Student Support

Dating Violence at School

The Board of Education believes in a safe and civil environment in school.  Please read through policy 5519 Dating Violence at School to ensure your safety.

504 Plan: 

Like the IEP, a 504 is required based on federal law. All students who have 504s possess a disability that substantially limits a major life function. Each student’s 504 is reviewed annually with the 504 committee. 

Effective School Solutions (ESS): 

Westfield Public Schools has partnered with ESS, which provides a therapeutic program for select students in the school. The program provides individual, group and family therapy to students. Students in ESS also have IEPs, and in addition to a guidance counselor and case manager, students in this program also have an ESS program clinician. ESS uses a level system to support and promote positive change to students with emotional and behavior disorders, with the goal of self-management. Students earn their way through the levels based on demonstrating consistent, prosocial behavior and making positive choices. When students can identify successes and failures that they can control, they often report feelings of positive self-worth and a willingness to continue using strategies that support their success. 

Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) 

In order to maintain a safe and civil school environment, the Westfield Board of Education prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying, which (like other disruptive or violent behaviors) is conduct that disrupts both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe environment.

Acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any pupil or staff member will result in the disciplinary sanctions included in policies on suspension and expulsion and conduct/discipline. 

Harassment, intimidation, or bullying are defined as any gesture or written, verbal, physical act or any electronic communication, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived characteristic such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical, or sensory disability, or any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds as provided for in section 16 of P.L. 2010 c. 122 and supplementing P.L. 2002 c.83 (C.18A 37-13 et seq.) and chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students and that: 

a. A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a pupil or damaging the pupil’s property, or placing a pupil in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or 

b. Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or c. Creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with the student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student. 

An electronic communication is a communication transmitted through the use of electronic means including but not limited to telephone, cellular phones, computer, pager, e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, Internet blog, Internet chat room, Internet postings, and website. 

Any school employee, pupil, or volunteer who has witnessed harassment, intimidation, or bullying or has reliable information that a pupil has been subject to harassment, intimidation, or bullying must report the incident to the appropriate school official designated by the administration. The board shall not tolerate an act of reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of harassment, intimidation, or bullying. 

Information about HIB policies and other important issues can be found on the district website. 

Home Instruction: 

Students confined to their home, hospital or extended care medical program by a physician due to illness or injury may be placed on home instruction if the home instruction request is approved by the district physician. In this case, students shall receive an appropriate educational program while they are out of school, typically for a period of at least two weeks. Home instruction communication takes place between the student’s teachers and the health office secretary. Teachers submit home instruction work through the health office. 

Individualized Educational Plan (IEP): 

The pupil’s IEP is a written plan developed cooperatively with parents and school staff. The IEP reflects the rationale for special education and related services, as well as the core of the pupil’s needs, which form the foundation on which future teaching decisions will be made. The IEP is the vehicle through which the educationally handicapped pupil is provided access to the curriculum. 

Intervention & Referral Services (I&RS): 

I&RS plans, which are required based on state law, are meant to support students perceived as experiencing some degree of learning, social and/or emotional difficulty. These plans are intended as interventions with the goal of preventing small concerns from becoming crises, and building a system that helps to support the student

whose needs might have been less visible previously or who, without some assistance, will decline academically, socially, and/or emotionally. The I&RS Team, which features educators from various departments in the school, gathers data and develops action plans designed to assist staff in developing insight into individual students who are struggling in one or more ways, translating that insight into a series of recommendations designed to address the problem. The I&RS process typically is initiated by counselors and/or teachers, and the I&RS team gathers necessary data from teachers before making recommendations. 

Sexual Harassment 

The district’s policy on sexual harassment of pupils clarifies that the Board of Education will not tolerate sexual harassment of pupils by school employees, other pupils, or third parties. Sexual harassment of pupils is a form of prohibited sex discrimination. School district staff will investigate and report allegations of sexual harassment of pupils engaged in by school employees, other pupils (peers), or third parties. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sexual harassment regardless of the gender of the harasser or the pupil allegedly being harassed. Sexual harassment will be specifically addressed in our school through programs and announcements. 

The school district may receive notice of alleged harassment in a variety of ways: A pupil may have filed a grievance or complained to a teacher about fellow pupils harassing him or her; a pupil, parent, or other pupil may have contacted other appropriate school personnel; an agent or a responsible employee of the school district may have witnessed the harassment; or the school district may have obtained information in an indirect manner such as through staff, community members or news media. 

Any person with information regarding actual and/or potential sexual harassment of a pupil by any school employee, other pupils, or third parties must report the information to the school building principal, their immediate supervisor or the school’s Affirmative Action Officer, WHS Principal Mary Asfendis. A report from the school building principal or an immediate supervisor will be forwarded to the school district Affirmative Action Officer within one working day. Upon receipt of any report of potential sexual harassment conduct, the Affirmative Action Officer will begin an immediate investigation. The Affirmative Action Officer will promptly investigate all alleged complaints of sexual harassment, whether or not a formal grievance is filed, and steps will be taken to resolve the situation, if needed. This investigation will be prompt, thorough, and impartial. The Affirmative Action Officer will protect the rights of both the person making the complaint and the alleged harasser. The investigation will be completed no more than ten working days after receiving notice. 

Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the Affirmative Action Officer will prepare a summary of findings to the parties. If the Affirmative Action Officer determines that sexual harassment has occurred, consequences and appropriate remedial actions will follow the district policy on Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying. 

Social & Emotional Learning 

The district and school both value the importance of Social & Emotional Learning for our students. The SEL competencies guide our work in this area.

Statutes Governing Reports of Child Abuse/Neglect 

According to N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10, “Any person having a reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to child abuse or acts of child abuse shall report the same immediately to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency by telephone or otherwise. Such reports, where possible, shall contain the names and addresses of the child and his parent, guardian, or other person having custody and control of the child and, if known, the child’s age, the nature and possible extent of the child’s injuries, abuse or maltreatment, including any evidence of previous injuries, abuse or maltreatment, and any other information that the person believes may be helpful with respect to the child abuse and the identity of the perpetrator.” 

Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline: 1-877-NJABUSE (652-2873)