• COVINA-VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

    POLICY FOR BULLYING PREVENTION

    The Covina-Valley Unified School District believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. The district, schools, and community have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance.

    The Covina-Valley Unified School District will not tolerate behavior that infringes on the safety of any student. A student shall not intimidate or harass another student through words or actions. Such behavior includes direct physical contact, such as hitting or shoving; verbal assaults, such as teasing or name-calling; and social isolation or manipulation.

    The Covina-Valley Unified School District expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the principal or designee. Staff members are expected to imme­diately intervene when they see a bullying incident. Each complaint of bullying should be promptly investigated. This policy applies to students on school grounds, while they are traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity off-site, during the lunch period whether on or off campus, and during a school-sponsored activity.

    To ensure bullying does not occur on school campuses, the Covina-Valley Unified School District will provide staff development training in prevention of bullying and cultivate acceptance and understanding in all students and staff to develop each school’s ability to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.

    Teachers should discuss this policy with students in ways appropriate to their ages 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 up to and including expulsion.

    All students are expected to follow district and school rules while he or she is on school grounds, when traveling to and from school or a school- sponsored activity, and during lunch period, whether on or off campus.

    Actions and consequences for students for incidents of bullying or suspected bullying:

    • Any student who engages in bullying may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
    • 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 believes that the investigation or complaint was not resolved appropriately, the student or the parent of the student should contact the principal or the school office. The school system prohibits retaliatory behavior against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.

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

    • All staff, students, and parents will receive a summary of the policy prohibiting 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 confidential a report of bullying and the results of the investigation.
    • Staff members are expected to immediately intervene when they see a bullying incident occur.
    • People witnessing or experiencing bullying are encouraged to report the incident; such reporting will not reflect on the victim or witnesses in any way.