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Metuchen reports 29 harassment/intimidation/bullying incidents in 2024–25; 17 confirmed, district emphasizes restorative steps
Summary
Superintendent presented the district’s Anti‑Bullying Bill of Rights summary for 2024–25: 29 reported incidents, 17 confirmed as harassment/intimidation/bullying (HIV). The district described timelines for investigations, school self‑assessment scores and posted resources for families.
The Metuchen Public School District reported 29 harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIV) incidents for the 2024–25 school year at the Board of Education meeting on Oct. 28, the superintendent said.
"There were 29 HIVs district wide, 17 found as HIV, 12 found as not HIV," Superintendent Dr. Caputo told the board, summarizing the statutorily required Anti‑Bullying Bill of Rights (ABR) submission. He described the district’s investigatory timeline: reports are investigated by building administrators (typically the vice principal), investigated within two days, reported to the superintendent within 10 days and then presented to the board; the board later votes to affirm, reject or modify investigation findings.
The report summarized the nature and effects of incidents, modes (the district said most reported incidents were verbal), disciplinary actions taken (ranging from counseling and reflections to detentions and suspensions), and other measures such as no‑contact agreements and community‑service or learning‑oriented responses. The district also reported school self‑assessment scores (out of 78 points): Moss 76, Campbell 72, Edgar 73 and Metuchen High School 73; the superintendent noted the state mean on the self‑assessment is 79.
Dr. Caputo outlined recommendations the district is pursuing, including an emphasis on restorative justice practices, morning meeting calendars and advisory lessons in middle school, body‑acceptance demonstrations, newsletters and parent trainings. He said ABR materials and reporting resources are posted on the district website and identified specific items for families: an ABR parent tutorial, the district HIV policy (district policy 55‑12), ABR reports for past years, a reporting form for families and staff, an anonymous reporting form and state resources such as stopbullying.gov.
When a board member asked whether the district could break down the 29 incidents by school, Dr. Caputo said that level of breakdown is maintained in district records and is available in internal reports but is not required to be submitted to the state in the ABR summary. The board thanked staff for the report and for the district’s focus on intervention and prevention.
