The Shrewsbury School Committee voted unanimously on Jan. 8 to adopt an updated Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy (policy 712) and an updated Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan.

The policy and plan, presented at first reading on Dec. 18, 2024, were revised after the district solicited and reviewed public feedback. Policy subcommittee members told the committee they incorporated one family’s input and consulted legal counsel during revisions.

What changed and why
The policy language describes harassment, intimidation, bullying and cyberbullying as behaviors the district will not tolerate and sets an expectation that investigations will be initiated promptly and generally completed "within 14 school days" under normal circumstances; the policy notes that extenuating circumstances may lengthen the timeline and that principals will communicate with families if investigations take longer.

The subcommittee said it reviewed suggested edits but did not add the phrase "zero tolerance," relying instead on precise policy language and review by legal counsel. The subcommittee also added a two-year review cycle for the plan and associated templates to ensure materials remain current.

Plan amendment: acknowledgement of receipt
Committee members asked for a practical acknowledgement that a report has been received. Meeting participants agreed to add language to the plan (not the policy) stating: "When a report is made, the person making the report will receive confirmation that it has been received by the school." The committee also noted that reporting can occur by multiple channels (form, email, phone, oral report) and that the plan should be consistent about how confirmation is issued for different reporting methods.

Votes and next steps
The committee voted to approve Policy 712 and then to approve the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan as amended. Both motions carried unanimously. The district said it will communicate the updated policy to staff and families and will post a reporting form on Schoology to make student reporting more accessible.

— Based on the Jan. 8 School Committee meeting; quotes and timeline drawn from policy-subcommittee remarks and the superintendent’s comments.