Definition of Bullying

   Parents and educators have a joint-responsibility of helping our students prevent acts of bullying.  All students, regardless of who they are and what they believe, have the right to feel safe at school.   Because the media often misuses the term "bullying", it is critical to understand the definition of BULLYING so that true victims may be helped.

    Bullying is aggressive behavior (verbal or physical), that is intentional, that involves an imbalance of power, and that is repeated over time.

    Bullying is NOT simply saying something mean to someone, texting a mean message, bumping into someone in the hall, or having an argument.  Unfortunately, there are many things that people of all ages do that are not nice - things which lead to conflict; conflict can be a normal part of life, but it is not something that students always know how to handle. 

    At the start of the 2012-2013 school year, a survey measuring bullying events at Bigfork School was conducted for grades 7-12.  The overwhelming statistic that resulted from that survey was that students do not report to staff or parents when acts that they perceive as "bullying" occur.  This discrepancy was discussed in class meetings.  Please encourage your student to report to a staff member or parent when they witness bullying.  I have a documentation form to complete with students who report acts of bullying which can also help students decide if the act was bullying or a conflict.

    Bigfork School does not tolerate bullying and staff members cannot help victims of bullying if they are not aware that the acts are taking place. Please encourage your child to report acts of bullying that they see/experience. As a school counselor, one service I offer any student is to serve as a mediator when students are in conflict with each other.  Please encourage your child to "Keep me in the Loop" so that I may best help them and keep them safe at school !

   Each iPad in grades 7-12 has a counselor's app on it where students can request to see me for a wide variety of reasons.  They simply use the app and I get an email and will find an appropriate time to find them.  Please encourage your child to use this app.