Bullying Prevention & Intervention Plan
Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan
The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District is committed to providing a safe, positive, and productive educational environment where students can achieve the highest academic standards. D-Y is committed to maintaining a school environment where all students are free from bullying and cyberbullying and the effects thereof.
No student or staff member shall be subjected to harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyberbullying
Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan
The Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan is a comprehensive approach to addressing bullying and cyberbullying, and the school or district is committed to working with students, staff, families, law enforcement agencies, and the community to prevent issues of violence. In consultation with these constituencies, we have established this Plan for preventing, intervening, and responding to incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, and retaliation. The principal is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the Plan except when a reported bullying incident involves the principal or the assistant principal as the alleged aggressor. In such cases, the Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for investigating. We will not tolerate any unlawful or disruptive behavior, including any form of bullying, cyberbullying, or retaliation, in our school buildings, on school grounds, or in school-related activities. We will investigate promptly all reports and complaints of bullying, cyberbullying, and retaliation, and take prompt action to end that behavior and restore the target’s sense of safety. We will support this commitment in all aspects of our school community, including curricula, instructional programs, staff development, extracurricular activities, and parent or guardian involvement. We recognize that certain students may be more vulnerable to become targets of bullying, harassment, or teasing based on actual or perceived characteristics, including race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, socioeconomic, status, homelessness, academic status, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, or sensory, disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics. The school or district will identify specific steps it will take to create a safe, supportive environment for vulnerable populations in the school community, and provide all students with the skills, knowledge, and strategies to prevent or respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing.
In the development of this plan, Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District (DYRSD) recognizes the following:
• Bullying is the use of power by one or more individuals over another to intentionally cause harm.
• There are many ways that bullying can manifest itself in school and in the community.
• Bullying can include, but is not limited to, physical acts, verbal acts and psychological acts.
• For the target, aggressor and bystanders bullying interferes with the learning and growth of students in academic and emotional ways.
• A safe learning environment is one in which every student is allowed to develop emotionally, academically and physically in a caring and supportive environment free from intimidation and abuse and provides all students with the skills, knowledge, and strategies to prevent or respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing.
Leadership
Leadership at all levels plays a critical role in the review and implementation of our Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan (“the Plan”) in the context of other whole school and community efforts to promote a positive school climate. Our leaders have a primary role in teaching students to be civil to one another and promoting understanding of and respect for diversity and difference. School Administrators and School Counseling staff at each building provide education and oversight for this plan. School Administrators seek feedback from the greater school and local community in reviewing, revising and implementing the Plan. The plan is reviewed bi-annually using the information collected from climate surveys sent to students, families and staff, data analysis of bullying incidents and community feedback. This information is reviewed by district administrators at the Leadership meeting and reported out to the Superintendent. All reported incidents of bullying are reported to DESE as required.
Bullying is prohibited:
- on school grounds, property immediately adjacent to school grounds, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, function or program whether on or off school grounds, at a school bus stop, on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased or used by a school district or school, or through the use of technology or an electronic device owned, leased or used by a school district or school and
- at a location, activity, function or program that is not school-related, or through the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased or used by a school district or school, if the bullying creates a hostile environment at school for the victim, infringes on the rights of the victim at school or materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
BULLYING PREVENTION
DYRSD is committed to providing a safe, positive and productive educational environment where students can achieve the highest academic standards. No student shall be subjected to harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyber-bullying. “Bullying” is the repeated use by one or more students or by a member of a school staff including, but not limited to, an educator, administrator, school nurse, cafeteria worker, custodian, bus driver, athletic coach, advisor to an extracurricular activity or paraprofessional of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at a target that:
● causes physical or emotional harm to the target or damage to the target’s property;
● places the target in reasonable fear of harm to him/herself, or of damage to his/her property;
● creates a hostile environment at school for the target;
● infringes on the rights of the target at school; or
● materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
“Cyber-bullying” means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a:
● wire
● radio
● electromagnetic
● photo-electronic or photo-optical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet communications, instant messages or facsimile communications.
Cyber-bullying shall also include the creation of a web page or blog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or knowingly impersonates another person as author of posted content or messages, if the creation or impersonation creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyber-bullying shall also include the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons, if the distribution or posting creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying. Bullying and cyber-bullying may occur in and out of school, during and after school hours, at home and in locations outside of the home. When bullying and cyber-bullying are alleged, the full cooperation and assistance of parents and families are expected.
For the purpose of this policy, whenever the term bullying is used it is to denote either bullying or cyber-bullying. Bullying is prohibited:
● On school grounds;
● On property immediately adjacent to school grounds;
● At school-sponsored or school-related activities;
● At functions or programs whether on or off school grounds
● At school bus stops;
● On school buses or other vehicles owned, leased or used by the school district; or,
● Through the use of technology or an electronic device owned, leased or used by DYRSD.
Bullying and cyber-bullying are prohibited at a location, activity, function or program that is not school-related or through the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased or used by DYRSD if the act or acts in question: create a hostile environment at school for the target; infringe on the rights of the target at school; and/or materially and substantially disrupt the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
Prevention and Intervention Plan
The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall oversee the development of a prevention and intervention plan, in consultation with all district stakeholders, which may include teachers, school staff, professional support personnel, school volunteers, administrators, community representatives, local law enforcement agencies, students, parents and guardians, consistent with the requirements of this policy, as well as state and federal laws. The plan shall apply to students and members of a school staff including, but not limited to, educators, administrators, school nurses, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, athletic coaches, advisors to an extracurricular activity and paraprofessionals. The bullying prevention and intervention plan shall be reviewed and updated at least biennially.
The Principal is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the bullying prevention and implementation plan within his or her school.
Reporting
Students, who believe that they are a target of bullying, observe an act of bullying, or who have reasonable grounds to believe that these behaviors are taking place, are obligated to report incidents to a member of the school staff. The target shall, however, not be subject to discipline for failing to report bullying. Each school shall have a means for anonymous reporting by students of incidents of bullying. No formal disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report. Any student who knowingly makes a false accusation of bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action. Parents or guardians, or members of the community, are encouraged to report an incident of bullying as soon as possible. A member of a school staff shall immediately report any instance of bullying the staff member has witnessed or become aware of to the school principal or their designee.
Investigation Procedures
The Principal or their designee, upon receipt of a report, shall promptly initiate investigations procedures aligned with JICFB: Regulations for the Implementation of the Bullying Prevention Policy. Confidentiality shall be maintained to the extent consistent with the school's obligations under law.
Retaliation
Retaliation against a person who reports bullying, provides information during an investigation of bullying, or witnesses or has reliable information about bullying, shall be prohibited.
Target Assistance
DYRSD shall provide counseling or referral to appropriate services, including guidance, academic intervention, and protection to students, both targets and perpetrators, affected by bullying, as necessary.
Training and Assessment
Annual training shall be provided for school employees and volunteers who have significant contact with students in preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents of bullying. Age-appropriate, evidence-based instruction on bullying prevention shall be incorporated into the curriculum for all PK to 12 students.
Publication and Notice
Annual written notice of the relevant sections of the bullying prevention and intervention plan shall be provided to students and their parents or guardians, in age-appropriate terms. Annual written notice of the bullying prevention and intervention plan shall be provided to all school staff. The faculty and staff at each school shall be trained annually on the bullying prevention and intervention plan applicable to the school. Relevant sections of the bullying prevention and intervention plan relating to the duties of faculty and staff shall be included in the school employee handbook.
The bullying prevention and intervention plan shall be posted on the DYRSD website.
Updated May 12, 2026