Bullying Policy

Last Updated: January 18, 2023

Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment

Bullying, intimidation, and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn and a Program’s ability to educate. Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors and providing all students equal access to a safe, non-hostile learning environment are important Program goals.

Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, military status, unfavorable discharge status from the military service, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited in each of the following situations:

1. During any program sponsored education program or activity.
2. While in class, on Montessori property, and/or at program sponsored or program sanctioned events or activities.
3. Through the transmission of information from a computer that is accessed at a non-program-related location, activity, function, or program or from the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased, or used by the Program if the bullying causes a substantial disruption to the educational process or orderly operation of a class. This paragraph (item #3) applies only when a school administrator or teacher receives a report that bullying through this means has occurred; it does not require staff members to monitor any non-school-related activity, function, or program.
   

Definitions from 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7

Bullying includes cyber-bullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act of conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

1. Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s or students’ person or property.
2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students’ physical or mental health;
   
3. Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance; or
4. Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a program.
   
   

Cyber-bullying means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system, or photo optical system, including without limitation electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. Cyber bullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyber-bullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying.

Restorative measures means a continuum of program-based alternatives to exclusionary discipline, such as suspensions and expulsions, that: (i) are adapted to the particular needs of the program and community, (ii) contribute to maintaining class safety, (iii) protect the integrity of a positive and productive learning climate, (iv) teach students the personal and interpersonal skills they will need to be successful in class and society, (v) serve to build and restore relationships among students, families, programs, and communities, (vi) reduce the likelihood of future disruption by balancing accountability with an understanding of students’ behavioral health needs in order to keep students in class.

Program personnel means persons employed by, on contract with, or who volunteer in a program, including without limitation program and program administrators, and teachers.

Bullying Prevention and Response Plan

The Director shall develop and maintain a bullying prevention and response plan that advances the Program’s goal of providing all students with a safe learning environment free of bullying and harassment. This plan must be consistent with the requirements listed below; each numbered requirement, 1-12, corresponds with the same number in the list of required policy components in 105 ILCS 5/27- 23.7 (b) 1-12.

1. The Program uses the definition of bullying as provided in this policy.
2. Bullying is contrary to State law and the policy of this Program. However, nothing in the Program’s bullying prevention and response plan is intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or under Section 3 or Article I of the Illinois Constitution.
3. Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying. A report may be made orally or in writing to the Director, Program Administrator, or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking. Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the Program named officials or any staff member. The Program named officials and all staff members are available for help with a bully or to make a report about bullying. Anonymous reports are also accepted.
   
   The Director shall insert into this policy the names, office addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers of the Program’s current Program Administrator.
   
   Program Administrator:
   Nikki Carchedi
   14710 S. Naperville Road Suite 104
   Plainfield, IL 60544
   (815) 254-0136
   Montessoriofplainfield@gmail.com
   
   
4. Consistent with federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights, the Director shall promptly inform the parent(s)/guardian(s) of every student involved in an alleged incident of bullying and discuss, as appropriate, interventions and restorative measures.
5. The Director shall promptly investigate and address reports of bullying, by, among other things:
   
   a. Making all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 class days after the date the report of a bullying incident was received and taking into consideration additional relevant information received during the course of the investigation about the reported bullying incident.
   
   b. Involving appropriate program support personnel and other staff persons with knowledge, experience, and training on bullying prevention, as deemed appropriate, in the investigation process.
   
   c. Notifying the Program Administrator or designee of the reported incident of bullying as soon as possible after the report is received. d. Consistent with federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights, providing parents/guardians of the students who are parties to the investigation information about the investigation and as opportunity to meet with the Director or Program Administrator or his or her designee to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, and the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying.
   
   
6. The Director shall investigate whether a reported incident of bullying is within the permissible scope of the Program’s jurisdiction and shall require that the Program provide the victim with information regarding services that are available within the community, such as counseling, support services, and other programs.
7. The Director shall use interventions to address bullying, that may include, but are not limited to, restorative measures, social-emotional skill building, and community-based services.
8. A reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying is prohibited. A student’s act of reprisal or retaliation will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.
9. A student will not be punished for reporting bullying or supplying information, even if the Program’s investigation concludes that no bullying occurred. However, knowingly making a false accusation or providing knowingly false information will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining any consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.
10. The Program’s bullying prevention and response plan must be based on the engagement of a range of program stakeholders, including students and parents/guardians.
11. The Director shall post this policy on the Program’s website, if any, and include it in the student handbook, and where applicable, post it where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are currently posted. The policy must be distributed annually to parents/guardians, students, and program personnel (including new employees when hired), and must also be provided periodically throughout the program year to students and faculty.
12. The Director shall assist the Board with its evaluation and assessment of this policy’s outcomes and effectiveness. This process shall include, without limitation:
    a. The frequency of victimization;
    b. Student, staff, and family observations or safety in class;
    c. Identification of areas of a program where bullying occurs;
    d. The types of bullying utilized; and
    e. Bystander intervention or participation.
    
    The evaluation process may use relevant data and information that the Program already collects for other purposes. The Director must post the information developed as a result of the policy evaluation on the Program’s website, or if a website if not available, the information must be provided to program administrators, Board members, program personnel, parents/guardians, and students.
    

Acceptable Use of Technology. This policy prohibits students from and provides consequences for: (1) accessing and/or distributing in class any written, printed, or electronic material, including material from the Internet, that will cause substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the program or program activities, and (2) creating and/or distributing written, printed, or electronic material, including photographic material and blogs, that causes substantial disruption to program operations or interferes with the rights of other students or staff members.

Full implementation of the above policies includes each program’s adoption of formal Bullying/Harassment Investigation Procedures requiring: (a) a prompt and thorough investigation of alleged incidents of bullying, intimidation, harassing behavior, or similar conduct, (b) a determination by a preponderance of the evidence that bullying or harassment has occurred; (c) the provision of appropriate consequences and remedial action to students who violate on or more of these policies,(d) protection of students against retaliation for reporting such conduct, and (e) notification of all involved parties the outcome of the Program’s investigation. Such notification must be consistent with the requirements of the Illinois School Student Records Act. Each Class shall utilize the Program’s Student Tracking and Reporting System to maintain and track this information.

Encourages all members of the Montessori community, including students, parents/guardians, volunteers and visitors, to report alleged acts of bullying, intimidation, harassment, and other acts of actual or threatened violence.