We want each child to feel safe in the school. We do not tolerate anti-social behaviors that leave a child feeling emotionally or physically hurt. The school's expectation is that every child will be able to go through the school day without being a target for unkind, intentionally negative comments or actions.
We acknowledge that world news and even some sports do not emphasize this message of civility. In fact, the media (television, films, music, computer games) often celebrate even more violence and/ or sarcasm. We ask Lyme families to help be an antidote to this nationwide problem and support our effort to stop any discriminatory, anti-social behavior. Please report any inappropriate incidents (ASAP) that come to your attention.
Bullying/harassment issues are generally determined by the victim's point of view (not the bully's). No complaint is ignored. We look into every reported case and the frequency of occurrence. Our procedures are consistent and effective. We first do some fact finding and then some counseling and always leave a strong and clear warning message that should the behavior continue, the consequences (ie. lost privileges, detention, suspension, Police/Court or CHINS involvement) will also escalate. Involved families are contacted. We encourage self empowerment, particularly the strength to say no (or stop) and the courage to report a problem. This is not "snitching" and we agree that we can't allow this type of negative unwanted attention to continue.- See School Board Policy.