The Norwalk Board of Education policy committee voted to adopt the state-mandated school climate policy and to remove the district's separate bullying policy, the committee confirmed at a June 26 meeting.

The policy — required for the 2025–26 school year under state guidance cited in the draft — consolidates definitions, reporting procedures and building- and district-level roles into a single school climate framework, officials said. The committee moved and approved a single motion to adopt the new school climate policy (board policy 5003) and to remove the existing bullying policy as redundant.

John Kinney, interim safety and security director for Norwalk Public Schools, said the policy “sets forth the framework for an effective and informed school climate improvement process, which includes a continuous cycle of, 1, planning and preparation, 2, evaluation, 3, action planning, and 4, implementation.” Kinney told the committee the district already uses tools and practices required by the new language and that the change mainly standardizes terms, forms and reporting across buildings.

Why it matters: The change replaces a stand‑alone bullying policy with a broader school climate policy that adds a formal definition for “challenging behavior” and requires uniform reporting, investigation and response documentation. Board members said the update will create uniform accountability across schools and formalize practices the district already uses.

Key provisions and implementation steps
- Definitions and scope: The new policy keeps a bullying definition focused on “unwanted and aggressive behavior…that involves a real or perceived power imbalance” and adds “challenging behavior” to capture conduct that negatively affects school climate or interferes with learning or safety, Kinney said.
- Roles: The policy defines a district-level school climate coordinator (the district role Kinney is temporarily serving) and building-level school climate specialists (who may be principals, deans, social workers or other designated staff). Specialists must be trained in school climate improvement and restorative practices and will lead building climate committees.
- School climate committees: Each school must convene a committee led by the specialist and include at least one certified teacher, students (age‑appropriate), two family/community members and other staff. Committees will administer the climate survey, analyze data and draft a building-specific climate improvement plan.
- Survey and planning: The district will use its existing Panorama survey as the required climate survey, Kinney said. Committees will use survey results, discipline records, attendance and other data to develop a school climate improvement plan unique to each building but aligned to the Connecticut school climate standards cited in the policy.
- Reporting and forms: The policy requires a standardized reporting form for alleged bullying or challenging behavior (reporters receive acknowledgement within three days). Administrators must complete an investigation form and provide a written response form describing actions taken to reporters. For incidents involving discipline, parents/guardians will be notified within 24 hours, and for more serious incidents a behavior intervention meeting may be held with a written summary provided within seven days.
- Special education/PBT timelines: The policy requires notifying the PBT (planning/behavior team referenced in the meeting) within two days when the incident involves a student with a 504 plan or special education services; that team will determine supports.
- Training and funding: The board must provide resources and training for social-emotional learning, restorative practices and evidence-based interventions; the district is responsible for allocating funding across schools for assessment, professional development and outreach.

Committee discussion and legal/privacy limits
Committee members emphasized the policy does not create new staff positions; instead, it formalizes duties already performed as part of existing job descriptions. Chairman Carpio and board member Janine Randolph said the policy “is not additional staff” but new language that creates accountability for reporting and documentation.

Kinney and committee members noted the policy requires compliance with federal privacy protections. Kinney explained that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) limits what the district may publish about incidents and that superintendent reports to the board will show incident counts and supports provided without identifying students.

Vote and next steps
The committee combined the recommendation to adopt board policy 5003 and to remove the separate bullying policy into one motion and approved it unanimously by those present; Mary Ellen (a committee member) was not present at the vote. The superintendent will report annually to the full board on the number of serious incidents, grade level and supports provided, while building committees finalize and post school-specific climate improvement plans, officials said.

The committee also handled routine procedural items and adjourned after completing the policy discussion.

Ending: Committee members said the change aligns Norwalk Public Schools with Connecticut's school climate standards and that the district's use of Panorama and existing restorative practices should ease implementation for the 2025–26 school year.