Welcome
Welcome. Whether you are a student, a parent, or a staff person working at a Newton school, we are glad you are visiting the Newton Public Schools (NPS) Bullying Prevention and Intervention website. These pages contain the NPS policies and procedures in regard to preventing and responding to bullying behaviors. Additionally, as you explore these pages, you will find a wealth of information about bullying prevention, curriculum, and other resources.
The content of these pages is guided by the belief that all students of the school community deserve the opportunity to learn in an environment where they feel safe. Students, parents, and staff all have a role to play in building positive environments for youth, and in promoting acceptance and respect among all individuals.
Bullying is a form of youth violence. It is aggressive behavior, directed intentionally towards an individual or individuals and it involves an imbalance of power or strength. Bullying has a negative impact on other students at school who are bystanders or witnesses to bullying by creating a climate of fear and disrespect. Bullying of any kind, including cyberbullying – the electronic version of bullying – will not be tolerated in the Newton Public Schools.
In the 2008 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), Newton’s secondary school students were asked whether they had been bullied during the 30 days prior to taking this survey. Here’s what they told us:
- 19% of students reported that they were bullied in school
- 8% were bullied on the way to or from school
- 14% were bullied when NOT in or on the way to or from school
- 15% were bullied on the Internet
In order to create a school culture that is free of harassment and bullying, students, staff, and parents all have a responsibility to recognize and report bullying when they see it. We must also build a school environment that, by its very nature, prevents bullying before it occurs. By visiting these pages, you are taking a step to help make our community one that we can all be proud to be a part of. We encourage you to explore as we work together to continue to make our community one that is safe for all -– socially, emotionally and physically.
Before filing an incident report, we strongly encourage you to also explore other pages on this website to learn more about bullying prevention and intervention.
I want more information on how to report bullying!
