Bullying: How Valley View Handles The Problem

BOLINGBROOK, IL — Bullying is not a new problem, but the issue of bullying has evolved with technology like the rise of social media. As part of its National Bullying Prevention Month coverage, Patch contacted administrators of dozens of public school districts in Chicago area suburbs to see how they handle bullying in their communities.

Across the country, bullying is a problem that affects more than one in three students. Studies show that students who are bullied are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, poor self-image, mental health and behavior problems and poor school adjustment.

The Bullying Menace: What Valley View Parents Are Saying

Bullying is a problem in most communities, and Bolingbrook is no different. Valley View School District did not provide Patch with statistics on recent bullying incidents. Oswego's School District 308 said there were 24 reported cases of bullying last school year. Plainfield's District 202 said it had 54 confirmed cases and 326 complaints. (Plainfield has 10,000 more students in its school system than Oswego.)

How do you define bullying? What does it rise to the level of being actionable?

Kathy Batistich, Valley View Community Outreach Coordinator: Bullying is not a single act of unkindness. One, it's a repeated act. Secondly, it is meant to hurt or humiliate another person, and third, it involves a balance of power.

Rachel Kinder, Assistant Superitendent for Educational Services: We look at every situation as a need for support. If it's a peer-to-peer conflict and a student is struggling with some problem solving skills ... It's not defined as bullying, but it's an instance where we would still step in and support the student. That's on the reactive side. We're always building those skills on the reactive side, and equip students to deal with challenges or issues or they encounter.

Lisa Allen, Director Of Student Support: We have great support staff in each of our schools. We have school social workers, school psychologists, learning environment coordinators, counselors. In addition to that, we have many wonderful community partners. Heart Haven Outreach, Guiding Light Counseling and Heart Grove Behavioral Health Hospital. We have a partnership with Heart Grove where their therapists are pushed into our buildings, as needed.

How has social media changed the issue of bullying?

Batistich: Well especially at the secondary level, middle school and high school, I would say social media is a component in nearly every instance of bullying and even student conflict. Even just over the past 10 to 15 years, it's really changed the dynamic. The resolution is so much more complex, because when students leave us, they go home and their accessible all night through social media. We can't just problem solve in our school building and then think the student won't have to contend with it outside of school.

Allen: We have an online anonymous reporting system called Sprigeo, we've had it in this district since 2012. I can tell you that 100 percent of things that get reported through Sprigeo are responded to by school staff. It's more often than not people reporting bullying, it's people reporting someone they know in need of mental health support. That's why I read them immediately. We respond, day or night.

What is the district's policy on bullying? What is the official stance on bullying?

Allen: Every reported incident is investigated, and not just bullying [reports]. There are systems in place for students to report things that are concerning to them, including teachers through to student services and administration. The staff does the job of following up with that, gathering more information ... and dealing with it accordingly. Dealing with it accordingly is a wide range of options. [Ed. note: the district handbook says punishment for bullying can include suspension or expulsion.]

What we've learned is that what really makes a difference is what we do on the proactive side. We put a lot of effort into creating school environments that are safe and build skills inside our students to collaborate and work with each other. We focus daily on greeting each other by name, student to student, adult to student, and using eye contact. The statistics show that there's a significant reduction in bullying when people greet each other by name and use eye contact. Where we see the impact is, students are able to work these things out on the classroom level. And when they're not, they feel comfortable going to an adult.

What systems are in place to help students dealing with bullying?

Kinder: Having those community partnerships, as well as a strong school services team, to have them intervene with a child that is really struggling with bullying. There's mental health services. There's an immediate response in terms of ensuring safety and in some cases maybe a safety plan is created. We then look to what the additional steps are.

How do you incorporate parents into bullying prevention and policing?

Allen: If a bullying investigation ensues, it is immediate. There are time requirements for parents to be notified on both sides of the investigation. Communication is always part of the process. Our policy

Kinder: Sometimes parents are the first ones to bring it to my attention. Other times they are the last ones to become aware of it. Our number one goal is to partner with the parents. We can't do it alone at school, but with parents, we can be stronger. It helps us manage the situation. We definitely want parents as partners in any situation involving a student's well being.