Every student has the right to be educated in a positive, safe, caring, and respectful environment. If something happens to you which makes you uncomfortable, we recommend following the “Stop, Walk, Talk” strategy. The Stop, Walk, & Talk strategy is from the publication Bully Prevention in Positive Behavior Support. It recommends using 3 simple and progressive steps:

1) Verbally tell the person to stop their hurtful behavior

2) Walk away if the problem continues, and finally

3) Talk to an adult if the issue is still not resolved. An adult you trust: a parent, teacher, administrator, counselor, security guard, can assist you in getting/staying safe.

Bullying | Harassment | Sexual Harassment

Behavior Definitions/Descriptions

Defamation: Using words or materials that are false and expose a person to hatred, contempt, ridicule, disgust, or an equivalent reaction, or are false and have a tendency to impugn a person’s occupation, business, or office.

Obscene Materials: The use or presentation of physical or digital materials that may include, but are not limited to, items that an average person, applying contemporary standards of the school community, would find, taken as a whole, appealing to erotic interests and lacking serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. The standard to be used is of the school community, recognizing that students are, as a group, younger and more sensitive than the general adult population.

Sexting: Sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between cell phones and other mobile devices.

Bullying: Engaging in repeated acts, over time, that involve a real or perceived imbalance of power with the more powerful child or group attacking those who are less powerful. Bullying can be physical in form (e.g., pushing, hitting, kicking, spitting, stealing); verbal (e.g., making threats, taunting, teasing, name-calling); or psychological (e.g., social exclusion spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships).

Cyber Bullying: Bullying (see Bullying definition) committed via online platforms and mediums. Intimidation: Intentional behavior by a student or group of students that places another student or group of students in fear of harm or personal property. (Intimidation can be manifested emotionally or physically, either directly or indirectly and by use of social media)

Threat: Indicating, by word and/or conduct the intent to cause physical injury or serious damage to a person or their property.

Extortion: Attempting to obtain or obtaining money or property by threat, force, or in return for protection.

Harassment: Intentional behavior by a student or group of students that is disturbing or threatening to another student or group of students. Intentional behaviors that characterize harassment include, but are not limited to, stalking, hazing, social exclusion, name-calling, unwanted physical contact and unwelcome verbal or written comments, photographs and graphics. Harassment may be related, but not limited to, race, religions orientation, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, cultural background, economic status, size or personal appearance. Harassing behaviors can be direct or indirect and by use of social media.

Initiation/Hazing: Any intentional, knowing or reckless act committed by a student, whether individually, or in concert with others against another student, and in which both of the following apply: A. The act was committed in connection with an initiation into, and affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in any organization that is affiliated with an educational institution. B. The act contributes to a substantial risk of potential physical injury, mental harm or degradation. Organization means an athletic team, association, order, society, corps, cooperative, club or other similar group that is affiliated with an educational institution and whose membership consists primarily of students enrolled at that educational institution.

Sexual Harassment Student/Staff: Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that denies or limits a student’s ability to participate in or to receive benefits, services, or opportunities in the school’s program. It can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to touching, pinching, grabbing, impeding or blocking movement, and lewd gestures, continuing to express sexual interest after being informed that the interest is unwelcome.

Dating Abuse: Engaging in behavior in which one person uses or threatens to use physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional mistreatment to control the person’s former or present dating partner.

Sexual Misconduct: When on campus or at a school event, engaging in sexual conduct which a school community or the general public would likely find offensive, indecent, or grossly inappropriate. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to inappropriate exposure of a body part; intimate contact with a private body part of another individual; or, fondling, or caressing. A private body part in this context is defined as an area of the body, which is generally associated with sex and normally covered by clothing when in public.

You will need the name of person(s) that you would like to report. You will also need to provide details of the problem, based on your perspective. Describe the incident, the individuals involved (or impacted), and relevant background information, and attempts you have made to resolve the problem. Be sure to include all relevant dates, times, and places. Additional pages may be attached (if necessary).

Once a school employee becomes aware of, or suspects a student is being bullied, they shall immediately notify the school administrator. Once a report is made, the principal shall provide the student who made the report, a written copy of student rights, protections, and support services available to the student and shall notify the student’s parent(s) / guardian(s) of the report. The principal shall investigate all reports of bullying.

After the principal conducts an investigation, the principal will meet with the involved students to review the findings of the investigation. The parent(s) or guardian(s) of the involved students shall also be informed of the findings of the investigation. If the principal determines that bullying has occurred, discipline will be administered following board policy.

School discipline is different than the legal criminal process. Any student and their parent, who feels a crime has been committed against them, may report to law enforcement in the city in which the crime occurred. The Phoenix Police Department crime stop number is (602)262-6151.

Violence is not tolerated at school, despite who started the conflict or fight. The best thing you can do is try to remove yourself from the situation and find the nearest adult.

To deal effectively with a conflict, a trained facilitator manages a process of communication called a mediation. Mediations are a chance to sit face to face and talk, uninterrupted, so each side of the dispute is heard. It allows for problem solving, restoration and a resolution or agreement that is written and signed.

The majority of the mediations we do work. Most teenagers don't really want to fight. Mediation has been effective in constructive and peaceful resolution of student conflicts and has proven to help students learn how to problem solve to prevent more conflicts from happening.

You can request mediation by going to Security, Counseling, or the Student Support Center and letting them know you have conflict that you need help with. You can also fill out an online referral form (below).

No, our goal is to help students resolve their conflict before it escalates to a fight. If you don't want anyone to know that you requested the mediation, just tell the person you are making the request to that you would like to remain anonymous as the reporter.