UMSD considers Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

Dr. Suzanne Bell, director of student services and supervisor of secondary special education, gave a presentation at the Feb. 3 school board meeting that may systematically eradicate bullying throughout the district one day.

She asked the Programs and Services committee to consider the district-wide benefits of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), a program developed in 1970s Norway.

"Bullying has been going on for years," Bell said. "We are always looking for ways of stopping bullying."

She said that the current methods and programs implemented by the district address bullying prevention and issues at different grade-levels, which may result in the loss of bullying prevention knowledge over the years.

"This program is comprehensive," Bell said. "It is set up both at the administrative, teacher and school level."

According to the OBPP website, the program is specifically designed to stem the growth of bullying at early grade levels leading up to high school. This is accomplished through ongoing lessons that build on clearly defining  bullying, and the related consequences.

The initital steps in the program consist of an OBPP coordinating committee of five faculty and staff working with an OBPP trainer t0 customize the program to each school.

The program then is presented as lessons in the classroom for the students to identify and discuss bullying practices.  

Surveys are taken by students before and intermittently during the program's implementation, helping gauge its effectiveness.

Bell said that Family Services of Montgomery County, a nonprofit social service agency, recently received a grant to help Montgomery County school districts adopt the program.

"I know in the past we didn't approach this program because of the cost," Bell said. "This is like a Christmas gift."

According to Bell, the program could be implemented at the Intermediate and Middle Schools at a cost of $16,000.

During the two-day OBPP training, the board would also have to cover substitutions of the 10 faculty and staff, which would cost the district nearly $3,000.

She said that the program has a noted history of success in significantly reducing bullying throughout the nation's school districts.

At the meeting, Dr. Robert Milrod, superintendent of schools, explained that bullying remains an issue with students in Upper Moreland and other school districts. 

"The nature of bullying changes to a degree from Intermediate school to Middle school and from Middle school to High school," Milrod said. "[OBPP] helps students on their level."

Neighboring school districts have either taken advantage of the grant or have flit the bill themselves, including: Norristown, Lower Merion, Lower Moreland and Wissahickon school districts.

Other school districts currently deciding on adopting the program include Abington and North Penn.

Bell would like to see the program implemented at the Intermediate School by this spring, and at the Middle School by the fall.