Hello to our DC Bullying Prevention points of contact: I hope you have all had a successful start of the school year! As we launch into this year, I wanted to reintroduce myself and describe how I can support your bullying prevention efforts.
As the Program Manager for Youth Bullying Prevention at the Office of Human Rights, I am pleased to serve as a resource to help you comply with the Youth Bullying Prevention Act of 2012 (YBPA). More broadly, I want to help you create safe, supportive, and equitable school climates to prevent bullying. One service I can provide is in-person bullying investigator training (a requirement of the YBPA). A representative from DC OHR will walk your school staff through the Bullying Prevention and Intervention in DC Educational Institutions: Training Toolkit. This training includes information on the YBPA’s policy requirements, the District’s definition of bullying, and its reporting requirements and appeals procedures. All schools in the District are welcome to schedule a training, including charter schools. Please email me at ernest.shephard@dc.gov for more details and to schedule an investigator training.
Additionally, last week was our DC OHR meet-and-greet, where we discussed 2021-2022 data collection. If you were you unable to attend or have questions about data collection for compliance with the YBPA, please see the session’s PowerPoint slides, which we will send in an upcoming email. We have also designed a tracking sheet on Excel where you can input data, which will automatically convert data into the format needed for the annual bullying report. This tool will also be sent in an upcoming email.
This month’s newsletter focuses on creating a sustainable bullying prevention plan at the beginning of the school year.
Returning to school after summer recess can be overwhelming for both students and school staff. As you build relationships with new students and families, take steps to prevent bullying and let students know what resources they can access if they encounter bullying. Below are several trusted resources about preventing bullying.
Back to School Resources Infographic: This infographic from Schoolsafety.gov outlines key school issues and strategies related to bullying as students return to school. The resource includes information on bullying, cyberbullying, emergency planning, physical health, mental health, and many other issues that impact student safety.
Refresh Your Bullying Prevention Programs for Back to School: This blog from Stopbullying.gov summarizes resources about assessing bullying, integrating bullying prevention into school curricula, and pointing school staff toward training resources.
Does going back to school mean going back to bullying? This resource from Johns Hopkins University describes different types of bullying and offers bullying prevention tips for both parents and school staff. The resource also provides an overview of student outcomes that result from bullying, including how they impact academic performance and mental health.
Connect, Reflect and Prepare As the School Year Starts: This blog from Stopbullying.gov provides videos and resources for children and teams to help them identify bullying and encourage them to build positive friendships. Resources include strategies for bystander intervention during cases of physical bullying and ideas for improving digital citizenship skills when people encounter cyberbullying.
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Ernest Shepard | Program Manager, Youth Bullying Prevention
District of Columbia Office of Human Rights
Pronouns – he, him
District of Columbia Office of Human Rights
441 4th Street, N.W., Suite 570N
Washington, D.C. 20001
ohr.dc.gov
facebook.com/DCOHR
twitter.com/dchumanrights
instagram.com/dchumanrights
Desk: 202.519.3333
Cell: 202.431.5754
Register for upcoming OHR workshops and events at ohr.dc.gov/events.
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