Bullying Prevention

Bullying Prevention & School Safety

Q & A on Bullying Prevention

Below is information about the programs, policies, and services in place at Union-Endicott to support anti-bullying and conflict resolution.

Does U-E have an anti-bullying program in place? Yes, we have trained faculty and staff in Olweus Anti-Bullying, and currently in Restorative Practices. Restorative Practices is a proactive approach to prevent conflicts, as it helps students build relationships, understand different points of view, and solve conflicts in and outside of the classroom. With Restorative Practices, it is important that all voices are heard.
Where can I learn more about Restorative Practices? Click here to see an article on Restorative Practices in the most recent Tiger TREND: Tiger Trends Oct 2022 DCMO 3 final.pdf (uek12.org)
Does U-E have policies to address anti-bullying and harassment of students and staff? Yes, our policies can be found on the website. Just click the link, and then search keywords: Board of Education (uek12.org)
What is the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)? New York State has provided a framework for how schools respond to negative behavior. DASA calls for the protection of students from harassment, bullying or discrimination by employees or other students. The aim is to foster social interaction among students to maintain a safe learning environment for all students.
Who do we tell about suspected incidents of bullying? The building principals at U-E are DASA Coordinators, and each year, they are trained in investigating reports of harassment, bullying or discrimination in their buildings. If your child attends a BOCES program, reports of bullying should be provided to the teachers and principals at BOCES. They will collaborate with our principals if additional disciplinary steps are needed.
Is there a reporting system to address conflicts? Students and parents can report a suspected incident either verbally or in writing to the principal, or they may use the reporting system on the webpage of each school building. The reporting system is available to report conflicts and other issues that can arise between students: Sprigeo - Report School Safety Threats and Bullying.
How is an investigation conducted? Both the accused and the complainants, along with any witnesses, will be interviewed. While there is no legal timeline as to how long any one investigation should take to complete, it is in the best interest of all parties that an investigation will be prompt, thorough and accurate. If disciplinary action is taken against the accused, details may not be shared with the complainant or community at large. New York State Education Law protects the confidentiality of all students, including those found guilty of wrongdoing.
In the past year, how has the district continued to support the social-emotional needs of students? For the 2022-23 school year, the District has hired additional social workers, community school coordinators, safety officers, restorative practice coaches and school resource officers in our schools. Also, the new Family Support Center is available to address the needs of students and families in our community, including counseling supports. Please call 607-757-2501 to contact the center coordinator.

Please contact your child’s principal or the District Office if you have specific questions regarding any of these programs, policies, or services listed above.

UPDATE: Coffee & Community Conversations

Union-Endicott Community,

Thank you for your continued interest in the Coffee & Community Conversations.

The three areas of focus (physical and mental wellness, community building and positive student rapport, and curriculum and instruction) have been addressed based on information gathered at the past two work sessions.

With this information, the district will begin moving forward with the new Health and Wellness Coalition. In order to plan the next steps, the meeting scheduled for Monday, February 6 will be moved to a future date, with the agenda focusing on the Coalition.

The ideas and suggestions from these work sessions have been compiled in the attached charts. This community input will be used to build upon our current efforts and provide direction for the newly developed Health and Wellness Coalition. If you have additional suggestions to add to any of these documents, please use this google form to share your thoughts: https://forms.gle/8rnQtTMbphAPW4P76

Please use this same link if you if would like to be a contributing member of the district’s new coalition.

Please click the bullying prevention and reporting tab on the front of our website, www.uek12.org, to review all our work to date.

Chart #1: Community ConversationCommunity Building.pdf

Chart #2: Community Conversation Physical Mental Wellness.pdf

Sincerely,

Nicole Wolfe

Physical & Mental Wellness

Click the title: Community Conversations January 11 to view information from the January 11 meeting on Physical & Mental Wellness.

U-E Board of Education messages

January 20, 2023

At Union-Endicott, we are moving forward in diversity, equity, and inclusion work. In any school setting, our actions should reflect integrity, respect, responsibility, kindness, and self-control. As a Board, we are called to live these values in what we say and how we act. Our expectation is that all UE staff, students, and community members respect and honor these efforts. Any disparaging comments, gestures or actions against individuals or groups of people will not be tolerated. All who can respect these expectations are welcome to stay, and those who cannot will be asked to leave.

January 31, 2023

At Union-Endicott, we are moving forward in diversity, equity, and inclusion work. In any school setting, our actions should reflect integrity, respect, responsibility, kindness, and self-control. As a Board, we are called to live these values in what we say and how we act. Our expectation is that all UE staff, students, and community members respect and honor these efforts. Any disparaging comments, gestures or actions against individuals or groups of people will not be tolerated and will result in corrective action. It is also our belief that words are important. Speaking out is necessary. Silence is consent. As with students, we expect our faculty and staff to speak up and feel confident they will not be retaliated against when standing up for others or reporting these actions.