Gates Chili Central School District currently implements several measures to prevent and address bullying. In light of recent bullying related incidents, the District is sharing current guidelines and practices. In addition, we will continue to investigate avenues and educational opportunities to address the safety, health and welfare of our students.

Click here to report bullying - Dignity Act Reporting Form

Below are several anti-bullying practices that are currently in place:

CODE OF CONDUCT
Bullying is a behavior that is included in the list of Prohibited Student Conduct as addressed in the District’s Code of Conduct and is subject to disciplinary action. In addition, as part of the District’s Strategic Plan, the Code of Conduct committee is reviewing current guidelines for opportunities of continued improvement. This work will help to ensure that the District’s responses and guidelines are aligned with The Dignity Act, a state law that recognized the need for schools to take proactive measures to prevent and address bullying, which goes into effect next year.  

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Curriculum
District curriculum includes a health unit on violence prevention that is delivered by school nurse teachers. Several anti-bullying related topics are covered such as How to be a Good Friend, Respect for Self and Others, Avoiding Conflict, What’s Special About Me and Making Good Choices.

Florence Brasser Elementary also uses the Second Step Program. This program is designed to reduce impulsive, aggressive behavior in children and to help them learn how to get along with others. Three major components of the program include empathy training (identifying feelings), impulse control (problem solving), and anger management.

Paul Road Elementary partnered with the Transportation Department and held small assemblies targeted toward helping students manage their behavior.

Reading
Books are also used to help relay anti-bullying messages. For example at Walt Disney Elementary, each grade level reads an anti-bullying book and participates in group book discussions with follow up activities. At Neil Armstrong the building principal participates in a Read Aloud activity where she visits every class and reads grade appropriate anti-bullying books.

External Resources
The Center for Missing and Exploited Children visits our schools to discuss internet and social media safety.

Also, this year Grade 3 students at Walt Disney and Neil Armstrong Schools participated in a special anti-bullying programming led by Gates Chili Middle School students and staff which culminated in attending the Middle School musical “Honk!”

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• The Middle School provides an anti-bullying in-service training program for teachers.
• A cyber-bullying presentation is delivered to parents during Sixth Grade Orientation Day.
• All sixth grade students receive a two session counseling activity on bullying that addresses a variety of topics including the role of bystanders.
• All seventh and eighth graders attend a presentation on the dangers of cyber-bullying.  These were given already this fall.
• Health curriculum in grade seven addresses bullying as a topic.
• Last year the School Improvement Team (SIT) developed and distributed a school-wide survey on bullying.  The results of this survey were discussed and acted upon in multiple faculty and community meetings. Results of the survey were also discussed during a "Solidarity Day" in the Spring last year.  There were related anti-bullying messages, displays and student commitments.
• This year the Middle School developed and distributed a new student handbook with a special section addressing bullying.
• This year the SIT recently started a new initiative entitled the "Student Spartan Spotlight" where students call attention to their peers for acts of kindness and related behaviors consistent with the Spartan Way.
• Messages of kindness and concern for others are shared on most mornings by the building principal; the reference used is Caring Messages for the School Year (Sharon Banas).
• Kindness Week is scheduled for the Spring and will be a significant affair.

HIGH SCHOOL

High School staff proactively planned a bullying program during the October 7, 2011 Superintendent‘s Conference Day. Faculty attended the Anti-Bullying Program presentation November 9.

The week of November 14 the Gates Chili High School Counseling Department conducted Anti-Bullying seminars for all students in grades 9-12. The seminar incorporated The Spartan Way values and covered topics such as bullying definitions, facts and statistics related to bullying, how it happens, what to do, bullying participants: the bully, the bullied, the bystanders, impacts of bullying, and The Spartan Pledge.

THE SPARTAN WAY

Gates Chili’s Spartan Way values of Respect, Responsibility, Compassion, and Hard Work continue to be taught and encouraged as we work to provide the best environment possible for our students.