The Camphill School believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. The school and its community have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance. The Camphill School will not tolerate behavior that infringes on the safety of any student. This policy applies to students on school grounds, during the lunch period, whether on or off campus, and during a schoolsponsored activity. This policy is aligned with The Camphill School’s other policies governing appropriate conduct of staff and students.

Definition

Bullying, including “cyberbullying” is defined as: 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 PA state law and the policies of funding school districts.

Reporting

The Camphill School expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the Director of Programs:

Andreas Schuschke
aschuschke@camphillschool.org
610-469-9236 ext. 404

Staff who witness such acts will take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. Parents or guardians of all students involved in an alleged incident of bullying will be directly informed by the Director of Programs within 24h of receipt of the report. On that occasion, the Director of Programs will discuss the availability of interventions to address bullying, such as social work services, counseling, school psychological services, other interventions, and restorative measures to be determined in collaboration with the funding school district(s).

Investigation

Each complaint of bullying will be promptly investigated. The following principles will be followed:

1. Establishing whether a reported act of bullying is within the permissible scope of the school’s jurisdiction. For any case, in which it is determined that the reported act of bullying is not within the school’s jurisdiction, the school will provide the alleged victim with information regarding services that are available within the district and community, such as counseling, support services, and other programs.
2. 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.
3. Involving appropriate school support personnel and other staff persons with knowledge, experience, and training on bullying prevention, as deemed appropriate, in the investigation process.
4. Notifying the Director of Programs of the report of the incident of bullying as soon as possible after the report is received.
5. Consistent with Federal and State laws and rules governing student privacy rights, providing parents/guardians of the students who are parties to the investigation information about the investigation and an opportunity to meet with the Director of Program to discuss the investigation, the findings of the investigation, and the actions taken to address the reported incident of bullying.

Professional Development

To ensure bullying does not occur on school campuses, the Camphill School will provide staff development training in bullying prevention and cultivate acceptance and understanding in all students and staff to build each school’s capacity to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment

Student Communication

Teachers should discuss this policy with their students in age-appropriate ways and should assure them that they need not endure any form of bullying. Students who bully are in violation of this policy and are subject to disciplinary action.

Student Code of Conduct

The Camphill School has adopted a Student Code of Conduct to be followed by every student while on school grounds, or when traveling to and from school on a school-sponsored activity, and during lunch period, whether on or off campus.

The Student Code of Conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Any student who engages in bullying may be subject to disciplinary action.
• Students are expected to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or designee.
• Students can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying in a thorough and confidential manner.
• If the complainant student or the parent of the student feels that appropriate resolution of the investigation or complaint has not been reached, the student or the parent of the student should contact their funding school district. The school system prohibits retaliatory behavior against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.

Intervention Procedures

The procedures for intervening in bullying behavior include, but are not limited, to the following:

• All staff, students and their parents will receive a summary of this policy prohibiting intimidation and bullying: at the beginning of the school year, as part of the student handbook and/or information packet, as part of new student orientation, and as part of the school system’s notification to parents.
• The school will make reasonable efforts to keep a report of bullying and the results of investigation confidential.
• Staff who witness acts of bullying shall take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. People witnessing or experiencing bullying are strongly encouraged to report the incident. Any form of falsely accusing another of bullying, as well as of reprisal or retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying is strictly prohibited. Such acts of false accusation or reprisal and retaliation are subject to a separate investigation and, depending on the outcome of such an investigation, may result in required remedial actions or dismissal for the individual in question.
• Interventions to address bullying, such as social work services, counseling, school psychological services, other interventions, and restorative measures to be determined in collaboration with the funding school district(s).

Policy Evaluation Process

The Camphill School will engage in an annual policy evaluation process to assess the outcomes and effectiveness of the policy that includes, but is not limited to, factors such as:

• The frequency of victimization,
• Student, staff, and family observations of safety at a school,
• Identification of areas of a school where bullying occurs,
• The types of bullying that are common or occurring,
• Bystander intervention or participation,
• The information developed as part of the evaluation process will be provided to school administrators, school board members, school personnel, parents, guardians, and students.

Updated: June 2021