Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

As a Bernards Township district initiative, Cedar Hill has implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP). This is the most researched and best-known bullying prevention program available today. With over thirty-five years of research and successful implementation all over the world, OBPP is a whole-school program that has been proven to prevent or reduce bullying throughout a school setting.
Overall, Cedar Hill has adopted this program to take a proactive approach to prevent bullying and promote positive and respectful behavior. It is our belief at Cedar Hill that taking the time to reinforce the right choices for students will be more than worthwhile as students will learn and acquire the skills needed to treat one another with kindness and warmth. In essence, the program is comprised of a school-wide effort to become more aware of bullying and prevent such behavior through the following steps:

1) An OBPP Kick-Off Event – Cedar Hill held a kick-off event for our OBPP with a an assembly for grades 4-5 entitled “Even Small Crayons Make Bright Marks” by Dr. Michael Fowlin. In a one hour presentation, using music, monologues, improvisation, and audience participation, students were entertained and challenged to think about how they treat one another. Some of the topics explored included, but were not limited to: children who bully other children, individuals who have disabilities (i.e., physical, emotional, and/or intellectual), the pain of loss, children who live in non-traditional homes (e.g., foster/adopted children, single parent homes, same-sex parents), and the recognition that everyone can make a positive impact on their school and community. The show targeted grades 4-5 with a clear message: No matter who you are, no matter what disabilities or hurdles you face, no matter how little or big you are you can make bright marks on this world. More information can be found at www.michaelfowlin.com.

2) Olweus Bullying Questionnaire -- The Olweus Bullying Questionnaire was administered during November to grades 3, 4 and 5 to determine how bullying is perceived by our students and to what degree it presently exists at Cedar Hill. The survey included 30 multiple-choice questions which randomly selected third, fourth and fifth graders answered in the computer lab with teacher supervision. The questionnaire was sent to Olweus for data analysis and the results will be used to help guide Cedar Hills’ Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee (please see below). Thus, such information will be utilized in a pro-active stance to continue to make Cedar Hill a warm, safe, and nurturing environment for our students.

3) School-wide Anti-Bullying Rules – Teachers introduced and discussed the following school-wide anti-bullying rules in their classrooms:

• We will not bully others.
• We will try to help students who are bullied.
• We will try to include students who are left out.
• If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.
• We will make our school a safe, secure, and supportive learning environment.

4) Classroom Meetings -- Students meet with their teachers on a weekly basis to problem-solve and role-play in regard to their feelings about bullying and any possible bullying situation to which they may have been exposed. Students use this time as a sounding board to share their feelings openly in a supportive environment where they can be honest about their experiences. Overall, these meetings serve as a wonderful opportunity for teachers and students to express bullying concerns and for bullying rules to be reinforced.

5) Increased Supervision – Our staff is continuing to monitor possible bullying “hot spots” on a regular basis such as the cafeteria, the playground, bathrooms, hallways, etc. where Olweus research has found to be more frequent locations in which bullying can occur.

6) The Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee – Cedar Hill has established a Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee (BPCC) which consists of Cedar Hill’s principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, and several grade-level teachers who meet monthly to review our progress with the OBPP and determine next steps to continue to reinforce the OBPP’s principles.

For Further Information:
The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program – a nationally recognized program – has received recognition from a number of organizations including:

1) The Blueprints Model Program, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, University of Colorado at Boulder; www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/model/programs/BPP.html

2) Model Program, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, www.modelprograms.samhsa.gov

3) Effective Program, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org

4) Level 2 Program, U.S. Department of Education, www.helpingamericasyouth.gov
 
To research the OBPP, please go to http://www.olweus.org/public/index.page
According to the OBPP, “A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself.