Smithton CCSD 130

Safe2Help Illinois is always available and always confidential.

https://www.safe2helpil.com/

If you need help with Bullying/Cyberbullying, Depression, Self-Harm, Suicidal thoughts, anxiety or any other stressors - there are ways to quickly get help.

To alert Smithton School staff of any concerns for yourself, your friends or fellow students, please submit this form for help. You do not have to give your name!

"Tell Someone" form

Quick Contact Information:

Call: 1-844-472-3345 (1-844-4-SAFEIL)

Text: 72332 (SAFE2)

Email: Help@Safe2HelpIL.com

Online Web Tips: https://app.safe22helpil.com/

You don't have to give your name. You are being brave by helping others.

HARASSMENT OF STUDENTS PROHIBITED
No person, including a District employee or agent, or student, shall harass, intimidate, or bully a student on the basis of actual or perceived: race; color; national origin; military status; unfavorable discharge status from military service; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; gender-related identity or expression; ancestry; age; religion; physical or mental disability; order of protection status; status of being homeless; actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy; association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics; or any other distinguishing characteristic. The District will not tolerate harassing , intimidating conduct, or bullying, including sexual harassment, whether verbal, physical, sexual, or visual, that affects tangible benefits of education, that unreasonably interferes with a student’s educational performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. Examples of prohibited conduct include name-calling, using derogatory slurs, stalking, sexual violence, causing psychological harm, threatening or causing physical harm, threatened or actual destruction of property, or wearing or possessing items depicting or implying hatred or prejudice of one of the characteristics stated above. To read the full policy as well as procedures for filing a complaint, click here.

DISTRICT ANTI-BULLYING AND ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY
Illinois law requires all schools to have a policy on bullying including cyber-bullying.  Each district's policy must be updated at least every other year. Smithton's policy follows state law and is modeled after the official bullying policy published by the Illinois Association of School Boards. In addition to this written policy, which is part of the Board of Education's Policy Manual, the anti-bullying and anti-harassment policy is also included in the yearly school handbook which is distributed to the families of all enrolled students.  In addition to the policy, you may review the district's procedures for responding to bullying here.

BULLYING REPORT FORM
Parents or students may use this form to submit a bullying report.

Bullying (definition):
Bullying is an intentional, aggressive behavior that includes an imbalance of power and is repeated over time.  Bullying includes cyber-bullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:

1. Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student's or students' person or property;

2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student's or students' physical or mental health;

3. Substantially interfering with the student's or students' academic performance; or

4. Substantially interfering with the student's or students' ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.

Expectations and Acknowledgments

1. The District prohibits bullying.

2. The District expects all students to conduct themselves with a proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students.

3. Bullying is contrary to Illinois law and the policy of the Smithton School District.

4. The District shall promptly investigate and address reports of bullying.

5. The District shall utilize a variety of interventions to address bullying which may include school social work services, restorative measures, social-emotional skill building, counseling, school psychological services and community-based services.

6. The District will not tolerate bullying reprisals or retaliation.  Such actions will be treated as bullying for the purposes of determining appropriate consequences or other remedial actions.

7. No student will be punished for reporting bullying or supplying information even if the investigation concludes that no bullying occurred. However, knowingly making a false accusation or providing false information will be treated as bullying for purposes of determining appropriate consequences or other remedial actions.

8. Staff members will (1) intervene immediately to stop a bullying incident that they witness, (2) report bullying, whether they witness it or not, to an administrator, and (3) inform the administration of locations on school grounds where additional supervision or monitoring may be needed to prevent bullying.

The district's anti-bullying and anti-harassment policy covers conduct that occurs at school, at school-sponsored activities, and through school-owned technology as well as conduct that occurs outside the school environment which creates a significant disruption to the school environment.

Suicidal thoughts can be scary. Know the warning signs and reach out to your family, Safe2Help or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline for help any day and any time!

Know the warning signs of suicide so you can spot them in yourself or your loved ones:

• Talking about suicide.

• Statements about hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness.

• Feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.

• Talking about being a burden to others.

• Preoccupation with death.

• Suddenly happier, calmer or less anxious about their situation.

• Loss of interest in things.

• Reaching out to people to say goodbye.

• Giving things away.

• Suicide and Depression Awareness and Prevention Policy

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

  • For free 24/7 help, call 1-800-273-8255

  • Starting July 16th, 2022 you can dial 988 to reach the Lifeline directly.

  • The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.