Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment Policy:

Bullying, intimidation, and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate. Preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors and providing all students equal access to a safe, non-hostile learning environment are important school goals.

Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status, military status, unfavorable discharge status from the military service, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited in each of the following situations:

1. During any school-sponsored education program or activity.

2. While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus stops waiting for the school bus, or at school-sponsored or school-sanctioned events or activities.

3. Through the transmission of information from a school computer, a school computer network, or other similar electronic school equipment.

4. Through the transmission of information from a computer that is accessed at a non-school related location, activity, function, or program or from the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased, or used by the school district or school if the bullying causes a substantial disruption to the educational process or orderly operation of a school.

Bullying includes cyber-bullying (bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication) and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

1. Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s or students’ person or property;

2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students’ physical or mental health;

3. Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance; or

4. Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

Bullying may take various forms, including without limitation one or more of the following: harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, sexual harassment, sexual violence, theft, public humiliation, destruction of property, or retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying. This list is meant to be illustrative and non-exhaustive.

Bullying is contrary to State law and the policy of the school. Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying. A report may be made orally or in writing to the Executive Director or any staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking. All school staff members are available for help with a bully situation or to make a report about bullying. Anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the Complaint Manager or any staff member.  Anonymous reports are also accepted by phone call or in writing.

Complaint Manager:

Jessica Kreiser, Executive Director

941 6th St

LaSalle, Il 61301

815-224-1345

jkreiser@lway1.org

Any situation reported will be handled consistent with federal and state laws and rules governing student privacy rights includes procedures for promptly informing parents or guardians of all students involved in the alleged incident of bullying and discussing, as appropriate, the availability of social work services, counseling, school psychological services, other interventions, and restorative measures.

Lighted Way Association, Inc. will employ procedures for promptly investigating and addressing reports of bullying, including the following:                                                                              

1) Making all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within ten (10) school days after the date the report of the incident of bullying was received and taking into consideration additional relevant information received during the investigation about the reported incident of bullying.

2) Involving appropriate school support personnel and other staff persons with knowledge,

experience, and training on bullying prevention, as deemed appropriate, in the investigation

process.

3) Notifying the school administrator or designee of the report of the incident of bullying as soon as possible after the report is received.

4) Consistent with Federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights and providing parents/guardians of the students who are parties to the investigation information about the investigation and an opportunity to meet with the school administrator or designee to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, and the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying.

The policy or implementing procedure shall include a process to investigate whether a reported act of bullying is within the permissible scope of the district's or school's jurisdiction. Furthermore, it shall require that the district or school provide the victim with information regarding services that are available within the district and community, such as counseling, support services, and other programs. To address bullying at Lighted Way, interventions that can be taken may include, but are not limited to, school social work services, restorative measures, social-emotional skill building, counseling, school psychological services, and community-based services.

There will be no reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying. The consequences and appropriate remedial actions for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation may be subject to disciplinary action including up to and including discharge or suspension or expulsion consistent with the behavior policy. 

After an investigation, a person found to have falsely accused another of bullying as a means of retaliation or as a means of bullying may be subject to disciplinary action including up to and including discharge or suspension or expulsion consistent with the behavior policy. 

The process to evaluate and assess the outcomes and effectiveness of the policy includes, but is not limited to, factors such as: 

1) The frequency of victimization. 

2) Student, staff, and family observations of safety at a school. 

3) Identification of areas of a school where bullying occurs. 

4) The types of bullying that are common or occurring. 

5) Bystander intervention or participation. 

6) The information developed as part of the evaluation process must be posted on the district website. If the internet website is not available, the information must be provided to school administrators, school board members, school personnel, parents, guardians, and students.

Full implementation of the above policies includes: 

1. (a) conducting a prompt and thorough investigation of alleged incidents of bullying, intimidation, harassing behavior, or similar conduct, (b) providing each student who violates one or more of these policies with appropriate consequences and remedial action, and (c) protecting students against retaliation for reporting such conduct. 

2. Examines the appropriate steps to understand and rectify conditions that foster bullying, intimidation, and harassment; this contemplates taking action to eliminate or prevent these disruptive behaviors beyond traditional punitive disciplinary actions. 

3. Fully informs staff members of the School’s goal to prevent students from engaging in bullying and the measures being used to accomplish it. This includes: (a) communicating the School’s expectation – and the State law requirement – that teachers and other certificated employees maintain discipline, and (b) establishing a process for staff members to fulfill their obligation to report alleged acts of bullying, intimidation, harassment, and other acts of actual or threatened violence. 

4. Encourages all members of the school community, including students, parents, volunteers, and visitors, to report alleged acts of bullying, intimidation, harassment, teen dating violence and other acts of actual or threatened violence to the building Administrator. 

5. Actively involves students’ parents/guardians in the remediation of the behavior(s) of concern. This includes ensuring that all parents/guardians are notified, as required by State law, whenever their child engages in aggressive behavior. 

6. Communicates the School’s expectation that all students conduct themselves with a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students. This includes a process for commending or acknowledging students for demonstrating appropriate behavior. 

7. Annually communicates this policy to students and their parents/guardians. This includes annually disseminating information to all students and parents/guardians explaining the serious disruption caused by bullying, intimidation, or harassment and that these behaviors will be taken seriously and are not acceptable in any form. 

8. Engages in ongoing monitoring that includes collecting and analyzing appropriate data on the nature and extent of bullying in the schools and, after identifying appropriate indicators, assesses the effectiveness of the various strategies, programs, and procedures and reports the results of this assessment to the Board along with recommendations to enhance effectiveness. 

9. Complies with State and federal law and is in alignment with Board policies. This includes prompting the Board to update the policy beginning every 2 years after its initial adoption and filing this policy with the Illinois State Board of Education after the Board adopts or updates it. 

This policy is not intended to infringe upon any right to exercise free expression or the free exercise of religion or religiously based views protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or under Section 3 or 4 of Article 1 of the Il. Constitution. 

Policy Adopted by:

Lighted Way Association, Inc.

Board of Directors

August 8, 2023