The effective education of our students requires a school environment in which students feel safe and secure. The Board of Education is committed to maintaining an environment conducive to learning in which students are safe from violence, threats, name-calling, intimidation, and unlawful harassment as enacted by the Safe Schools for all Students Act.

2.30.1 Definitions

A. “Unlawful harassment” means verbal, physical, written or electronically transmitted conduct based on a student’s actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability and which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Sexual harassment of students is further addressed by a separate policy of the Board. See Policy No. 2.35.

B. "Bullying" means any severe, pervasive or persistent act or conduct that targets a student, whether physically, electronically or verbally, and that:

(1) may be based on a student's actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, spousal affiliation, physical or cognitive disability or any other distinguishing characteristic; or on an association with a person, or group with any person, with one or more of the actual or perceived distinguishing characteristics; and
(2) can be reasonably predicted to:
(a) place a student in reasonable fear of physical harm to the student's person or property;
(b) cause a substantial detrimental effect on a student's physical or mental health;
(c) substantially interfere with a student's academic performance or attendance; or
(d) substantially interfere with a student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by an agency, educational institution or grantee;

C. "cyberbullying" means any bullying that takes place through electronic communication;

D. "electronic communication" means a communication transmitted by means of an electronic device, including a telephone, cellular phone, computer, electronic tablet, pager or video or audio recording;

E. "gender identity" means a student's self-perception, or perception of that student by another, of the student's identity as a male or female based upon the student's appearance, behavior or physical characteristics that are in accord with or opposed to the student's physical anatomy, chromosomal sex or sex at birth;"

F. "Sexting" is the act of using a cellular phone, computer or other electronic device to send or forward sexually explicit, nude, or partially nude photographs or images. Sexting contributes to a climate of student behavior that is disrespectful, socially unacceptable and not conducive to the educational process. Maintaining high standards for student behavior is best achieved through cooperation among students, parents/legal guardians, staff, and community members. The act of sexting is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Any incidents/reports of sexting will be enforced/investigated using existing discipline policies and procedures in school handbooks.

G. “Name-calling” means the chronic, habitual, or recurring use of names or comments to or about a student regarding the student’s actual or perceived physical or personal characteristics when the student has indicated by his or her conduct, that the names or comments are unwelcome, or when the names or comments, by their nature, are clearly unwelcome, inappropriate, or offensive.

H. “Hazing” includes, but is not limited to:

1. engaging in any offensive physical contact or restraint of a student, or

2. requiring or encouraging a student to perform any dangerous, painful, offensive, or demeaning physical or verbal act for any purpose, including the ingestion of any substances, exposure to the elements, deprivation of sleep or rest, or extensive isolation, or

3. subjecting a student to any dangerous, painful, offensive, or demeaning conduct, or to conduct likely to create extreme mental distress, for any purpose, including as a condition of membership or initiation into any class, team, group, or organization, sponsored by, or permitted to operate under the auspices of a school of the District.

Such contact, restraint, requirement, or encouragement shall not be considered hazing when it is an officially recognized part of the particular sport or activity of the class, team, group or organization.

Revised: 03/12/20

2.30.2 Prohibitions

A. It is the policy of the Board of Education to prohibit violence, threats, name-calling, bullying, intimidation, assault, battery, extortion, robbery, vandalism, and other victim-based misconduct that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment, regardless of motive or reason. The Board will not tolerate such victim-based misconduct by students or staff.

B. Hazing is prohibited in all schools of the District, whether on or off school property, and whether during or outside school hours.

C. It is the express policy of the Board to encourage students who are victims of such physical or verbal misconduct to report such claims. Students or their parents may report such conduct to any principal, assistant principal, or counselor.

D. It is the intent of the District to:

take immediate steps to investigate the allegations
take “prompt and effective steps” aimed at ending the harassment, eliminating any hostile environment, and preventing future harassment

a.         separating the harasser and the harassed student, without penalizing the harassed student
b.         take disciplinary action against the harasser
c.         educate and train the perpetrators of harassment as well as the larger school community, including staff and other students provide remediation services to the harassed student (may include counseling and educational services as provided through the District) disseminate and, if necessary, revise Policies and Procedures to ensure staff, students, and parents are able to report harassment take steps to stop further harassment and prevent retaliation against anyone who reports harassment

2.30.3 Enforcement

1. School employees, and volunteers

a.         shall not permit or tolerate bullying, hazing, violence, intimidation, hostile or offensive conduct
b.         shall intervene to stop any of the above mentioned activities that are threatened, found, or reasonably known to be occurring (i) at school or (ii) at, or in connection with, any school-sponsored activity, and
c.         shall report known or suspected activities to the school principal or the superintendent.

2. Any student who believes he or she has been the victim of these prohibited actions shall report the matter to the school principal, assistant principal or the superintendent

3. Any principal that receives a report of such activities under this section shall provide written notice to the Superintendent, setting forth the report and the principal’s proposed plan for investigation.

2.30.4 Investigation

1. All reports of such violations shall be investigated by the school principal or his/her designee. Where violations of criminal law may have occurred, the principal shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agency.

2. Upon completion of the investigation, the principal shall submit a written report on the investigation and its results to the superintendent.

2.30.5 Discipline

1. Students found to have engaged in such activities shall be subject to progressive discipline by school or district authorities according to applicable procedural requirements. Such discipline may include but not be limited to referral to:

Student Assistance Program, suspension or expulsion
meeting with the student and student's parents
reflective activities
counseling
anger management
health counseling or intervention
mental health counseling
skill building and resolution activities
community service
in-school suspension
suspension or expulsion

2. Employees who fail to enforce the prohibition against such activities shall be subject to discipline according to applicable procedural requirements. Such discipline may include, reprimand, suspension, discharge or termination.

Revised: 03/12/20

2.30.6 CYBERBULLYING PREVENTION (addendum to current policy)

In compliance with state law, the superintendent or his/her designee, shall implement administrative procedural directive(s) to prevent cyber-bullying. Prevention shall include:

Training for all school employees on how to recognize signs that a person is being cyber-bullied;

Immediate reporting to the school principal/supervisor or superintendent or his/her designee when there is reasonable suspicion that a person is being cyber-bullied;

Immediate steps to investigate the report; and

Prompt corrective action in response to the cyber-bullying.

PROCEDURAL DIRECTIVE ON BULLYING AND CYBERBULLYING PREVENTION

The purpose of this procedural directive is to foster a safe, respectful and fear-free environment for all members of the school community, minimize the incidents of bullying at schools and implement a process for schools to follow if bullying occurs. Farmington Municipal Schools shall treat instances of bullying and cyber bullying equally in terms of prevention, intervention and discipline. The term bullying shall encompass the activity of cyber bullying.

It is expected that all members of the school community experience a positive school atmosphere where all individuals are honored and respected. It is the responsibility of every stakeholder to conduct him or herself in a manner that promotes and supports this commitment.

For purposes of procedural directive, “bullying” is a way of using power aggressively in which a person is subjected to intentional, unwanted and unprovoked hurtful verbal and/or physical actions. An act of bullying results in the targeted student feeling oppressed, fearful, distressed, injured or uncomfortable. The aggression is repeated on more than one occasion and can include: physical, verbal, emotional, racial, sexual, written, electronic, damage to property, social exclusion, land intimidation. Bullying may be motivated by actual or perceived characteristics such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or identity, mental, physical or academic disability. Bullying often takes place in a social context. Cyber bullying is a form of bullying.

For the purposes of this procedural directive, “cyber bullying” electronic communication that:

Targets a specific student with intent to harm;

Is published with the intention that the communication be seen or disclosed to the targeted student.

Is in fact seen or disclosed to the targeted student; and

Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment on the school campus that is so severe or pervasive as to substantially interfere with the targeted student’s educational benefits, opportunities of performance.

For purposes of this procedural directive, “members of the school community” include students, employees, parents/legal guardians, school partners and visitors.

PROHIBITION

Farmington Municipal Schools strictly prohibits bullying by all members of the school community. Farmington Municipal Schools strictly prohibits bullying by students whether on or off campus. Those who encourage bullying may be subject to corrective action. Any Farmington Municipal School employee shall not tolerate bullying incidents.

Farmington Municipal Schools prohibits reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying.

Farmington Municipal Schools shall consider bullying, or behavior that displays the characteristics of bullying, which occurs in a digital or cyber environment the same as bullying occurring in a traditional or physical environment. Farmington Municipal Schools therefore prohibits bullying in a digital or cyber environment by all members of the school community with the use of district technology or personal electronic devices whether on or off campus. Corrective action may be taken if the act of bullying leads to the disruption of a safe, respectful and fear-free environment for another member of the school community.

DISTRICT STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

Farmington Administration shall annually notify (electronically, orally or written) all school and district personnel (including substitutes), school volunteers, students and their parents/legal guardians of the Board of Education policy on Bullying Prevention and this administrative procedural directive.

All district personnel shall be required to immediately report alleged or suspected incidents of bullying.

Principals/supervisors shall develop and implement a comprehensive written building prevention plan as part of a school wide prevention plan based on specific school needs. The plan shall include:

Internal measures to strongly discourage, address and establish consequences for false reports of bullying

An internal bullying reporting process, which ensures the confidentiality of reporters, witnesses, targeted students and persons acting aggressively

Principals/supervisors shall notify all school personnel, school volunteers, students and their parents/legal guardians of this process

Appropriate measures to protect reporters, witnesses and targets of bullying from retaliation

Procedures for administration to investigate allegations of bullying, which ensure the confidentiality of reporters, witness, targeted students and persons acting aggressively

The principal/supervisor or his/her designee shall respond consistently and promptly to all individuals involved in every reported and suspected buying incident.

Principals/supervisors shall train their staff periodically about bullying prevention strategies and identifying, reporting and effectively responding to bullying. Documentation of attendance by staff is required.

The district shall provide professional development regarding bullying prevention during appropriate administrator meetings.

Farmington Municipal Schools

Section II - The Student

2.1 ATTENDANCE

2.2 ENROLLMENT

2.3 INTERNET SAFETY

2.4 – 2.6 – RESERVED FOR FUTURE POLICY

2.7 OPEN ENROLLMENT

2.8 DROPOUT/WITHDRAWAL

2.9 GED RULES

2.10 STUDENT ACCOUNTING

2.11 ATTENDANCE FOR SUCCESS ACT (HB236,2019)

2.12 MIDDLE SCHOOL FEEDER POLICY

2.20 HEALTH/WELLNESS/PREVENTION

2.21 LAW ENFORCEMENT / OUTSIDE AGENCY

2.22 CHEMICAL ABUSE

2.23 SEARCH AND SEIZURE

2.24 STUDENT RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION

2.25 THEFT AND VANDALISM

2.26 GANGS AND GANG ACTIVITY

2.27 WEAPONS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY

2.28 NON-DISCRIMINATION AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT

2.29 HARASSMENT BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, AGE AND DISABILITY

2.30 VIOLENCE, BULLYING, HAZING, INTIMIDATION, HOSTILE AND OFFENSIVE CONDUCT

2.31 SEXUAL HARASSMENT TO STUDENTS

2.32 THREAT TO STUDENTS AND STAFF

2.33 SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION ACT

2.34 RELEASE OF STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

2.35 PARENTAL CUSTODY

2.36 VIDEO SURVEILLANCE POLICY

2.40 STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

2.41 FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

2.42 STUDENT VEHICLES

2.43 CLOSED/OPEN CAMPUS

2.44 DRESS CODE

2.45 STUDENT FEES, FINES AND CHARGES

2.46 FIELD/ACTIVITY TRIP

2.47 STUDENT TRANSPORTATION

2.48 ACTIVITY TRANSPORTATION

2.49 STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE

2.50 PUBLIC INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

2.51 STUDENT HANDBOOKS

2.56 IMMUNIZATION AND HEALTH PROGRAM

2.57 STUDENT HEALTH RECORDS

2.58 ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL

2.59 NURSING REPORT

2.60 FIRST AID

2.61 SELF-MUTILATION

2.62 COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

2.63 ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS, INJURY OR PREGNANCY

2.64 CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

2.65 CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT POLICY AND CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL