Translate

School Climate

Jump to Conflict Incident Summary Form below.

View the District-wide Position Statement on School Climate here. This includes the definition of bullying.

Promoting a Safe School Climate

The success of our students in our school system is dependent upon creating a safe, inclusive, equitable, and secure environment where the behavior of all is conducive to teaching and learning. The desire for quality life in our schools and our community compels us to expect and teach our students to be responsible, compassionate, and productive citizens. In order to promote and ensure a safe, inclusive, and secure environment, Griswold High School has implemented the following programs and practices:

  • Grade-level meetings to address expectations, concerns, initiatives, and opportunities for students;

  • Partnership with Griswold PRIDE community coalition created to work collaboratively to reduce and prevent underage drinking and substance use and its impact on the community;  

  • Student Success Team (SST) meets weekly to identify and clarify the needs of students showing a lack of success in assigned courses, develop and monitor data-driven intervention plans, and provide supplemental instruction in reading, writing and math when needed

  • Building and district-level SEL teams with the purpose of supporting students in achieving emotional intelligence through the competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making;

  • GHS advisory program (restructured) to support the social, emotional, and academic development of each student by providing on-going interaction with faculty members through discussion and planned activities in the classroom setting;

  • On-going professional learning opportunities with a focus on student engagement, social and emotional learning, and restorative practices’

  • Establishment of the Social Emotional Interventionist role to assist the administration in enforcing school rules; addressing disciplinary matters and conflict with students, teachers, and parents; as well as student supervision, SEL intervention and safety; 

  • Enable students to anonymously report acts of bullying to school employees through our Wolverine Hotline: (860) 376-7688 or via email at gbullyline@griswoldpublicschools.org;

  • Established the Student Leadership Council & Student Alliance teams to empower GHS student leaders to express their views, identify areas in need of improvement, and partner with school employees to promote a safe, inclusive, and equitable school community

 

GHS School Climate Committee

District-Wide Safe Schools Climate Coordinator: Campus-Wide Athletics and Activities Director, Mr. Stephen Cravinho

GHS School Climate Specialist (bullying interventionist): Associate Principal, Mr. Art Howe

School Nurse

School Social Worker, Penny Avalos

Social Emotional Interventionist, Sheila DePonte

As well as a GHS Teacher, a GHS Student, and a Parent of a GHS student

*GAHS will be overseen by the Director of Special Education, Christopher Champlin, with support from the GHS Associate Principal

 

Reporting System (Forms)

Any person can report an incident he/she believes to be bullying, intimidating, or harassing behavior to any school employee, which includes, but is not limited to building administrator, teacher, staff, social worker, nurse, coach, or any other person that has regular contact with students of Griswold as an employee of Griswold Public Schools.  Furthermore, that person may report the incident by completing the Conflict Reporting Form and turning it into the building Principal, the Associate Principal (School Climate Specialist), or the Social Emotional Interventionist.  S/he can also complete the form and turn it into a school counselor, teacher, or staff member who can, in turn, turn it into one of the building administrators or the Social Emotional Interventionist that are responsible for following up on the report.

Any school employee that witnesses or receives a report of possible bullying or harassment must report the behavior to building administration orally within one school day and file a written report within two school days after making the oral report.

Student Conflict Reporting Form

In an effort to make reporting as easy and convenient as possible, an electronic form is available online and hard copies are available in the Social Emotional Interventionist’s office, School Counseling, Health Office, Main Office, or can be downloaded above. 

The form can be submitted electronically or printed and turned into the Social Emotional Interventionist or Associate Principal. 

GHS students may anonymously report an incident, by calling the Wolverine Hotline at (860) 376-7688 or sending an email to gbullyline@griswoldpublicschools.org.
 

Investigating a Conflict Report

All incidents reported will be thoroughly investigated. The investigating team may include the Building Principal, the Associate Principal (Safe School Climate Specialist), the Social Emotional Interventionist, and the Campus-Wide Activities and Athletic Director, as well as other faculty when deemed necessary. 

An investigation will include many strategies, all of which will begin based on the information provided by the initial report.  It could include interviewing the alleged victim, the alleged perpetrator(s), and any other students, teachers, or staff that may have been witness to the incident(s) of bullying.  During the investigation, any person with knowledge of the situation will be interviewed and asked to give a written statement explaining what they saw and heard and any other pertinent information related to the incident.  No person interviewed is required to give a statement in writing, but it is encouraged.  Any person interviewed during an investigation will not be discriminated against and their confidentiality will be protected.  Any retaliation on a person who has shared information will not be tolerated, and that behavior will be addressed by the building administration.  During the investigation, the cameras that are set up inside the high school and around the perimeter of the school could be consulted to see if there is any visual evidence that supports the report.

Any anonymous reports of bullying will be investigated.  No disciplinary action will be taken solely based on the anonymous report. 

During the investigation, the parents of the alleged perpetrator and victim will be notified by phone by members of the investigating team and told what was reported and the next steps. They will be kept apprised of any developments related to the reported incident. 

 

Notifying the Parents/Guardians of the Students Involved

At the conclusion of the investigation, the alleged perpetrator and victim will meet separately with members of the investigating team and be told the results of the investigation. If there are disciplinary consequences related to the incident, then they will be given at that time. The students will also be told how to act going forward to avoid any future problems. 

After meeting with all students involved, members of the investigating team will contact the parents/guardians of the perpetrator and victim within 48 hours of concluding the investigation and explain the results of the investigation. If any disciplinary consequences have been given, they will share them at that time. The parents/guardians will be given an opportunity to come in and meet with members of the team to go over all aspects of the situation. 

 

Follow-Up

It is vital to follow-up with the victim and his or her family afterwards to make sure that no further acts of bullying have occurred after the situation has been addressed by school officials.  For that reason, a team member will check in with both the victim and his or her family two weeks and four weeks after the situation has been resolved if an occurrence of bullying has been determined.  Throughout the follow-up process, strict confidentiality will be maintained.  The purpose of the follow-up is to verify nothing further has happened, including any retaliation, and that the student once again feels safe and comfortable at school.  If, through the follow-up, it is determined that another incident has occurred, it will be addressed immediately.  During the follow-up, we will monitor and respond to any instances of retaliation against any individuals that report or assist in the investigation.

 

Recording & Filing Bullying Incidents

It is important to file and record all incidents of reported bullying whether or not the report becomes a bona fide act of bullying.  Having an organized system will allow the school to prevent acts of bullying from continuing and reflect on previous cases. 

An official case will be started with any official reporting of an alleged act of bullying, harassment, or intimidation.  All evidence collected and determinations made will be filed in the folder created for that case.  A separate, organized filing cabinet will be designated solely for bullying incidents.  All files will be kept until all students involved in the situation have graduated.  Once they have graduated, the file will be destroyed. 

At the conclusion of the investigation, the Conflict Incident Summary Form will be completed.  This form will include detailed conclusions about the incident that has been reported, including whether or not the situation was determined to be bullying, disciplinary or other actions taken, and recording the dates and times when we follow up with the students involved in the incident and their families.  A brief written summary of the incident will also be included.  The form will be for office use, and it will only be used to refer back to in case future incidents occur. 

Local law enforcement will be notified by the School Climate Specialist or designee of any acts of bullying that constitute criminal conduct.

In the event that a person calls the high school to find out our number of incidents of bullying, we can use the filing system to quickly provide an accurate response. 

 

Educating Students and Preventing Future Occurrences

Children who are perpetrators need to be educated on the definition of bullying, its harmful effects, and how to prevent the behavior.  In order to achieve that, Griswold High School has several approaches in place, which include the following strategies:

  • Implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports and restorative practices approaches for safe school climate and for the prevention of bullying identified by the Department of Education;

  • school rules prohibiting bullying, harassment and intimidation and establishing appropriate consequences for those who engage in such acts;

  •  adequate adult supervision of outdoor areas, hallways, the lunchroom and other specific areas where bullying is likely to occur; 

  • inclusion of grade-appropriate bullying education and prevention curricula;

  • individual interventions with the bully, parents and school employees, and interventions with the bullied child, parents and school employees;

  • school-wide training related to safe school climate;

  • student peer training, education and support

  •  promotion of parent involvement in bullying prevention through individual or team participation in meetings, and individual interventions.