August, 2015
Dear CCES Parents and Guardians of CCES Students,
A learning environment that is mindful, empathic, and inspiring and a community that helps students cultivate happy and fulfilling lives. That is our goal for students at CCES. We are teaching them how their minds, hearts, and bodies work together and cultivate the focus of attention. Our biggest question: How do we develop kindness towards ourselves and others? We are modeling mindfulness practices to students, staff and parents so they can learn impulse control, stress relief, communication skills, attention and compassion. It is about balance. As educators we have said to our students to pay attention or to be nice but rarely are they taught how. Mindfulness supports our integration with the social emotional learning and responsible decision making. It is always our goal at CCES to keep the lines of communication open with the parent community. We want to send information home that will support a positive and nurturing environment here at school. We want to share information with you to provide clarity and how the school supports the Maryland state law and MCPS policy on bullying. We believe that academic achievement and social growth occur when students and staff feel safe. Bullying,
harassment, or intimidation interferes with the safe operation of schools. Students who are bullied, students who
bully, and students who are bystanders are at risk of experiencing a range of negative health, safety, and
educational outcomes. This regulation provides procedures that address the prohibition of bullying in schools by
implementing prevention, early intervention, remedial activities, and specific consequences as needed, and
guard against reprisal or retaliation against individuals who report acts of bullying.
“All students in Maryland’s Public Schools, without exception, and regardless of race, ethnicity, region,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, language, socioeconomic status, age, or disability have the right to
educational environments that are safe; optimal for academic achievement; and free from any form of
harassment.” The law is clear.
Our commitment to eliminate bullying at CCES is also clear. We are providing our staff with clear
professional development throughout the year that focuses on the prevalence and causes of bullying,
harassment, or intimidation; social skills development; positive school climate; tolerance of differences; ageappropriate behavioral expectations; and strategies to prevent instances of bullying and interventions when
instances of bullying occur.
Every day in our schools (and communities) children are teased, threatened, and tormented by bullies. Bullying
has been identified as a problem that creates a climate of fear, affecting the whole school. Those who fail to
recognize and stop bullying behavior as it occurs actually promote violence. If we fail to stop the behavior, we
send a message to the bully that he or she has the right to hurt people, and a message to the victim that, “You”
are not worth protecting. This message will not be the norm at CCES. Bullying is a form of abuse.
Harassment and abuse are more accurate names for it. Our community should no longer consider bullying just a
part of growing up. No CCES student should be afraid to go to school because of bullying, no parent should be
worried that their child may be bullied and no parent should make excuses for their child bullying other
students.
Let us be clear that bullying is when one or more persons repeatedly say or do hurtful things to another person
who has problems defending himself or herself. Direct bullying usually involves hitting, kicking, or making
insults, offensive and sneering comments, or threats. Repeatedly teasing someone who clearly shows signs of
distress is also recognized as bullying. However, indirect bullying, the experience of being excluded from a
group of friends, being spoken ill of and being prevented from making friends can be just as painful. One-time
events where students have a misunderstanding that may include one or more of the above stated actions and
can be resolved through mediation is not bullying.
It has often been presumed that bullies are anxious and unsure of themselves underneath their tough surface.
However, research finds that bullies are characterized by either unusually low or about average levels of anxiety
and insecurity. Their self-image is also above average or even relatively positive. Some bullies are popular,
others are not. A bully will often have a group of two or three friends who provide him or her with support and
often join in the bullying.
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They view violence more favorably than most students do.
They are often aggressive toward adults, both parents and teachers.
They have a marked need to dominate and suppress other students, to assert themselves by means of
force and threats, and to get their own way.
They are often hot-tempered, impulsive, and not very tolerant of obstacles and delays (frustrations).
They find it difficult to fit in with rules.
They appear to be tough and show little sympathy toward students who are bullied.
They are good at talking their way out of difficult situations.
They often mimic behaviors they see and hear at home.
If you get an email or call from CCES saying that your child is being bullied by other students, take it seriously.
You cannot expect that your child will necessarily talk about problems of this nature to you. Your child may
feel that being bullied is a personal defeat, or he or she may have received threats from the bullies. Your child
may have tried before to tell an adult about the bullying and may not have been given any real help. He or she
may be afraid that involving adults will make the bullying even worse. Therefore, you must be particularly
sensitive to signs and changes in your child.
On the other hand, it can be difficult to discover and to acknowledge that your own child is a bully. Bullying
other students is obviously not something a child will talk about at home. But if several of the points described
below fit your child, you should take this seriously and look more closely into the matter. Bullying can be seen
as a part of a general pattern of anti-social and rule-breaking behavior. Research shows that children who are
bullies during their school years are at a much higher risk of later becoming involved in crime, misuse of
alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. If your child is bullying others, it is important to break this pattern, not just
for the sake of the victim, but also for your own child’s sake. If your child regularly exhibits the behaviors
below, you may want to look closely at their interactions with others.
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Has a marked need to dominate or manipulate others.
Is aggressive, nasty, spiteful, and generally in opposition.
Seems to like to insult, push around, or tease other children.
Sometimes bullied students do not want their parents to talk with the school. Victims often do not want to be the
center of attention and are afraid of getting the bully into trouble by telling adults about what is going on. In
many cases, these children have also been threatened with increased bullying if they tell. Threats cause many
victims of bullying to suffer in silence or to pressure their parents not to contact the school. In most cases;
however, you are doing your child a disservice if you do not pursue the issue. If your child will not agree to
your suggestions out of fear, you must still take responsibility for sorting out the problem. Most bullied children
eventually feel a great sense of relief when the situation finally comes out into the open.
One thing must be made absolutely clear. When an attempt is being made to resolve a bullying situation, the
victim of bullying must be guaranteed effective protection. The bullied student must be able to trust that the
adults are both willing and capable of providing the help he or she needs. In order to provide the bullied student
with sufficient security, close cooperation and frequent exchange of information is usually needed between the
school and the student’s family.
What is CCES doing to eliminate bullying?
1. Develop clear rules against bullying:
We will not bully other students.
We will try to help students who are bullied.
We will make it a point to include students who become easily left out.
When we know somebody is being bullied, we will stand up and say “NO!”, go tell a teacher
immediately or an adult at home.
2. These rules will provide the basis for class discussions about what bullying is and what negative
consequences should be put into effect when students break the rules. Regular class meetings will be the
forum for evaluating how students relate to the set rules and whether the planned measures are working.
It is important that everyone enforce the rules consistently and also give plenty of praise when the rules
are followed.
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What will CCES do at the School Level?
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Questionnaire survey (answered anonymously by the students)
Improved supervision at recess/lunch and other non-structured times
School conference day
Establishment of one or more teacher discussion groups
Formation of a counseling group of students who have been bullied.
Strong commitment to using the MCPS Policy on consequences for bullying.
(https://collaborate.mcpsmd.org/sites/osess/ss/DSS%20Documents/Bullying%20Resources/Bullying%2
0Policy,%20Regulation,%20and%20Power%20Point/Attachment%20A--JHF-RA.pdf)
The offering to any student or parent to make an official complaint using the MCPS Bullying,
Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting Form (MCPS 230-35).
What will CCES do at the classroom level?
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Class (or school-wide) rules using Cheetah PRIDE
Class meetings (teacher and students)
Class parent/teacher meetings when necessary
What will CCES do at the individual level?
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Individual meetings/recommendation for counseling with children who bully
Individual meetings with children who are targets of bullying
Teacher and parent commitment to support anti-bullying at CCES
It is time to make a commitment to partnership to eliminate this problem that has crept into our school
community. How much bullying takes place at CCES depends on the role that committed adults will play in
supporting this campaign. MCPS has a form that any child, any parent, any staff member or community
member can fill out. This form automatically begins a clear investigation into the specific issue. You can find
the link at: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/230-­‐36.pdf I am also including a link to an excellent PowerPoint that can be used when discussing this situation with your
child:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/NR/rdonlyres/0700B064-C2B3-41FC-A6CFD3DAE4969707/9567/BULLYINGANDHARASSMENTshortforweb.ppt
Together, we are committing to work together to eliminate bullying at CCES. We thank you
for your continued support for our children and making a safe learning environment so each
student can reach their potential.
Here are a few steps that will help you and your family begin the discussion at home:
1. Have a serious conversation about what bullying is and is not.
2. Discuss with your child if he or she has been bullied at CCES. Make sure
they give you specifics.
3. Discuss with your child if he or she meets the definition of a bully. Talk
about specific incidences where your child has bullied students at CCES or at
other places in the community such as sports teams, playgrounds, parties, etc.
4. Create an action plan: (For example), How can I stand up against the bully?
How can I stand up for a student that is being bullied? How can I let an adult
know when I have information about a situation of bullying? How can I stop
bullying other students? How can I make good choices when working or
playing with other students?
5. Make a commitment with each other to have open and honest communication
about incidences of bullying knowing this is the only way we can eliminate
this type of negative behavior.
6. Make a commitment to work with other parents within the neighborhood to
not allow bullying behavior during play-dates, parties, team and social
events.
7. We agree to work as a community to eliminate bullying by being respectful
to others, stand up and say “Stop. No! You can’t do that.” when witnessing
bullying and to report incidences of bullying immediately to school staff or
parents.
If you have any questions or clarification, please call 301-657-4994.
Sincerely,
Jody L. Smith, Principal
Kathleen Hecklinger, Assistant Principal