Olweus Bullying Prevention Program – Middle School
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is a systems change program that is designed for all students (K-12). This research-based program is preventive and responsive, with a focus on changing norms and restructuring the school setting. OBPP is a universal, school-wide effort involving all adults and students in a school community-not only teachers but administrators, counselors, cafeteria staff, custodial staff, bus drivers, librarians, parents, and community members who interact with the school.
OBPP:
- Focuses on the school as a system (and aspects of the system that support or discourage bullying) and also on individual behavior – serving K-12.
- Focuses on preventing bullying and also how to intervene effectively in bullying problems that may arise.
- Focuses on changing climate and social norms so that bullying isn’t “cool” and no children are marginalized or excluded.
- Has a strong and growing research base;
- Has no end-date – it should be woven into the fabric of the school.
Research shows bullying prevention needs to happen on multiple levels to be effective. The 4 Olweus Program components are based on this and consist of:
- School-level components
- Establish a Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee
- Conduct committee and staff trainings
- Administer the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire
- Hold staff discussion groups
- Introduce the school rules against bullying
- Review and refine the school’s supervisory
- Hold a school kick-off event to launch the program
- Involve parents
- Classroom-level components
- Post and enforce school wide rules against bullying
- Hold regular class meetings
- Hold meetings with students’ parents
- Individual-level components (working with individual students and their parents)
- Supervise students’ activities
- Ensure that all staff intervene on-the-spot when bullying occurs
- Hold meetings with students involved in bullying
- Hold meetings with parents of involved students
- Develop individual intervention plans for involved students
- Community-level components
- Involve community members on the BPCC
- Develop partnerships with community members to support your program
- Help spread anti-bullying messages and principles of best practice throughout the community
Parents are very important for success of the Olweus program & are involved at all 4 levels.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
- Tammy Russell, Principal
- Donna Herne, Guidance Counselor
- Brendalee Emerson, Counselor
- Danielle Chapman, Instructional Support
- Terri Swamp, Grade 7 Math Teacher
- Jennifer Hughes, Grade 6 Teacher
- David Bish, Grade 6 Teacher
- Kelley Patenaude, Grade 8 Special Education Teacher
- Connie Gerow, 4-H Mentoring Coordinator
- Karen Armstrong, 4-H Youth Development Program Educator/Site Coordinator