers (e.g., school social workers, school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses), cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, school resource officers, and/or security guards.

 

Bullying Report Process

Bullying is strictly prohibited by Illinois law and contrary to Jeanine Schultz’ policies.

Anyone, including staff members, students and/or parents/guardians, having knowledge of any such incident(s) considered to be acts of bullying as defined in this policy are encouraged to immediately report bullying to the Executive Director, Principal and/or Human Resources Representative. A report may be made orally or in writing to the above-named individual(s), whose contact information is provided below. Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to Executive Director, Principal, and/or Human Resource Representative. Anonymous reports may also be made in writing and provided to the address below, however, this shall not be construed to permit formal disciplinary action solely on the basis of an anonymous report.

Executive Director, Michael Biskupski
Principal, Jody Rubin
Human Resources, Tim Manning
Jeanine Schultz School
2101 Oakton Street
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
Phone: 847-696-3315
E-mail: jss.admin@jeanineschultzschool.org

 

Response to Bullying Reports

Upon receipt of a report or bullying, Jeanine Schultz will investigate whether such reported act of bullying is within the permissible scope of its jurisdiction pursuant to this policy.

Consistent with federal and state laws and rules governing student privacy rights, as applicable to Jeanine Schultz, and Jeanine Schultz’s policies, the parents/guardians of all students involved in an alleged incident of bullying will be notified of such, along with threats, suggestions, or instances of self-harm determined to be the result of bullying, within 24 hours after the school’s administration is made aware of the student’s involvement in the incident. As appropriate, the Executive Director, or his designee, will inform all parents/guardians of those students involved in the alleged incident of bullying and discuss, as appropriate, the need for interventions and availability of services, such as individual counseling, social work services, group counseling, and restorative measures. Jeanine Schultz shall make diligent efforts to notify a parent/guardian, utilizing all contact information the school has available or that can be reasonably obtained by the school within the 24-hour period.

Please be advised that Jeanine Schultz serves a unique, population of students with disabilities. As a result, upon receiving a report of bullying, each instance is assessed on a case-by-case basis, as determined to be appropriate by Jeanine Schultz, keeping in mind the individual functioning, needs, and disabilities of those students involved. Due to certain deficits of students, Jeanine Schultz strives to ensure that acts that occur as a result of a student’s disability are not misinterpreted as intentional acts of bullying. Any action deemed to be an intentional act of bullying would be addressed and investigated fully as required by this policy.

If determined to be appropriate for investigation and within the school’s jurisdiction, Jeanine Schultz staff and/or administrators will comply with the following procedure for promptly investigating and addressing the report(s) of bullying:

Reasonable efforts will be made to complete the investigation within ten (10) school days after the date the report of the incident of bullying was received and taking into consideration additional relevant information received during the course of the investigation about the reported incident of bullying.

  • Any reports of bullying will be kept confidential to the extent possible given the need to investigate the reported claim.
  • School support personnel and other staff members with relevant knowledge and experience and training on bullying prevention, may be involved in the investigation process, as deemed appropriate.
  • The Executive Director, Principal, and/or Human Resources or his/her designee, shall be notified of all reports of bullying as soon as possible after the report is made.
  • Consistent with the applicable federal and state law, and Jeanine Schultz’s policies regarding student privacy and confidentiality, parents/guardians of the students who are parties to the investigation may be provided relevant information regarding the investigation, as deemed appropriate by the Executive Director, Principal, and/or Human Resources, or his/her designee, and an opportunity to meet with the Executive Director, Principal, and/or Human Resources, or his/her designee, to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, and the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying, as deemed appropriate.

Jeanine Schultz may implement interventions to address reports of bullying. The following are interventions that may be taken to address bullying in the school include school social work services, restorative measures, social-emotional skill building, counseling, school psychological services, and community-based services. Any student who is determined, after an investigation, to have engaged in bullying will be subject to disciplinary consequences as deemed appropriate and consistent with Jeanine Schultz’s disciplinary policies, and/or the disciplinary policies of the student’s referring school district, as applicable and deemed appropriate. Please be advised that Jeanine Schultz is a nonpublic, therapeutic school and an agent of Illinois placing school districts, as such, Jeanine Schultz may share information regarding incidents of bullying with the referring school district(s) of those students involved in a bullying incident, and an individualized education program (“IEP”) meeting may be convened to discuss the impact, if any, on the student’s current educational program, placement, supports and services. Additional services that are available within the referring school district and community, such as counseling, support services, and other programs, should be discussed directly with the student’s referring school district by the parent/guardian.

Students who make good faith complaints will not be disciplined. Any retaliation or reprisal against any person who reports an act of bullying per this policy is a violation of this policy and strictly prohibited. Such reprisal or retaliation will be treated as bullying for the purpose of determining appropriate consequences. Further, consequences and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken as deemed necessary by Jeanine Schultz and consistent with the school’s disciplinary policies for the person engaging in retaliation or reprisal against any person who reports an act of bullying. No person will be subject to consequences for making a good-faith report of bullying. Appropriate consequences and remedial action which are consistent with the schools disciplinary policies, may also be taken against a person found to have falsely accused another of bullying as a means of retaliation or as a means of bullying.

 

Policy Evaluation

Please also note the following related to the development, notification and publication, and evaluation of this policy:

  • This policy is consistent with Jeanine Schultz’s other policies.
  • Jeanine Schultz will engage in a policy review and revaluation process every two years to assess the outcomes and effectiveness of this policy and shall make any necessary and appropriate revisions. This review process includes, but may not be limited to, collecting and assessing the following information:
    • The frequency of victimization;
    • Student, staff, and family observations of safety at a school;
    • Identification of areas of the school where bullying occurs;
    • The types of bullying utilized; and
    • Bystander intervention or participation.
  • Accordingly, Jeanine Schultz may use relevant data and information it already collects for other purposes in this policy evaluation. The information developed or collected as part of this evaluation process will be made available through the school’s website or otherwise provided to Jeanine Schultz’s board, administrators, school personnel, parents, and students.
  • This policy is based on engagement with a range of school stakeholders, including students and parents/guardians.
  • This policy can be found on the school’s existing, publicly accessible website, is included in the student handbook, and where other policies, rules, or standards of conduct are currently posted in the school. A copy of this policy may also be requested from the Executive Director or Principal.
  • This policy will also be provided periodically through the school year to students and faculty and distributed annually to parents, guardians, students, and school personnel, including new employees when hired.
  • No later than September 30th of the subject year, the policy must be filed with the State Board of Education after being updated.

Original Sent to ISBE/Creation Date: 08/01/2017
Policy Review & Board Approval Date: 09/26/2024