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Salem Church Middle School

EXPLORE

Promote Respect

Promote Respect is how CCPS educates parents, staff, and students about bullying prevention. It is a year-long program that focuses on proactive and positive interventions to teach expectations of respect and provides opportunities for students to practice those skills and make it part of their daily routine. The program uses consistent language to identify what respect looks like and sounds like. It also outlines procedures to report, investigate, and intervene when bullying behavior occurs. 

Promote Respect was developed using research-based practices and it fulfills the state mandate requiring each school board to implement policy and procedures to educate stakeholders about bullying to create a respectful school climate free of bullying. Staff receive proactive training in ways to prevent and intervene in bullying situations and students are educated about preventing and reporting bullying behavior. Each school implements and reinforces Promote Respect through their PBIS, SEL, and counseling work throughout the school year. Schools continuously monitor data and assess areas of need in order to make adjustments necessary to promote positive school climates.

What is bullying?

The Chesterfield County Public Schools Code of Conduct defines bullying as any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. Bullying includes cyber bullying but does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument, or peer conflict. 

Cyberbullying means bullying that occurs through the use of technology including through cell phones and other electronic devices or technology capable of accessing the internet.

 

Reporting

Employees are required to report immediately to the principal or designee any instance of bullying the staff member becomes aware of or witnesses. When a bullying allegation is reported to school administration, the school is responsible for investigating and documenting all allegations of bullying. All allegations (whether substantiated or not) of bullying, shall be recorded in STOPit.

The school division expects and encourages students, parents or guardians, and others who witness or become aware of an instance of bullying to report it to the principal or a trusted member of the school staff. Reporting may occur in-person, via phone call, electronic communication such as email, or by using STOPit, the system’s bullying reporting communication tool. 

  • If it is an emergency, dial 911
  • If you have knowledge of a crime, call the Chesterfield County Police at 804-748-1251.
  • If you have information about a serious mental health concern, call the Chesterfield County crisis hotline at 804-748-6356.
Report Builying

Responding to a report of bullying

Before fully investigating the allegations of bullying or retaliation, the principal or designee will take steps to assess the need to restore a sense of safety for the alleged target and protect them from further incidents. Responses to safety will include notifying parents/guardians that a report has been received in addition to actions tailored to create a safe environment for students based on the unique circumstances of the situation.

Investigating a report of bullying

Reports of bullying will be promptly investigated by considering all available information. During the investigation, the school based team will, among other things, interview students, staff, witnesses, parents or guardians, and others as necessary. Administration will remind all parties that retaliation is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action. 

Upon concluding the investigation, the principal or designee will determine whether the bullying allegation is substantiated based upon all the available evidence. If the allegation is substantiated, the school based team will take steps reasonably determined to prevent recurrence. If the allegation is unsubstantiated, support may still be necessary to address the needs of those involved.

The principal or designee will promptly notify the parents or guardians of involved students of the outcome of the investigation. All findings are documented in STOPit.

Responding to a report of bullying