Bullying research has shown that effective bullying prevention programs facilitate a change in social norms within a community, thus creating a collective identity that takes a stand against acts of violence. What does this mean? In most school communities, only a small percentage of students are directly involved in bullying incidents, either as aggressors or victims. However, many students are silent witnesses or bystanders who do not report or confront the bully out of fear of becoming victims themselves. The silence of the bystanders is interpreted by the bullies as approval for their behavior and therefore perpetuates the cycle of aggression. The true power behind an effective prevention program consists of giving the bystanders the tools and mechanisms to report and/or take a stand against a bullying situation.

For this reason, ASFG's bullying prevention program seeks to transform, through a continuous process of dialogue and reflection, the community's social norms and reinforce the school's identity as that of a caring community. Ultimately, the program's purpose is to transmit the enormous power and responsibility that each member of the school has when witnessing any type of aggression or harmful behavior.

ASFG's Bullying Prevention Program seeks to educate the school community about bullying and how to address it. It is intended to reduce the number of students who are involved in bullying situations and to provide the community with tools to recognize and report bullying behavior. The program consists of five main areas:

• Human Development Program: Through this program, students learn and practice skills that allow them to continue developing and nurturing healthy relationships. Students are able to focus on their personal and social development and identify indicators of unhealthy relationships, bullying situations and conflicts. Students are exposed to tools that help them address harmful relationships and situations.

• Workshops: Workshops on topics related to bullying prevention are offered to ASFG staff and parents. The main goals of the workshops are to communicate relevant and updated information about the school's policies, offer mechanisms for dealing with bullying situations and to create a common language and understanding among the different members of the school.

• School and section events that focus on a caring community: Every year, time is designated to reinforce and celebrate our values as a caring community. Through a collaborative effort, teachers and students of all sections participate in different activities that promote a caring school climate.

• Bullying Survey: Students participate in a bullying survey every two years. These surveys provide the school with valuable information about students' perceptions and experiences. The data is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and establish new goals. Students and teachers also reflect on these survey results, using critical thinking and extrapolating from the data to their own experience.

• Class meetings: The purpose of class meetings is to build class cohesion and community, teach bullying prevention, and help students understand their role and the consequences of bullying behaviors. Class meetings provide opportunities for students to be heard in a safe environment and enhance communication among peers.

ASFG is committed to providing a supportive, caring, and safe environment where all members can work and learn in order to fulfill the mission and learning goals of the school. Parents, teachers, students, and the rest of the school community have a responsibility to contribute to the protection an d maintenance of this environment. This bullying prevention policy is intended to establish and communicate the philosophy, expectations, and practices of the school and its community members to prevent and address bullying.

Bullying is any type of verbal, social, cyber, or physical aggression against a person, which is repeated and intended to harm. The underlying purpose of bullying is to humiliate or hurt another person. A bullied person is one who repeatedly is exposed to the negative actions of one or more persons. One of the key elements that define a bullying situation is the imbalance of power between the involved parties, such as an older student harassing a younger student.

Bullying may include, but it is not limited to:

Verbal Bullying

• name calling, teasing

• making fun of or being disrespectful of another person's physical characteristics, nationality, creed or beliefs, color, size, physical challenge or disability, family problems, sexual orientation, ability to learn, or athletic ability

• using inappropriate language (i.e., swearing)

• spreading lies or rumors about a person

• laughing at another's misfortune

• inciting others to fight or bully someone in any way

• putting someone down

Threatening

• threatening to physically hurt a person if he/she does not comply with certain requests

• using antagonistic language toward someone

Social Exclusion

• not allowing a person to play with or to participate in group activities

• forming a circle of friends or group on the playground or in the hallways so that another person cannot join

• speaking with a group so that one person is excluded either because of language or slang used only by the group

• ignoring a person

• refusing to be someone's friend or participating in a group's efforts to isolate or exclude someone

• refusing to allow someone his or her place in a line

Cyber Bullying

• negatively targeting a person using any type of technological device and/or network

• posting/sending comments, photographs, videos and/or icons that threaten, embarrass, put down, intimidate, exclude, insult, or hurt another person

• forcing somebody else to make aggressive posts/messages

• creating and/or participating in any site or social network that is harmful to others

• excluding somebody from a cyber group with the intention of hurting them

• creating false accounts in someone else's name that is used to hurt another individual(s)

• spreading rumors in any way with the use of technology (using names or anonymously)

• gaining unauthorized access to anyone's accounts with the intention to harm

Physical Bullying

• pushing, shoving, hitting or poking

• pulling someone's clothes

• fighting Vandalism, Extortion/Theft

• damaging someone's property or locker

• breaking someone's school utensils

• writing on someone's notebook or binder without their consent or permission

• taking someone's lunch money or lunch

• taking/hiding someone else's property

Conflict is part of everyday life and might occur because needs are not met or because individuals have different perspectives. Conflicts can have positive or negative results, depending on how we choose to solve them. In a conflict situation, the two parties involved have equal power and therefore can negotiate a solution. On the other hand, one of the key elements that define a bullying situation is the imbalance of power.

While ASFG intervenes in all situations that in volve our students' well being, it is important to understand that not all problematic situations are bullying. Conflict exists in all human interactions and can lead to learning opportunities. Therefore, it is very important to identify the type of situation is at hand in order to be able to respond adequately.

The ASFG community has an important role to play in bullying prevention and intervention. All ASFG members or visitors need to be aware of students' interactions and be prepared to report bullying incidents. ASFG staff members are trained to intervene appropriately in situations they observe. Students are trained to intervene and stand up to bullying situations they witness. Effective reporting includes a detailed written report (see "Reporting Procedure") and also speaking with a school administrator or counselor in person. Confidentiality is maintained by school administrators and counselors in order to protect all parties involved. Confidentiality ensures that parties are not labeled and it encourages other students and community members to come forward to describe bullying incidents. Parents, students, and the school have various roles in prevention, intervention, and reporting:

The Role of Parents

ASFG mandates that parents attend three bullying prevention workshops throughout their child's academic career. If parents suspect their child is a victim, witness, or a participant in bullying situations, they must take immediate action to involve the school. The intervention of an adult is usually the only way to break the cycle of harassment. ASFG recommends that parents:

• Encourage your child to spend time with friends; children with a supportive group of friends are less likely to become victims of bullying.

• Inform the school (teacher, counselor or administrator) of any concerns about bullying (see "Reporting Procedure"). Do not seek justice on your child's behalf. Encourage your child to seek help from a school authority.

• Communicate and empathize with your child so that he/she does not feel embarrassed to discuss their problems.

• Keep the conversation focused on what your child's actions were and what he/she could have done differently.

• Model respectful relationships with appropriate boundaries.

• Encourage your child to be kind and empathetic towards others.

• Teach your child to set limits and deal with problems with assertiveness rather than aggression.

• Do not justify your child's behavior. Even though a person may be angry, hurt, or alone, this does not give him/her the right to hurt others.

• Encourage your son/daughter to speak up when they witness a bullying situation.

The Role of Students

Students must take an active role to reduce bullying incidents. Students are often neither bullies nor victims, but witnesses of bullying situations. Students who witness an incident of harassment play a key role in perpetuating or stopping the situation. The following are some strategies students can use:

• Report the situation to a teacher, counselor or administrator regardless of whether you are a victim or a witness of a bullying situation. Reports will remain confidential (see "Reporting Procedure").

• Be assertive and tell the other student(s) to stop.

• Stay safe by building friendships with other classmates, staying away from aggressors, avoiding unsupervised areas, etc.

• Avoid reacting angrily or violently to the harassment situation.

• Support classmates by openly rejecting bullying and harassment behaviors.

The Role of ASFG

The school's role is to prevent bullying situations through education and intervention. Each section accomplishes this in an age-appropriate manner and attuned to the needs of their students and teachers. ASFG Bullying Prevention Program

Reporting Procedure: If a potential bullying situation arises, community members have a responsibility to initiate the intervention process by submitting a formal report. The report should include specific details including:

• What happened

• Who was involved

• Where and when it took place

• Who may have witnessed the incident

• Whether this was the first time this situation was observed or the reporting party observed the situation on repeated occasions (Include a description of previous incidents if observed on repeated occasions)

The reporting party's actions during the incident (simply observed; intervened, defended, attacked, notified an authority, etc.) This report should be submitted to the section administrative team (Principal, Assistant Principal, or counselor[s]) in writing using the report form found in each section office.

Intervention Procedure: The following is an overview of the process that is followed by the counselors and the administrative teams of each section after an official report has been submitted:

• Interview with the alleged victim

• Interview with the alleged aggressor(s)

• Interview with observers

• Assessment of the situation and determination of consequences as appropriate

• Follow-up communication with involved parties

Intervention: Disciplinary decisions made by teachers and administrators are determined after a due and fair process taking into consideration the developmental stage, history, needs of the student, the seriousness of the infraction, and school safety. The school may choose to use meetings, reflections, counseling, action plans, restitution plans, detention, suspension, the temporary suspension of rights, or expulsion as ways to discipline students who bully. Parents will be informed of all serious issues concerning their son/daughter and the process used for establishing appropriate consequences; they will be expected to support the school's decision with respect to those consequences. Guidance from ASFG counselors, a psychologist, or an external professional may be recommended. Confidentiality of these decisions is a critical component of the process so that students are not labeled and can learn from the experience.