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Waukegan board approves $76,266 anti‑bullying curriculum for K–5
Summary
The Board of Education authorized purchase of the Second Step K–5 bullying prevention curriculum for $76,266, affirming it aligns with state bullying requirements and will be added to existing SEL lessons.
The Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education voted July 9 to purchase the Second Step K–5 bullying prevention curriculum at a cost of $76,266. The administration described the purchase as an addition to the district’s existing social‑emotional learning (SEL) Second Step program, adding a bullying‑prevention component required by state law, staff said.
During discussion, board members asked whether the change put the district in compliance with the state mandate; a district staff member confirmed it did. Trustees asked how the curriculum would be delivered: presenters said lessons will be integrated into existing SEL instruction as an additional component, not a wholly separate program, and that cyberbullying content (social media, cell phones, email) was included.
Board member Carolina Fabian asked for consistent language and suggested the district label the material “anti‑bullying” rather than just “bullying curriculum.” Presenters agreed and confirmed the materials will be bilingual. Board member Mr. Riddle cited independent studies he said showed Second Step can reduce bullying by roughly 20–23 percent when implemented correctly.
Trustees also discussed incident reporting and recent bullying instances within the district; staff said incidents had been addressed and that data would be included in routine reports to the board. The motion to approve the purchase was made by Mr. Riddle, seconded by Carolina Fabian, and carried on a roll call vote with all trustees voting yes.
