M-W to administer new student/ parent anti-bullying surveys

Results will be used to enhance anti-bullying efforts in the fall CENTRAL VALLEY - The Monroe-Woodbury School District will be surveying a sample population of its fourth to 12th grade students to get their assessment of bullying and anti-bullying efforts within the district. The district will also be asking parents to complete a parental survey focusing on the same topics. The last district anti-bullying survey took place in 2006. The surveys have been updated to include a social media component and other societal changes that have taken place which can be factors in bullying since that time. Dr. Eric Hassler, principal of Central Valley Elementary School, said the district expected the sample size would represent students’ perspectives. “We want to know when bullying occurs, where it occurs, what types of intervention took place and how they assessed that intervention,” said Hassler. “We are very much interested in the cyber piece … what happens online and with texting.” District Superintendent Edward Mehrhof said he hopes the survey results will show where and how bullying is occurring. “Bullying in school is something we react to immediately,” Mehrhof said. “The major issue we want to be more aware of is cyber bullying. That carries over to school and then we become responsive to it.” Hassler said the survey results will be analyzed over the summer and used in enhanced anti-bullying program efforts in the new school year. “The goal is to have anti-bullying be a recurring topic of conversation,” said Hassler, acknowledging the district understands that bullying of varying degrees does take place on its campuses and cyberly involving district students. “While our initiatives have continued, we want this (the survey) to be an annual assessment.” - Nancy Kriz Sample elementary school questions These draft questions are among the questions to be asked to students on the elementary level as part of the district’s updated Anti-Bullying Survey. This year, how often did someone say they were going to kick, push, punch, or otherwise physically hurt you? a) Never happened b) Happened sometimes c) Happened a lot d) No response This year, in school were you hit, kicked, pushed, punched, or otherwise physically hurt on purpose by another student? a) Never happened to me b) Happened sometimes c) Happened a lot d) No response This year, were rumors or mean stories about you spread by other students? a) Never happened to me b) Happened sometimes c) Happened a lot d) No response This year, how often did someone try to get other kids to gang-up or pick on you? a) Never happened to me b) Happened sometimes c) Happened a lot d) No response This year, how often did other students say things on purpose to you that hurt your feelings? a) Never happened to me b) Happened sometimes c) Happened a lot d) No response This year in school, how often were school adults aware of the incident if you have been physically bullied or threatened? a) Adults never aware b) Adults sometimes aware c) Adults often aware d) I have never been physically hurt in e) No response High school anti-bullying sample survey questions These draft questions are among those to be asked of high school students: Have you been bullied by other student: Physically? (Hit, pushed, shoved, slapped, kicked, spit at, or beaten up) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Verbally? (Called names, teased hurtfully, insulted, humiliated, threatened) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Socially? (Excluded from a group, made to look dumb by someone, gossiped about; rumors spread) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Electronically? (Threatened, embarrassed, singled out, had your feelings hurt, been gossiped about, or had secrets about you revealed through e-mail or phone text messages or pictures, Facebook, IM) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Racially? (Treated differently or badly because of your race, culture, ethnicity (skin color) or accent) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Gender? (Left out or treated badly because you are a boy or a girl; heard sexual comments) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Sexual Orientation? (Treated badly because you are or are perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Not once Once or twice Every week Many times Don’t know Think of the last time you saw or heard another student being bullied. What did you do? Check any that are true for you. _ I have not seen or heard another student being bullied. _ I ignored it. _ I told my parents about it. _ I told my teachers about it. _ I told my principal or assistant-principal or dean about it. _ I told an adult at school about it. _ I told an adult outside of school about it. _ I told another student about it. _ At the time, I helped the person being bullied. _ Later on, I helped the person being bullied. _ I stood and watched. _ I made a joke about it. _ I joined in the bullying. _ I got someone to help stop it. _I stood up to the person who was doing it. _ I got back at the bully later. _ Other (please explain): If you did not do anything the last time you saw someone being bullied, what was the reason? Check all that apply. _ I didn’t want to get involved. _ I was afraid. _I didn’t know what to do or who to talk to. _ I thought if I told someone, they wouldn’t do anything about it. _ It isn’t right to tell on other people. _The bullying wasn’t so bad. _The person being bullied deserved it. _It wasn’t my business or my problem. _I didn’t want to get in trouble for telling. _ Other (please explain): When are you at risk of being bullied? Circle all that apply. Before school Never Sometimes Often Always During classes Never Sometimes Often Always Between classes Never Sometimes Often Always During break periods (lunch) Never Sometimes Often Always In the restroom/bathroom Never Sometimes Often Always In the cafeteria/lunch periods Never Sometimes Often Always After school Never Sometimes Often Always On the weekends Never Sometimes Often Always On field trips Never Sometimes Often Always On the bus Never Sometimes Often Always On the internet/cell phone Never Sometimes Often Always Middle School anti-bullying survey The Middle School is administering a survey that comes with the “OLWEUS” Bullying Prevention Program that is beginning to implement. To learn more, visit: www.olweus.org. The parent survey The parent anti-bullying survey is available on the district’s Web site, www.mw.k12.ny.us.