Report Bullying

Sycamore Community School District 427 strives to be bully-free so that all students know they are safe and respected. Learning occurs best when everyone is accepted, respected and safe. We are all responsible for working together to acknowledge that our actions have an effect on our community.

Bullying, harassment, and intimidation diminish a student’s ability to learn and the school’s ability to educate. Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender-related identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, an order of protection status, homelessness status, or any other distinguishing characteristics is prohibited in each of the following situations:

1. During any school-sponsored educational program or activity
2. While in school, on school property, on school buses or other school vehicles, at designated school bus stops, or at school-sponsored events or activities
3. Through the communication of information from a school computer, a school network, or other electronic school equipment
4. Through the communication from a computer that is accessed at a non-school related location, activity, or function. Communication through an electronic device that is not owned, leased, or used by the school district or school if the bullying causes a substantial disruption to the educational process or orderly operation of a school

Bullying includes cyberbullying, defined as bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act of 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/students in reasonable fear of harm to themselves or property
2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student/ student’s’ physical or mental health
3. Interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance
4. Interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the school

Examples of prohibited conduct include name-calling, derogatory slurs, stalking, sexual violence, threatening or causing physical harm, threatening or destruction of property, causing psychological harm.

Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying to a trusted student support services representative. A parent/legal guardian should report an act of bullying to the Student Support Services via phone, email or on the school website.

Knowingly making a false accusation or providing knowingly false information will be treated as bullying for the purpose of determining any consequence or other appropriate remedial actions.

Retaliation against any person who reports an act of bullying is prohibited. A student’s act of retaliation will be treated as an act of bullying when determining consequences or other appropriate remedial actions.

Building Bullying Response Teams

Each building in the District has a designated Bullying Response Team. Generally, this team is composed of a building administrator, counselor, social worker, and school resource officer.

Non-School Hours Response

If a bullying situation takes place over the weekend or an extended break, a buildings Bullying Response Team will get your acknowledgment as soon as they are back at school. If the incident cannot wait until school is back in session, please call the Sycamore Non-Emergency phone number: (815) 895-2123