Harassment, intimidation, or bullying, 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.
“Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” is defined as any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication*, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents, that is reasonably perceived as being motivated either 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 by any other distinguishing characteristic, that takes place on school grounds, at any school sponsored function or on a school bus, or off school grounds, in accordance with law, that substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students, and that:
- a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property;
- has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or
- 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.
*“Electronic communication” means a communication that is transmitted by means of an electronic device, including, but not limited to a telephone, cellular phone, computer, or pager.
How to report Bullying
You should report any act of bullying, harassment, or intimidation to the school principal or the school anti-bullying specialist as soon as possible. Parents and students may report an incident by printing the Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying (HIB) Reporting Form, completing it, and then dropping it off (or mailing it) in a sealed envelope addressed to the principal. The school anti-bullying specialist will lead the investigation of incidents of bullying, harassment, and/or intimidation and will report the findings of the investigation to the district anti-bullying specialist. The district anti-bullying specialist will then report the findings to the superintendent who will report the findings to the Board of Education at the next scheduled meeting.
Hillside Elementary School
- Principal: Dianne Smith (201) 768-3860, ext. 41118
- School Anti-Bullying Specialists:
- Pre-K, K, and Grade 1: Suzanne Lang (201) 768-3860, ext. 41001
- Grades 2–4: Dara Weiss (201) 768-3860, ext. 41124
THE HIB INVESTIGATION PROCESS
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1) Beginning an Investigation
The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act requires districts to investigate reports of HIB. When someone reports an incident of HIB, the district will follow the specific protocol outlined below.
Reports of alleged violations of harassment, intimidation, and bullying should be made to the Principal or the principal's designee on the same day when witnessed or the same day a staff member receives notification by a student or student's parent. The person making the verbal report must also submit a written report within two days of the verbal report.
Prior to initiating the investigation, the principal, in consultation with the anti-bullying specialist, may make a preliminary determination as to whether the reported incident or complaint, assuming all facts presented are true, is a report within the scope of the definition of harassment, intimidation, and bullying under the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. If the principal determines it does not meet the HIB definition, the incident or complaint will be handled as a code of conduct violation.
If the principal determines the incident or complaint is within the scope of the HIB definition, then a formal investigation will be conducted to determine if the reported act falls under HIB as defined by law. The investigation must be initiated within one school day of the verbal report of the incident.
The principal will notify the parent/guardian by phone on the first day of the investigation, informing them whether their child is the alleged target or alleged offender, and may only provide general information regarding the nature of the allegation. The principal is not permitted to disclose the names of the other students involved.
2) During the Investigation Process
The School Anti-Bullying Specialist (ABS) will conduct a thorough investigation. This process will include interviewing alleged victims, alleged offenders, any student witnesses, and any faculty/staff witnesses.
The ABS will submit the report to the principal as soon as possible, but no later than ten (10) school days from the written report of the incident.
The school administration may implement disciplinary consequences and/or remedial measures according to the school code of conduct to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff. The school administration may also direct that the student meet with a school counselor for counseling or may implement other intervention services at any point during the investigation.
3) Completing the Investigation
The building principal will approve the report and will submit the finalized investigation to the superintendent within two (2) days. The superintendent will review and approve all investigations and will report the results of the HIB investigation to the Board of Education at the next scheduled board meeting.
Further consequences, counseling, and/or remedial measures may be implemented based on the findings.
Parents of involved students will be notified of the outcome of the investigation after the next two board of education meetings are concluded.
Additionally, parents/guardians may contact the building principal at any time during the investigation to discuss the HIB investigation, but information only pertaining to their child will be shared.
4) Presentation of Investigations (First Board of Education Meeting)
The Board of Education is first "presented" with the findings of a HIB investigation at the closest scheduled Board of Education meeting after the investigation is concluded.
Parents will receive a letter from the superintendent informing them that the Board of Education has been presented with the findings of the investigation within a closed session meeting.
Parents/guardians may contact the superintendent to request a hearing in front of before the Board of Education to contest the outcome of the process of a HIB investigation. Parents may request a redacted copy of the completed written HIB report that removes all student identification information.
5) Voting on Finalized Reports (Second Board of Education Meeting)
The Board of Education votes to affirm the conclusions of the HIB investigation at the following Board of Education meeting.
Parents will receive a letter from the superintendent outlining the Board of Education's decision on the findings of an investigation.
This letter will include information for parents/guardians who may want to appeal a school district's decision directly to the State of New Jersey.
For a confirmed first and second act of HIB, a copy of the results of the investigation shall be placed in the student's record, and the student may be subject to remedial actions, including counseling, behavioral intervention services, discipline, or all, as determined by the principal.
For a confirmed third act of HIB and each subsequent act, a copy of the investigation report will be placed in the student's record, and the principal, in consultation with appropriate staff, will develop an individual student intervention plan which the superintendent or designee, shall approve, which may include remedial actions as noted above discipline and may require the student, accompanied by a parent or guardian to complete a class related to reducing HIB behavior.
Law enforcement will play no role in the HIB investigation unless criminal activity is suspected.
