The Greenwich Township Board of Education has adopted Policy 5512 Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying, authorizing the prompt investigation of reports and violations and complaints of HIB in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A: 37-15(b)6. This policy applies to all stakeholders, all school sponsored events, and situations outside of school which have the potential to disrupt the school environment, create a hostile educational environment, or interfere with the education and school rights of others.
The following district personnel are available to assist with any questions or concerns regarding HIB:
- Zana Harbon, Stewartsville Middle School Anti-Bullying Specialist, 908-859-2023 x2500
- Joel Barrett, Stewartsville Middle School Principal, 908-859-2023 x2504
- Tina Neely, Interim Superintendent and District Anti-Bullying Coordinator, 908-859-2022 x1606
- NJDOE’s State School Climate Coordinator ([email protected])
HIB Reporting: Parents, students and visitors are encouraged to report alleged acts of HIB on the same day the act is witnessed or the day reliable information regarding the incident is received. To report an incident of harassment, intimidation or bullying please complete the HIB Report Form and submit it to the student’s principal immediately. Parents, students, and visitors have the option to report anonymously.
HIB Investigation: All acts of HIB shall be reported verbally to the school principal on the same day the school employee or contracted service provider witnessed or received reliable information regarding any such incident and a written report shall be submitted to the principal within two (2) days of the verbal report. Upon receipt of a verbal report of an alleged act of HIB, the principal shall notify the parents of all students involved and shall initiate an investigation on the same school day. The investigation shall be conducted by the school’s Anti-Bullying Specialist and shall be completed within ten (10) school days from the date of receipt of the written report. The results of the investigation shall be reported to the Superintendent within two (2) school days of the completion of the investigation.
The Superintendent shall report the results of the investigation to the Board of Education no later than the next regularly scheduled BOE Meeting following completion of the investigation. Reports to the Board of Education are provided in a confidential manner and do not include students’ names. Five (5) school days after the results have been reported to the BOE, the Superintendent shall provide written notification regarding the outcome of the investigation to the parents of all involved parties. Parents may request a hearing before the Board of Education after receiving the information. The hearing shall be held within ten (10) days of the request. The Board of Education may affirm, reject or modify the Superintendent’s decision. The Board of Education’s decision may be appealed to the Commissioner of Education no later than ninety (90) days after the issuance of the board’s decision.
HIB or Conflict:
Conflict most often involves mutual engagement in a disagreement between individuals.
- Conflict, which occurs in everyday life, can range from simple disagreement over an idea to a verbal argument or a physical fight.
- During a conflict, name calling, threats and other behavior that may look like HIB can occur.
- Determining whether an incident is a conflict or HIB requires examination of the individual facts of each incident. If a conflict results in damaging, violent or disruptive or other behavior, it may be prohibited under a school’s code of student conduct and some form of discipline may occur, but the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act does not apply.
HIB usually involves one or several individuals intentionally committing a mean or violent act against another person or persons who have a hard time defending themselves.
- When HIB occurs, there is NOT mutual engagement between individuals, but a one-sided victimization of another person or group.
- The intention is to cause physical or emotional harm to the person
Frequently Asked Questions
Source: NJDOE