Board Policies
Anti-Bullying/Harassment Policy | Complaint Form | Investigation Procedures
Link to Board Policies - 104 Series
Learn what you can do to stop bullying!
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
BCSD Bullying Prevention Strategies
A safe and supportive school climate can help prevent bullying.
Safety starts in the classroom. Students should also feel and be safe everywhere on campus—in the cafeteria, in the library, in the restrooms, on the bus, and on the playground. Everyone at school can work together to create a climate where bullying is not acceptable.
Elementary
Bettendorf Community School District elementary schools utilize the Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) program to improve peer relations and make schools safer, more positive places for students to learn and develop.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Bettendorf Community School District elementary schools use the Second Step violence prevention/problem-solving curriculum that encourages kids to talk about their feelings and offers strategies for dealing with various feelings including sadness/depression.
Second Step also teaches a wide variety of friendship and assertive skills which reinforce the Pre-K through 5th grade counseling lessons. Examples of lesson target skills include:" CHANGE TO "Second Step also teaches a wide variety of friendship and assertive skills which reinforce the K through 5th grade counseling lessons. Examples of lesson target skills include:
- Listening with attention
- Being assertive
- Respecting similarities and differences
- Understanding feelings
- Managing feelings/emotions
- Using positive self-talk
- Playing fairly
- Handling making mistakes
- Demonstrating empathy and respect
- Handling put-downs
- Working in a group
- Disagreeing respectfully
- Responding with compassion
- Dealing with peer pressure
COUNSELING CURRICULUM
Each year the elementary counselors teach social skills/anti-bullying to all students in K-5th grades during coverage of their bullying unit.
POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE
All elementary schools use to promote positive behavior and a safe, positive school climate for all students and staff.
In addition, the elementary counselors work with building staff to help build a positive school climate. Some of the programs utilized to accomplish this include: Mentoring programs, Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students), Lunch Pals, Shooting Stars, Buddies Reading Program, Asset Angels, Smiley Steamers, Mix it Up at Lunch Day, Yoga Classes/Yoga Club, Asset Development for students and staff, Common Language through Second Step and the Counseling Curriculum, Counseling Groups for Social Skills Development, My Three Words and Anti-Bullying Video Projects; and Bucket Filling Curriculum.
Middle School
Bettendorf Middle School continues to reinforce the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors to support our students in becoming life-long learners and responsible citizens.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Bettendorf Middle School focuses on teaching students to distinguish between disrespectful and respectful disagreements, identify and apply effective communication skills, recognize and define bullying, empathize with individuals who are being bullied, and understand what they can do if they or someone they know is being bullied.
POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE
The Bettendorf Middle School counselors work, with the professional learning communities at each grade level, incorporating learning strategies, self-management skills, and social skills through the use of classroom lessons, small groups, and individual counseling. The counselors provide support and interventions to students, staff and families in an effort to ensure a positive learning environment for all students.
Student Connections
Research indicates when students feel connected to school it decreases absenteeism, fighting, bullying and vandalism. School connectedness also promotes educational engagement, academic performance and school attendance. Given this, BMS offers the following clubs and extracurricular activities:
- Art Club
- B.I.O.N.I.C. (Believe it or not I Care) Club
- Book Clubs
- Chess Club
- Comic Book Club
- Drama Club
- DFYIT (Drug-Free Youth in Touch)
- Gamers Club
- GSA Club
- Intramurals
- Jazz Band
- Paw Print Press
- Pop Choir
- Science Club
- Show Choir
- Speech and Debate Club
- Student Council
- Yearbook Club
High School
Bettendorf High School addresses anti bullying with a policy in the student handbook that is reviewed with all students at beginning of the year.
Link to Anti-Bullying/Harassment Complaint Form
PROBLEM SOLVING
Bettendorf High School encourages students to resolve conflicts in calm, reasonable, and appropriate manner with a solution focus emphasis. Student conflicts are resolved with assistance from school counselors, social worker, crisis interventionist, security and administration as warranted. Students are oriented to expectation for resolving conflicts at the beginning of each school year.
POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE
Bettendorf High school places high value and effort on safety and creating a positive school culture. Our efforts to educate, provide students with skills to be assertive, report, and self-advocate are very important in addressing bullying.
Bettendorf High School’s motto is Students 1st - all programming and curriculum is designed to create a positive school culture for all BHS students. examples - home visits, students 1st recognition, Student Spotlight, student recognition for academics, fine arts, and athletics, etc.
Bettendorf High School also has class meetings about school culture, kindness, and digital citizenship. The T.H.I.N.K. model (Is it True, is it Helpful, is it Inspiring, is it Necessary, is it Kind) is utilized. We’ve held parent informational sessions on bullying and social media and have used our new Performing Arts Center to view a movie and hold discussions with students on bullying.
Raising Student Voice & Participation
At Bettendorf High School RSVP (Raising Student Voice and Participation) is a student group encouraging students to speak up about concerns within the school and ultimately improve their school and community.
Best Buddies
Best Buddies is a club of BHS students creating friendships between students in the school with and without disabilities.