The Bridgeport Community is committed to making our school a safe and caring environment for all students. We will treat each other with respect and refuse to accept bullying of any kind.
Bullying is defined as: acts by anyone in the school community by themselves or with others with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate, or harm someone else. Bullying behaviors include the following.
- Hurting someone physically by hitting, kicking, slapping, or pushing
- Stealing or damaging another person’s things
- Ganging up on someone
- Teasing someone in a hurtful way
- Using put-downs, such as insulting someone’s race or making fun of someone for being a boy or girl
- Touching or showing private body parts
- Spreading rumors or untruths about someone
- Leaving someone out on purpose, or trying to get other kids not to play with someone
To prevent bullying, Bridgeport students will:
- Treat each other respectfully and try to include everyone in play, especially those who are left out
- Refuse to bully others
- Refuse to let others be bullied or bully you
- Refuse to watch, laugh, or join in when someone is being bullied
- Report all bullying to an adult. Never keep a secret.
To prevent bullying and help children feel safe at school, Teachers and staff at Bridgeport will:
- Closely supervise students in all areas of school and playground.
- Watch for signs of bullying and stop it when it happens
- Respond quickly and sensitivity to bullying reports using the Four A Response Process (Affirm Feelings, Ask Questions, Assess Safety, and Act by coaching child on what to do in the future)
- Look into all reported bullying incidents.
Parents or students who suspect that repeated acts of bullying are taking place should report the matter to the school principal or assistant principal. School personnel will investigate all reports of bullying.
Bullying Behavior Chart
Bullying behaviors include not only physical aggression but also emotional harassment and social alienation. Each of the three major types of bullying – physical, emotional, and social – can be further split into verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Each of the six categories of bullying behavior exists along a continuum from low-level violence to more severe violence. This chart is used to show the range and scope of bullying behaviors that can occur at school.
Level 1 Physical (Harm to another’s body or property)
Verbal: Taunting, Expressing physical superiority
Nonverbal: Making threatening gestures, Defacing property, pushing/shoving, Taking small items from others
Level 1 Emotional (Harm to another’s self-worth)
Verbal: Insulting remarks, Calling names, Teasing about possessions, clothes, Saying someone has germs or is unclean
Nonverbal: Taunting, Expressing physical superiority
Level 1 Social (Harm to another’s group acceptance)
Verbal: Making threatening gestures, Defacing property, Pushing/shoving, Taking small items from others
Nonverbal: Insulting remarks, Calling names, Teasing about possessions, clothes, Saying someone has germs or is unclean
Level 2 Physical (Harm to another’s body or property)
Verbal: Threatening physical harm, Blaming target student
Nonverbal: Damaging property, Stealing, Initiating fights, Scratching, Tripping or causing to fall, Assaulting
Level 2 Emotional (Harm to another’s self-worth)
Verbal: Insulting family, Harassing with phone calls, Insulting intelligence, athletic ability, etc.
Nonverbal: Threating physical harm, Blaming target student
Level 2 Social (Harm to another’s group acceptance)
Verbal: Damaging property, Stealing, Initiating fights, Scratching, Tripping or causing to fall, Assaulting
Nonverbal: Insulting family, Harassing with phone calls, Insulting intelligence, athletic ability, etc.
Level 3 Physical (Harm to another’s body or property)
Verbal: Making repeated and/or graphic threats, Practicing extortion, Making threats to secure silence: “If you tell, I will…”
Nonverbal: Destroying property, Setting fires, Biting, Physical cruelty, Making repeated, violent, threatening gestures, Assaulting with a weapon
Level 3 Emotional (Harm to another’s self-worth)
Verbal: Frightening with phone calls, Challenging in public
Nonverbal: Making repeated and/or graphic threats, Practicing extortion, Making threats to secure silence: “If you tell, I will…”
Level 3 Social (Harm to another’s group acceptance)
Verbal: Destroying property, Setting fires, Biting, Physical cruelty, Making repeated, violent, threatening gestures, Assaulting with a weapon
Nonverbal: Frightening with phone calls, Challenging in public
