Anti-Bullying Policy

The NDCS Board is committed to providing a safe, positive learning environment for students. The Board recognizes that bullying creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, detracts from the safe environment necessary for student learning, and may lead to more serious violence. Therefore, the Board prohibits all forms of bullying by NDCS students.  

Bullying as defined by law means an intentional electronic, written, verbal or physical act or series of acts directed at another student or students, which occurs in a school setting, that is severe, persistent or pervasive and has the effect of doing any of the following:

  1. Substantial interference with a student’s education.

  2. Creation of a threatening environment.

  3. Substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school.

 

For Bullying to occur, three (3) major components must be present:

  • Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions.

  • Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time.

  • Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength

 

Bullying may involve the following components

  1. Derogatory comments and bad names

  2. Social exclusion or isolation

  3. Physical harm such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting

  4. Telling lies and spreading false rumors

  5. Having money or other things taken or damaged by others

  6. Being threatened or being forced to do things by others

  7. Racial comments

  8. Inappropriate comments about an individual’s sexual orientation

  9. Harassment via cell phone or Internet

The Board encourages students who have been bullied to promptly report such incidents to the building administrator, completing a Harassment/Bullying Incident Report Form. Find a copy of this form: HERE.

 

The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified.

Confidentiality of all parties shall be maintained. No reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying.

Each student shall be responsible to respect the rights of others and to ensure an atmosphere free from bullying.

Procedures to implement this policy are outlined in the Student Conduct section of the Informational Handbook, which is distributed annually.

The administrator shall ensure that this policy and administrative procedures are reviewed annually with students.

The administrator, in cooperation with the Board, shall review this policy every three (3) years and make necessary revisions.

This policy shall be accessible in every classroom. The policy shall be posted in a prominent location within the school building and on the school’s web site.

 

Consequences For Violations

A student who violates this policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action consistent with the NDCS Disciplinary Guidelines, which may include but is not limited to:

  1. Parental conference.

  2. Loss of school privileges.

  3. Exclusion from school-sponsored activities.

  4. Detention.

  5. Suspension.

  6. Expulsion.

  7. Counseling/Therapy outside of school. 8. Referral to law enforcement officials.

 

Appeal Procedure

If the complainant is not satisfied with a finding of no violation of the policy or with the corrective action recommended in the report, she/he may submit a written appeal to the Board within seven (7) days.