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Prevention program overview
The Anoka-Hennepin School District is committed to promoting and protecting students’ safety, health, wellbeing and ability to learn. Prevention programming is designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of each and every one of the students in Anoka-Hennepin Schools. Prevention programs enhance the classroom and school climate in a way that assures the student feels safe and will achieve academically. Programs are age-specific, developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive.
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The following school climate programs are supported:
- Peer mediation training
- Anti-bullying programs
- Anti-bullying survey
- Anti-bullying poster contest
- Anonymous online reporting system
- Cyberbullying awareness
- Bystander education
- Second step violence prevention
- Steps-to-Respect
- Restorative Justice
- Choose Respect
- DARE
- Internet safety
- Alcohol, tobacco and other drug awareness
- Ripple effects for teens
- Ripple effects for kids
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Other responsibilities of the prevention coordinator include:
- Collaborating with county, faith and community agencies on strategies to support our students and families.
- Support Gay Straight Alliance clubs in the high schools and middle schools.
- Employ the latest research on student safety, including the Minnesota Student Survey.
- Network with the state and federal government, including the Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Department of Health and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
- Act as a resource for all district staff.
- Determine and provide staff development in the area of student safety.
Bullying and harassment
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Know what bullying and harassment are
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
- An imbalance of power
- Repetition
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex/gender, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status, or veteran status.
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Cyberbullying
Bullies can use text messages and social media to start rumors and send mean comments and inappropriate pictures. Bullies can be anonymous in cyberspace, and may feel like they can't get caught. However, investigations can reveal the source of cyberbullying. If online bullying or harassment causes disruption in school, staff will intervene - even if personal electronic devices are used to post or send messages.
Cyberbullying should always be reported to school staff. These reports will help establish a pattern of bullying.
Bullying awareness initiatives
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Districtwide initiatives
In order to raise awareness and build and engender trust and empathy, the following is a list of programs, projects, and engagements put forth by the school district:
- Superintendent listening sessions: The superintendent visits each secondary building and meets with a group of students to discuss school safety issues.
- Anti-bully survey: Each year, random classrooms in grades four, six, eight and 10 (approximately 6,200 students) take the Anoka-Hennepin anti-bully survey.
- Anti-bully poster contest.
- Anti-bully/anti-harassment community task force.
- Anti-bullying/anti-harassment leadership team.
- Anoka-Hennepin tip line.
- Anti-bullying/anti-harassment discipline DVDs.
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School building initiatives
Many of the district's 36 school buildings have a variety of anti-bullying programs. The following list is not definitive, as some programs are initiated by students and may last only one school year:
- Anti-Bullying clubs.
- Bully bystander student training.
- Kindness retreats.
- Mix It Up Day.
- No Name Calling Week.
- Choose Respect.
- ENVoY.
- Restitution.
- Second Step.
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Staff development
District staff are offered professional development opportunities in anti-bully/anti-harassment awareness, cyber bullying, and much more. The following list is professional development offered on a yearly basis or more frequently:
- Internet safety.
- Navigating difficult conversations in the secondary classroom.
- Culturally responsive teaching.
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Resources
- Guiding principles: Anti-bullying/Anti-harassment
- Brochure for elementary families: Stop & Think: Bullying Hurts
- Brochure for secondary families: Bullying is no joke
