The Lawrence Public Schools' Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan was developed in consultation with teachers, administrators, school nurses, counselors, parents, police department representatives, students, and community representatives. The district is committed to providing all students with a safe learning environment that is free from bullying and cyber bullying. This commitment is an integral part of our comprehensive efforts to promote learning, and to prevent and eliminate all forms of bullying and other harmful and disruptive behavior that can impede the learning process. This Plan is the district's blueprint for enhancing capacity to prevent and respond to issues of bullying within the context of other healthy school initiatives. As part of the process, the planning group assessed the adequacy of current programs, reviewed current policies and procedures, reviewed data on bullying and behavioral incidents and assessed available resources including curricula, training programs, and behavioral health services.
Bully Prevention and Intervention Plan (Spanish)
Appendix A: Lawrence Public Schools Policy on Bullying in Schools
Policy of the School Committee
Section J: STUDENTS JICFB
Subject: BULLYING IN SCHOOLS
A safe learning environment is one in which every student develops emotionally, academically, and physically in a caring and supportive atmosphere free of intimidation and abuse. Bullying of any type has no place in a school setting; therefore, the Lawrence Public Schools will work to ensure a learning and working environment free of bullying for all students, staff, and families. The Lawrence School Committee and the Lawrence Public Schools shall not tolerate bullying in any form by students, staff members, family members, or community members in any of its facilities or at any school-related or sponsored events.
Definitions:
1) “Bullying” is the repeated use by one or more students or a member of the school staff of a written, verbal or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof, directed at a target that: (i) causes physical or emotional harm to the target or damage to the target’s property; (ii) places the target in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property; (iii) creates a hostile environment at school for the target; (iv) infringes on the rights of the target at school; or (v) materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school. For the purposes of this section, bullying shall include cyberbullying.
2) “Cyber-bullying” is bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, 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, photo electronic or photo optical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet communications, instant messages or facsimile communications. Cyber-bullying shall also include (i) the creation of a web page or blog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or (ii) the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages, if the creation or impersonation creates any of the conditions enumerated in clauses (i) to (v), inclusive, of the definition of bullying. Cyber-bullying shall also include 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 conditions enumerated in clauses (i) to (v), inclusive, of the definition of bullying.
Bullying shall be prohibited: (i) on school grounds, property immediately adjacent to school grounds, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, function or program whether on or off school grounds, on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased or used by a school district or school, at a school bus stop, or through the use of technology or an electronic device owned, leased or used by a school district or school and (ii) at a location, activity, function or program that is not school-related, or through the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased or used by a school district or school, if the bullying creates a hostile environment at school for the target, infringes on the rights of the target at school or materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school. Nothing contained herein shall require schools to staff any non-school related activities, functions, or programs.
Retaliation against a person who reports bullying, provides information during an investigation of bullying, or witnesses or has reliable information about bullying shall be prohibited.
The school district shall provide age-appropriate instruction on bullying prevention in each grade that is incorporated into the curriculum of the school district or school. The curriculum shall be evidence-based.
The school district shall develop, adhere to and update a plan to address bullying prevention and intervention in consultation with teachers, school staff, professional support personnel, school volunteers, administrators, community representatives, local law enforcement agencies, students, parents and guardians. The consultation shall include, but not be limited to, notice and a public comment period. The plan shall be updated at least biennially.
Each plan shall include, but not be limited to: (i) descriptions of and statements prohibiting bullying, cyber-bullying and retaliation; (ii) clear procedures for students, staff, parents, guardians and others to report bullying or retaliation; (iii) a provision that reports of bullying or retaliation may be made anonymously; provided, however, that no disciplinary action shall be taken against a student solely on the basis of an anonymous report; (iv) clear procedures for promptly responding to and investigating reports of bullying or retaliation; (v) the range of disciplinary actions that may be taken against an aggressor for bullying or retaliation; provided, however, that the disciplinary actions shall balance the need for accountability with the need to teach appropriate behavior; (vi) clear procedures for restoring a sense of safety for a target and assessing that target’s needs for protection; (vii) strategies for protecting from bullying or retaliation a person who reports bullying, provides information during an investigation of bullying or witnesses or has reliable information about an act of bullying; (viii) procedures consistent with state and federal law for promptly notifying the parents or guardians of a target and an aggressor; provided, further, that the parents or guardians of a target shall also be notified of the action taken to prevent any further acts of bullying or retaliation; and provided, further, that the procedures shall provide for immediate notification pursuant to regulations promulgated under this subsection by the principal or person who holds a comparable role to the local law enforcement agency when criminal charges may be pursued against the aggressor; (ix) a provision that a student who knowingly makes a false accusation of bullying or retaliation shall be subject to disciplinary action; and (x) a strategy for providing counseling or referral to appropriate services for aggressors or targets and for appropriate family members of said students. The plan shall afford all students the same protection regardless of their status under the law.
The school district plan shall include a provision for ongoing professional development to build the skills of all school staff members, including, but not limited to: educators, administrators, counselors, school nurses, paraprofessionals, clerks, cafeteria workers, custodians, athletic coaches, and advisors to extracurricular activities to identify, prevent, and respond to bullying. The content of such professional development shall include, but not be limited to: (i) developmentally appropriate strategies to prevent bullying incidents; (ii) developmentally appropriate strategies for immediate, effective interventions to stop bullying incidents; (iii) information regarding the complex interaction and power differential that can take place between and among an aggressor, target, and witnesses to the bullying; (iv) research findings on bullying, including information about specific categories of students who have been shown to be particularly at risk for bullying in the school environment; (v) information on the incidence and nature of cyber-bullying; and (vi) internet safety issues as they relate to cyber-bullying.
The plan shall include provisions for informing parents and guardians about the bullying prevention curriculum of the school district or school and shall include, but not be limited to: (i) how parents and guardians can reinforce the curriculum at home and support the school district or school plan; (ii) the dynamics of bullying; and (iii) online safety and cyber-bullying.
The school district shall provide to students and parents or guardians, in age-appropriate terms and in the languages which are most prevalent among the students, parents or guardians, annual written notice of the relevant student-related sections of the plan.
The school district shall provide to all school staff annual written notice of the plan. The faculty and staff at each school shall be trained annually on the plan applicable to the school. Relevant sections of the plan relating to the duties of faculty and staff shall be included in a school district or school employee handbook. The plan shall be posted on the Lawrence Public Schools website and any web pages for individual schools in the district.
Each school principal or administrator shall be responsible for the implementation and oversight of the plan at his/her school. In the case of a report of bullying involving the principal, assistant principal, or another school administrator, the Superintendent or his/her designee will be responsible for investigating the report and other steps necessary to implement the plan, including addressing the safety of the alleged target. A member of a school staff, including, but not limited to: an educator, administrator, counselor, school nurse, paraprofessional, clerk, cafeteria worker, custodian, athletic coach, or advisor to an extracurricular activity shall immediately report any instance of bullying or retaliation the staff member has witnessed or become aware of to the principal or administrator identified in the plan as responsible for receiving such reports or both. Upon receipt of such a report, the school principal or a designee shall promptly conduct an investigation. If the school principal or a designee determines that bullying or retaliation has occurred, the school principal or designee shall (i) notify the local law enforcement agency if the school principal or designee believes that criminal charges may be pursued against a perpetrator; (ii) take appropriate disciplinary action; (iii) notify the parents or guardians of an aggressor; and (iv) notify the parents or guardians of the target, and to the extent consistent with state and federal law, notify them of the action taken to prevent any further acts of bullying or retaliation.
If an incident of bullying or retaliation involves students from more than one school or school district, the school district or school first informed of the bullying or retaliation shall, consistent with state and federal law, promptly notify the appropriate administrator of the other school district or school so that both may take appropriate action. If an incident of bullying or retaliation occurs on school grounds and involves a former student under the age of 21, who is no longer enrolled in a local school district, the school district or school informed of the bullying or retaliation shall contact law enforcement.
Whenever the evaluation of the Individualized Education Program team indicates that the child has a disability that affects social skills development or that the child is vulnerable to bullying, harassment or teasing because of the child’s disability, the Individualized Education Program shall address the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing.
MGL: Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010
Chapter 71, Section 37 O as amended by Sections 72-74 of Chapter 38 of the Acts of 2013
Original Adoption: 9/9/2010
1st Reading: 8/26/2010
2nd Reading: 9/9/2010
Adopted: 9/9/2010
Adopted as Amended: 4/30/2012
Adopted as Amended: 8/11/2014
Proposed reconsideration: 9/2015
Appendix A: LPS Policy on Bullying in Schools (Spanish)
Appendix B: List of Prevention Curricula
| Program | PK | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | High School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bully Busters | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Bully Free Classroom | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Bully Prevention Handbook | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Digital Literacy and Citizenship | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Don’t Laugh at Me | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Life Skills | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Michigan Model | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Please Stand Up! | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Safe & Caring Schools | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Steps to Respect | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Stop Bullying Now | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| CyberSmart | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| NetSmartz | X | X | X | X | X |
For Staff, we will be using the “ABC’s of Bullying” as the primary training curriculum.
For Parents, we will use components from the various prevention curricula to provide them with training that addresses the various developmental levels of their children
Appendix B: List of Prevention Curricula (Spanish)
Appendix C: Designated Contacts for Reporting Incidents of Bullying
Designated Contacts for Reporting of the Bullying Incidents
It is the primary responsibility of the each school’s Principal and Assistant Principal to ensure that incidents of bullying or retaliation are addressed as they are reported. Below is a list of the designated contacts at each school:
| School | Address | Phone | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Day Arlington | 150 Arlington St., 01841 | 978-722-8311 | Alex Rock or Amanda MacLellan, Co-Leaders |
| Arlington Middle School | 150 Arlington St., 01841 | 978-975-5930 | Robin Finn, Principal, or Courtney Breen Marble, Assistant Principal |
| Breen School | 114 Osgood St., 01843 | 978-975-5932 | Margarita Amy, Principal |
| Bruce School | 135 Butler St., 01841 | 978-975-5935 | Cheryl Merz, Principal, or Shaun Dunlevy, Assistant Principal |
| Frost Elementary School | 33 Hamlet St., 01843 | 978-975-5941 | Sarah McLaughlin, Principal, or Dillan Jack, Assistant Principal |
| Frost Middle School | 33 Hamlet St., 01843 | 978-722-8810 | John Patterson, Principal, or Stephen Cassely, Assistant Principal |
| Guilmette Elementary School | 80 Bodwell St., 01841 | 978-686-8150 | Kathleen Smith, Principal, or Eric Cyr, Assistant Principal |
| Guilmette Middle School | 80 Bodwell St., 01841 | 978-722-8270 | Jessica Cunningham, Principal, or Bridget Scollan, Assistant Principal |
| Hennessey School | 122 Hancock St., 01841 | 978-975-5950 | Shalimar Quiles, Principal or Cheryl Corrigan, Assistant Principal |
| Lawlor School | 41 Lexington St., 01841 | 978-975-5956 | Jessica MacLeod, Principal |
| Lawrence Family Public Academy | 526 Lowell St., 01841 | 978-722-8030 | Lisa Conran, Principal |
| Leahy School | 100 Erving Ave., 01841 | 978-975-5959 | Ethel Cruz, Principal, or Mary Beth Veilleux or Susan Terban, Assistant Principals |
| UP Academy Leonard | 60 Allen St., 01841 | 978-722-8159 | Komal Bhasin, Principal or Lia Bonamassa, Director of Operations |
| Oliver Partnership School | 183 Haverhill St. 01840 | 978-722-8170 | Katherine Maloney or Jean Zembruski, Co-Leaders |
| UP Academy Oliver | 233 Haverhill St. 01840 (NCEC) | 978-722-8670 | Kelsea LeBuffe, Principal, or Christopher Graham, Director of Operations |
| Parthum Elementary School | 255 E. Haverhill St., 01841 | 978-691-7200 | Maria Calobrisi, Principal, or Michael Marzelli, Assistant Principal |
| Parthum Middle School | 255 E. Haverhill St., 01841 | 978-691-7224 | Peter Lefebre, Principal, or Jaina Shea, Assistant Principal |
| Rollins School | 451 Howard St., 01841 | 978-722-8190 | Maura Bradley, Principal |
| SLE Elementary School | 165 Crawford St., 01843 | 978-975-5970 | Lori Butterfield, Principal, or Kara Metcalf, Assistant Principal |
| Spark Academy | 165 Crawford St., 01843 | 978-975-5993 | A. Kevin Qazilbash, Principal or Stacey Birdsell, Assistant Principal |
| Tarbox School | 59 Alder St., 01841 | 978-975-5983 | Ada Ramos, Principal, or Magdalyn Dillier, Assistant Principal |
| Wetherbee School | 75 Newton St., 01843 | 978-557-2900 | Colleen Lennon, Principal, or Kathleen Siwicki or Jocelyn Petrosino, Assistant Principals |
| School for Exceptional Studies | 233 Haverhill St., 01840 (NCEC) | 978-975-5980 | Arlene Reidinger, Principal or Mary-Ann Rapoza, Assistant Principal |
| SES at Bruce Annex | 483 Lowell St., 01841 | 978-722-8160 | Dina Hickey, Assistant Principal |
| LHS Campus | 70 No. Parish Rd., 01843 | 978-975-2750 | Timothy Finn, Assistant Headmaster, or Christine Lumb, Assistant Principal |
| Abbott Lawrence Academy | 70 No. Parish Rd., 01843 | 978-946-0711 | Stacey Ciprich, Principal, or Raul Cruz, Assistant Principal |
| ENLACE | 70 No. Parish Rd., 01843 | 978-946-0714 | Allison Balter, Principal |
| LHS Lower School (Gr 9) | 70 No. Parish Rd., 01843 | 978-946-0712 | Melissa Spash, Principal, or Melissa Melendez, Assistant Principal |
| LHS Lower School (Gr 10) | 70 No. Parish Rd., 01843 | 978-946-0735 | Juan Rodriguez, Principal, or David Hochheiser, Assistant Principal |
| LHS Upper School (Grades 11-12) | 70 No. Parish Rd., 01843 | 978-946-0760 978-946-0719 |
Edward Reynoso, Principal, or BarriAnn Alonzo or Nancy Salach or Angela Sarkis, Assistant Principals |
| High School Learning Center | 233 Haverhill St., 01840 (NCEC) | 978-975-5917 | Robert Cayer, Principal |
| International High School | 233 Haverhill St., 01840 (NCEC) | 978-722-8600 | Geraldo Acosta, Principal |
| RISE | 417 Canal St., 01840 | 978-681-0548 | Daniel Rasanen, School Director |
For incidents of bullying or retaliation that may involve the school-based designated contacts, reports should be made to one of the following Central Office Administrators:
Director of Human Resources, (978) 975-5905 Ext. 25630 or
Community, Family & Student Engagement Office at (978) 975-5905 Ext. 25724.
Appendix C: Designated Contacts for Reporting Incidents of Bullying (Spanish)
Appendix D: Bullying Incident Report Form
Below is the form for reporting a bullying incident.
Appendix D: Bullying Incident Report Form (Spanish)
Appendix E: Bullying Incident Administrative Form
Below is the form for the administrative bullying investigation form.
