2008 Woodie Awards
Delaware schools fight back against bullies with prevention programs
by Jennifer Heine
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: News
Delaware schools are now battling bullies. State officials are requiring all school districts and charter schools to submit bullying prevention programs by Jan 1. Schools must also report bullying incidents to the Delaware Department of Education under House Bill No. 7, the School Bullying Prevention Act.
So far, out of 36 school districts and charter schools in Delaware, Newark Charter School is the only school that has submitted its anti-bullying plan.
Tom Poehlmann, assistant principal of Newark Charter School, which includes students in kindergarten through eighth grade, said the school has had an anti-bullying plan for three years for fifth through eighth graders. The plan began several years ago after some parents witnessed bullying incidents at recess and wanted to make sure teachers and staff knew how to handle these situations.
Poehlmann said the school offers a mandatory training program about bullying for staff that parents are welcome to attend.
"We train everybody from teachers, staff, bus drivers, parents that help at recess, any other parent," he said.
At other schools, assistant principals are supposed to handle bullying situations. At Newark Charter School, all adults in the school are involved, Poehlmann said.
"People are trained to deal with intervention as they see it," he said.
Poehlmann said parents are encouraged to complain about any bullying incidents because school officials will take care of the situation.
"Parents will pick up the phone and call us because they know we're going to help," he said.
Psychology professor Julie Hubbard, who is currently doing a study on bullying in the Christina School District, said parents and teachers can reduce instances of bullying by not tolerating the behavior. They should also teach children to include everyone in a group and promote empathy.
"Adults should be teaching kids to think about how somebody else is feeling," Hubbard said. "If you wind up in a situation where you bully someone, you can think about how they feel."
So far, out of 36 school districts and charter schools in Delaware, Newark Charter School is the only school that has submitted its anti-bullying plan.
Tom Poehlmann, assistant principal of Newark Charter School, which includes students in kindergarten through eighth grade, said the school has had an anti-bullying plan for three years for fifth through eighth graders. The plan began several years ago after some parents witnessed bullying incidents at recess and wanted to make sure teachers and staff knew how to handle these situations.
Poehlmann said the school offers a mandatory training program about bullying for staff that parents are welcome to attend.
"We train everybody from teachers, staff, bus drivers, parents that help at recess, any other parent," he said.
At other schools, assistant principals are supposed to handle bullying situations. At Newark Charter School, all adults in the school are involved, Poehlmann said.
"People are trained to deal with intervention as they see it," he said.
Poehlmann said parents are encouraged to complain about any bullying incidents because school officials will take care of the situation.
"Parents will pick up the phone and call us because they know we're going to help," he said.
Psychology professor Julie Hubbard, who is currently doing a study on bullying in the Christina School District, said parents and teachers can reduce instances of bullying by not tolerating the behavior. They should also teach children to include everyone in a group and promote empathy.
"Adults should be teaching kids to think about how somebody else is feeling," Hubbard said. "If you wind up in a situation where you bully someone, you can think about how they feel."
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