Bullying: How Lincoln-Way D210 Tackles The Issue

NEW LENOX, IL — As part of its coverage for National Bullying Prevention Month, Patch reached out to school districts across the Chicago suburbs to see how they handle bullying in their communities. Across the country, bullying is a problem that affects more than one in five students. And while some boil it down to the idea that "kids will be kids," studies show that students who are bullied are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, poor self-image, mental health and behavior problems and poor school adjustment.

New Lenox Patch reached out to Lincoln-Way District 210 to take a look at how the district handles and reports bullying. Patch asked the following questions:

• What is the district’s policy with regard to bullying and cyberbullying? What is the discipline process for students who bully others?
• How many reported incidents of bullying does the district have this year/last year (could also break this down by grade level)?
• What constitutes a reportable bullying incident? How does the district define bullying? In other words, when does it rise to the level of being reportable?
• What measures is the district taking to be proactive about bullying?
• What is the district doing to help students who have been the victim of bullying?
• Some schools use apps — Ok2Say, STOPIt, BullyTag, etc. — or some other system that allows students to anonymously report bullying. Does your district do this? What kind of volume are schools seeing? Has that increased/decreased?

District 210's responses can be found below:

What is the district’s policy with regard to bullying and cyberbullying?

Lincoln-Way: Our policy can be found in our Rules and Regulations under Harassment.

What is the discipline process for students who bully others?

LW: See page 23 of Rules and Regulations.

What constitutes a reportable bullying incident? How does the district define bullying? In other words, when does it rise to the level of being reportable?

LW: Bullying is documented and handled by SSO. Incidents where students are rude or mean are documented and addressed by PPS or SSO to help students learn appropriate social skills to avoid future instances.

What measures is the district taking to be proactive about bullying? What is the district doing to help students who have been the victim of bullying?

LW: Our buildings participate in National See Something, Say Something Day, and Start with Hello Week.

At Lincoln-Way Central:

• The Student Services Office and principals discuss the LW Bully/Safety Report with students at the start of the school year.
• The pressure of heading back to school can be a stressful time for both students and staff alike, so PPS promoted Self-Care September. Each day [they shared] a self-care tip on the announcements and encouraged to discuss the importance of self-care with students as well.
• During Optimistic October we will have tips in the announcements on ways to stay hopeful and focus on what matters.
• September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Members of the PPS department [addressed] suicide prevention with students during their advisory period.
• Last year, PPS hosted a free screening of the documentary “Angst.”

At Lincoln-Way West:

• Activities and Assets coordinator Heather Novak gives Asset presentations on how to access the report and why it is important to communicate concerns to a trusted adult. She’s also given Asset presentations about internet safety. They’ve used that time to address cyberbullying and internet etiquette.
• Warrior Way posted a positive message on every students’ locker for the first day of school.
• Start With Hello during the first week of the school year – Conversation starters on the lunch tables and activity fair during all the lunch hours
• See Something Say Something presentations
• Staff members promoting “I Can Be Your Trusted Adult”
• Students promoting “Count on Me”
• We are Warriors Week – Promoting positive decisions
• Unity Day – Wear Orange Oct. 23
• Do Good December – We have various activities planned for December this year. We are working with our Peer Helpers on this project and are promoting the message of “Be Kind” this year.
• Our Warrior Way program and Peer Helper program are also two of our activities that provide leadership training for our students in order to focus on creating a welcoming environment for all students.

At Lincoln-Way East:

• #HatNotHate bullying prevention through our We Dine Club (nobody sits alone club).
• Staff Lunch and Learn on Suicide Awareness Presentation
• Our BeThe Change Club will begin their project called #mixitup #makingnewfriends
• Red Ribbon Week sponsored by S.A.D.D. Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions).

Some schools use apps — Ok2Say, STOPIt, BullyTag, etc. — or some other system that allows students to anonymously report bullying. Does your district do this?

Lincoln-Way has an anonymous Bully/Safety Report monitored by staff and administrators and can be found on our website.

Our anonymous Bully/Safety Report can used for reporting a multitude of instances and/or concerns involved in a school community. The district investigates and intervenes in several cases throughout the year, involving claims of inappropriate conduct, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Any report is fully investigated and documented by the SSO or PPS office. Incidents where students are rude or mean are addressed by PPS or SSO to help students learn appropriate social skills to avoid future instances. In situations where bullying or inappropriate conduct is present, disciplinary action is taken. Bullying, intimidation, and harassment is not acceptable at Lincoln-Way, and diminishes a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate. Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors is an important district goal.

The Menace Of Bullies: Patch Advocacy Reporting Project

As part of a national reporting project, Patch has been looking at society's roles and responsibilities in bullying and a child's unthinkable decision to end their own life in hopes we might offer solutions that save lives.

Do you have a story to tell? Are you concerned about how your local schools handle bullies and their victims?

Email us at bullies@patch.com and share your views in the comments.

Selected Stories From The Project

• Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
• I Could Have Been Mallory Grossman
• Bullied Over Homemade T-Shirt, Kid Inspires University Of Tennessee Design
• Howell Teen Runs To Save Lives, Change Statistics On Suicide
• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• Cyberbullying Most Often Affects Girls; These Women Are Trying To Stop It
• Bullying Kids: Straighten Up, Or Your Parents May Have To Pay Up
• Teen Who Killed Himself Wasn't 'Worthless,' Family Tells Bullies
• Menace Of Bullies: Why This Woman Resigned Her 6-Figure Job
• Survivor Of Bullying And Suicide Writes Frankly About Both
• 'I Will Be Your Friend': First-Grader's Shirt Fights Bullies
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying: Why It's Different, Difficult To Confront
• What Prompts Bullying In This Ohio School
• Cyberbullying In This Michigan City Carries $500 Fine, 3 Months In Jail
• Bully Upstander: Whatever He Said Caused Bullies To Back Down
• Bullying Caused 11-Year-Old To Attempt Suicide, Mother Says
• Bullied 10-Year-Old's Suicide 8th In School District This Year
• The Menace Of Bullies: Most U.S. States Take On Cyberbullying
• Cyberbullying Is Now Against The Law In Michigan
• Shooting Incident Linked To Bullying At School, Mom Says
• Girls More Likely Than Boys To See Bullying As Harmful: Study
• 13-Year-Old Hangs Herself, But Bullying Killed Her
• Teen Tells Bullies In Video: 'Every Day, I Wear Your Words'
• 'The Hero Myth': Why Expecting Kids To Fight Bullies Is Harmful
• 'Mr. Anti-Bully': Reformed Bully, 12, Sets Mistake Right
• Mallory Grossman Bullying Detailed In Wrongful Death Suit
• Malden Schools Were Non-Compliant Through Bullying Saga: DOE
• 'They All Failed And Changed A Child': Malden Bullying Detailed
• Mom Speaks About Bullying Heartbreak: 'I Feel I Failed Him'
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Handshake
• The Bully Menace: 'The Hurt Never Goes Away'
• Bullies And Their Targets The Same: Digital Self-Harm Rising
• Williamsburg Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Tortured Minds
• Bullying Tougher To Confront When It's Bias-Based: Researchers
• The Bully Menace: 13 Age-Appropriate Reads
• Teen's 'I Wear Your Words' Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters