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ANTI-BULLYING AND HARASSMENT PREVENTION POLICY
PHIL & JENNIE GAGLARDI ACADEMY

Rationale
At Gaglardi Academy every child deserves an education free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, intimidation and other forms of violence. Student safety is paramount and can only be realized through ongoing focus on fostering safe and caring school communities and ensuring schools have appropriate prevention and intervention strategies in place.

Gaglardi Academy's expected school-wide culture:
As part of our school's Code of Conduct all staff, students and parent community are expected to acknowledge, sign and adhere to the outlined code of conduct.  The code of conduct can be found in staff and parent manuals as well as Gaglardi's student handbook.  The school’s code of conduct outlines acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in all relationships towards one another.

The school authority is committed to take all reasonable steps to prevent retaliation by a person against a student who has made a complaint of a breach of this policy.

Gaglardi Academy's understanding of harassment:

  • It is a distortion of how God intended us to live in relationships emotionally,
    physically, spiritually and socially.
  • The task of the Christian school is to nurture students toward that which God
    intended for us as human beings.
  • All harassment breaks community between two or more individuals; it defies God’s plan of respect, worth and dignity for bearing God’s holy image.
  • Harassment affects three parties: the bully, the bullied and the bystander.
  • The act of harassment can be physical, emotional, verbal or exclusionary.

As a community we are called to:

  1. Be kind, helpful, and encourage all students.
  2. Stop all bullying behaviour in hallways, classrooms and grounds including teasing, verbal “digs”, cyber-stalking, gossiping among peers, and physically harming another.
  3. Be inclusive, considerate, and help students respect the diversity of others regardless of culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.  
  4. Do not judge one another.
  5. Never cause anyone harm whether it be physical, emotional, social or relational with your words and actions; don’t fight, harm someone’s reputation, exclude someone or tease each other.

At Gaglardi Academy,  procedures are in three parts and that recognize  we are a Kindergarten to Grade 12 school:

  1. Prevention and awareness are a part of assembly, Chapel, Bible classes, classroom programs and projects, and personal planning in the classroom at all grade levels.  At grade levels 6-12, cyber-bullying education begins.
  2. Initial interventions:
    • Primary (K-3):  high instruction (specific and repeated), discipline and age-appropriate consequences.  If repeated, parental involvement is required and the Discipline Policy applies.
      • Instruction: re-enforce “hands to self”; kind words; WITS program; be a bucket filler; coming under authority; golden rule.
    • Elementary (Gr 4-7): emphasis on counseling, building relationships and supervision of play.  Continue to build on the instruction learned from K-3 (especially new students to our school in this age group). Discipline Policy is strictly applied at this age and includes investigation of the complaint and interviewing of the participants and witnesses in order to:
      • Assess the harm as either harassment or abuse.
      • Get informed parent involvement early in the discussion.
      • Achieve student reconciliation.
      • Document and summarize the event.
    • Senior (Gr 8-12): The school’s Discipline Policy is strictly enforced which includes investigation of the complaint and interviewing of the participants and witnesses in order to: 
      • Assess the harm as either harassment or abuse.
      • Get informed parent involvement early in the discussion.
      • Achieve student reconciliation.
      • Document and summarize the event
  3. Disciplinary consequences may include:
    • A letter of apology.
    • A public apology.
    • Suspension from sports teams.
    • Restricted access to students and freedom to roam or leave the property during school hours.
    • In-school suspension.
    • Out of school suspension.
    • Expulsion.

The school will take reasonable steps to prevent retaliation by a person against a student who has made a complaint of bullying and/or harassment.

At Gaglardi Academy we strive to:

  • Develop a positive school culture through building relationships and having students design the model for a Godly classroom culture.
  • Teach, model and encourage positive social behaviours through the high school student union, regular assemblies, social events, concerts etc.
  • Respond consistently to incidents in a fair and reasoned manner, using interventions that repair harm, strengthen relationships and restore a sense of belonging  (see Discipline Policy – Green Sheet Protocol).
  • Participate in the development of policies, procedures and practices that promote school safety, including all hazards emergency preparedness.
  • Engage in continuous learning and professional development to foster safe school communities and address emerging safety concerns.


Anti-Bulling and Harassment Policy updated February 2015, updated November 18, 2019, updated November 30, 2021, updated January 11, 2022.