Middlebury Community Schools is committed to providing a caring and safe environment for all of our students.  The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is an initiative to help us accomplish this goal.  We are working hard on planning and implementing this initiative well so it is ingrained in the fabric of our life at school.

Each school year, the school buildings in the Middlebury District promote a Safety Week focusing on proactive actions to prevent violence and bullying.  During this week, school safety drills are practiced and processed with the students, as well as planned fun spirit events to enhance the anti-violent rules and behaviors that we promote.

What is bullying, you may ask?  The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program definition of bullying is:  "Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself."

To simplify, you may think of it in this way:

R = Repeated...

the bullying behavior happens over and over again

I = Intended...

the bullying happens on purpose.  It is an intentional aggressive action.

P = Power Imbalance...

the bullying creates a power imbalance causing one student to feel very small and powerless.

1. We will not bully others.

2. We will help others when they are bullied.

3. We will include everyone.

4. When we know someone is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.

Bullying is different than conflict.  A conflict is a disagreement or antagonism between two or more people.  All involved have some responsibility in the encounter.  Conflict resolution strategies can be employed to find common ground because both parties have a vested interest in resolving the conflict.  Bullying is abuse and needs to be reported as such.  Conflict resolution should not be used in a bullying situation.

If you know someone being bullied, inform an adult-teacher-counselor-and/or administrator.  You may also report bullying anonymously at the Middlebury Community Schools homepage.  Scroll down to "Bully Prevention Program" on the left side of the page and click on it.  There you will find a link to report bullying behavior that you or your child witnesses.