Anti-Bullying Committee

Story Behind the Curve

Queen Anne’s County public schools have implemented a variety of strategies to address poor subgroup performance, including specialized training, individualized learning plans, and co-teaching. Mentors, tutors, reading/math specialists, and the after school programming are current resources for students who need additional support. Challenges facing the public schools include funding reductions which have resulted in the loss of learning support specialists.

It has become more difficult (at least in the short term) to monitor continued progress in this area due to the fact that the State recently changed measuring tools and the two measures can’t be compared with each other. For that reason charts from both the MSA and the PARCC are posted above. Initially we have chosen to measure eighth grade performance for both English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics as our Headline Indicator for this result area. However, this could change next year as the LMB reviews all of the potential indicators.

Demographic factors which influence student achievement include the rise in the number of single parent households and high out-of-County commuter rates. Children often remain at home unsupervised after school until 6:00 p.m. or later.

Due to the change in the focus from MSA to CORE curriculum, the school system anticipated a drop in data for the percent of middle school students in Queen Anne’s County Passing the MSA in Math and Reading. Their prediction was correct. We are unable to draw conclusions from the data in the first year of the PARCC assessment yet.

The members of the Local Management Board continue to be strong advocates of the Character Counts! program believing that a community with strong character can achieve a lot. The Six Pillar Inventory was administered in the County for the sixth time (it’s administered in January of every odd year). The 2015 findings for the students aged 10 -15 years of age indicate that they had higher scores in 2015 than in 2013 for five pillars. On Trustworthy, the scores remained the same. They continued to have the most variable practice of qualities in Trustworthiness. For example 81% said that they always honored another's property, whereas only 31% said that they “tell the truth even when it may cost me.” The item that demonstrated the largest increase was doing volunteer community work. Overall among all age groups it was noted that the middle-income group scored higher than the no-income/low and high-income groups on all 6 pillars. This is another data item leaning towards a need for a continued high focus on sub-groups.

In regards to bullying, three years ago the Board of Education partnered with the LMB and community leaders to establish the ABC Committee (Anti-Bullying Committee). Since its inception, this committee has been extremely active. During that time they have held annual Anti-Bullying Days, implemented the evidenced based Olweus Bullying Prevention Program system wide and signed on with Text2Stop program. This is a text messaging (SMS) program made available to all parents, students, and community members in Queen Anne’s County that allows anyone with a cell phone to leave tips and messages, through texting, that will alert someone to the fact that they are aware of bullying events, that someone has suicidal ideation, or is planning other dangerous behavior. It has been getting a lot of use. The data in chart above shows that bullying in Queen Anne’s County peaked around 2010 while State numbers continue to climb. Many on the ABC committee feel that these strategies and others have helped to turn this curve in Queen Anne’s County. However we still desire to decrease the numbers further.

What We Do

The Queen Anne's County Anti Bullying Committee was formed in June of 2012 with the goal of reducing number of bullying incidents in the Queen Anne's County Schools..This committee is part of the QA County Local Management Board...To report an incident of bullying in any the Queen Anne's County Schools...you can access the Bullying Harassment and Intimidation Form online...http://qacps.schoolwires.net/domain/105

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Queen-Annes-County-Anti-Bullying-Committee/104746123051306

Mission: Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of children and youth in Queen Anne's County by reducing bullying through improved public awareness, putting into action a community-wide anti-bullying plan and embracing inclusion by promoting diversity.

Vision: Our vision is that all children and youth in Queen Anne's County are supported by the community in understanding and addressing bullying

Goals:

• To reduce bullying in our county is defined as words or behaviors which are intentional, repeated and frequent, hurtful and manifest a perceived imbalance of power.
• To improve public awareness of bullying and its warning signs and risk factors.
• To expediently and appropriately address bullying as it occurs.

Organization: The Committee has the option to develop subcommittees to implement approved strategies that support its goal and vision. Committee members are asked to be active in subcommittees.

The Committee annually reports its findings and recommendations in a report to the Queen Anne's County Local Management Board. In the annual report, the anti-bullying efforts of the previous year are reviewed and evaluated.

Story Behind the Curve

Bullying has reached epidemic proportions in our society today. It is especially evident within our schools. In today’s schools children and teens experience bullying at all levels. From simple teasing and name calling to physical threats and assaults, bullying can wreak havoc in a young child or teen’s life, leaving behind mental and emotional scars that can adversely affect their future.

Contrary to what some people believe, bullying is not simply a “passing phase” in a child or teen’s life. There is nothing “natural” or “normal” about a child or teen harassing or causing physical harm to his peers. Bullying is a conscious abusive and dangerous act with serious repercussions on both the bully and his or her victims. When bullying is given any place in our schools, everyone loses.

The effects of bullying vary from person to person; however, it is not uncommon for victims to experience mental and emotional anguish, physical abuse and loss of interest in continuing their studies. Bullies often resort to abusive behavior to compensate for difficult personal or family issues at home. They also suffer from poor friendships and a poor academic standing. Without help and direction, bullies run the risk of dropping out of school altogether and getting involved in drugs or crime.

Bullying also has an adverse effect on school administrators, teachers and staff in their efforts to provide a quality education to their students. It can dampen a teacher’s enthusiasm and zeal for teaching and lower his or her moral. Bullying can easily stifle students’ learning experiences and hinder them from making the academic progress they need to establish a good career. As can be seen, the detrimental effects of bullying extend far and wide with negative consequences all the way around.

Partners

Partners: Queen Anne's County Anti-Bullying Committee is an active committee convened by the QAC Local Management Board in June 2012. Partners involved are behavioral health care providers, educators, elected officials, law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, community groups, residents, community businesses and others working together to maintain a community-wide Anti-Bullying Program in Queen Anne's County. The Committee is an all-volunteer group. Participation in the Committee is open to all residents, community groups or others with a concern about bullying and its effects in Queen Anne's County.

What Works

Unity Day

Text to Stop It

Character Counts

Olweus

Education

Hero Award

Recognize Teachers that stop bullying

Class meetings

Fundraisers/Pit Beef Sales

Community Mentoring

Action Plan

Find a new co-chair

Provide training 2 additional trainings per school

Bus Driver Training

New Teacher Orientation

Hero Award

Meet with group of high school children

Send bully forms

Survey Students