The Safe Place to Learn Act (AB 34, Ramos) requires school districts to adopt and post policies to promote educational equity, including district policies pertaining to non-discrimination, bullying, harassment prevention policies, and suicide prevention policies. The Safe Place to Learn Act specifies that school districts must ensure that specified information on bullying and harassment prevention is readily accessible in a prominent location on the District's internet website in a manner that is easily accessible to parents or guardians and pupils. Please take a moment to review Fountain Valley School District's Bullying Prevention Policy, as approved on March 12, 2020.
FVSD Board Policy 5131.2
BULLYING
The Board of Trustees recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student well-being, student learning, and school attendance and desires to provide safe school environments that protect students from physical and emotional harm. No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, visual, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel, or retaliate against them for filing a complaint or participating in the complaint resolution process.
(cf. 5131 Conduct)
(cf. 5136 - Gangs)
(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)
(cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)
The Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies for addressing bullying in district schools with the involvement of students, parents/guardians, and staff. As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may also collaborate with social services, mental health services, law enforcement, courts, and other agencies and community organizations in the development and implementation of effective strategies to promote safety in schools and the community.
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
Such strategies shall be incorporated into the comprehensive safety plan and, to the extent possible, into the local control and accountability plan and other applicable district and school plans.
Any complaint of bullying shall be investigated and, if determined to be discriminatory, resolve in accordance with law and the District's uniform complaint procedures specified in AR 1312.3. If, during the investigation, it is determined that a complaint is about nondiscriminatory bullying, the principal or designee shall inform the complainant and shall take all necessary actions to resolve the complaint.
(cf. 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures)
If the Superintendent or designee believes it is in the best interest of a student who has been the victim of an act of bullying, as defined in Education Code 48900, the Superintendent or designee shall advise the student's parents/guardians that the student may transfer to another school. If the parents/guardians of a student who has been the victim of an act of bullying request a transfer for the student pursuant to Education Code 46600, the Superintendent or designee shall allow the transfer in accordance with law and district policy on intradistrict or interdistrict transfer, as applicable.
(cf. 5116.1 - Intradistrict Open Enrollment)
(cf.5117 - Interdistrict Open Enrollment)
Any employee who permits or engages in bullying or retaliation related to bullying shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
(cf. 4118 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
(cf. 4119.21/4219.21/4319.21 - Professional Standards)
(cf. 4218 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
Policy approved: September 6, 2018
Revised: March 12, 2020
Suicide Prevention Policy
The Safe Place to Learn Act (AB 34, Ramos) requires school districts to adopt and post policies to promote educational equity, including District policies pertaining to non-discrimination, bullying, and harassment prevention policies, and suicide prevention policies. The Safe Place to Learn Act specifies that school districts must ensure that specified information on bullying and harassment prevention is readily accessible in a prominent location on the District's internet website in a manner that is easily accessible to parents, guardians, and pupils. Please take a moment to review Fountain Valley School District's Suicide Prevention Policy, as approved on September 6, 2018.
STUDENTS BP 5141.52
SUICIDE PREVENTION
The Governing Board recognizes that suicide is a leading cause of death among youth and that school personnel who regularly interact with students are often in a position to recognize the warning signs of suicide and to offer appropriate referral and/or assistance. To attempt to reduce suicidal behavior and its impact on students and families, the Superintendent or designee shall develop measures and strategies for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
In developing measures and strategies for use by the district, the Superintendent or designee may consult with school health professionals, school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, administrators, other staff, parents/guardians, students, local health agencies, mental health professionals, and community organizations.
(cf. 1020 - Youth Services)
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 1400 - Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
Such measures and strategies shall include, but are not limited to:
- Staff development on suicide awareness and prevention for teachers, school counselors, and other district employees who interact with students in grades 7 and
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)
- Instruction to students in problem-solving and coping skills to promote students' mental, emotional, and social health and well-being, as well as instruction in recognizing and appropriately responding to warning signs of suicidal intent in others
(cf. 6142.8 - Comprehensive Health Education)
- Methods for promoting a positive school climate that enhances students' feelings of connectedness with the school and that is characterized by caring staff and harmonious interrelationships among students
(cf. 5131 - Conduct) (cf. 5131.2 - Bullying)
(cf. 5137 - Positive School Climate)
(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)
(cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)
- The provision of information to parents/guardians regarding risk factors and warning signs of suicide, the severity of the youth suicide problem, the district's suicide prevention curriculum, basic steps for helping suicidal youth, and/or school and community resources that can help youth in crisis
- Encouragement for students to notify appropriate school personnel or other adults when they are experiencing thoughts of suicide or when they suspect or have knowledge of another student's suicidal intentions
- Crisis intervention procedures for addressing suicide threats or attempts
- Counseling and other postvention strategies for helping students, staff, and others cope in the aftermath of a student's suicide
As appropriate, these measures and strategies shall specifically address the needs of students who are at high risk of suicide, including, but not limited to, students who are bereaved by suicide; students with disabilities, mental illness, or substance use disorders; students who are experiencing homelessness or who are in out-of-home settings such as foster care; and students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth. (Education Code 215)
Policy FOUNTAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: September 7, 2017 Fountain Valley, CA