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District reports decline in confirmed bullying incidents; outlines 52 prevention programs
Summary
The board received the SSDS/Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) report covering Sept–Dec 2025; presenters said there were 20 investigations and three confirmed HIB cases, described staff training, restorative justice expansion, and 52 distinct prevention programs over the period.
The Scotch Plains‑Fanwood Board of Education heard its biannual SSDS/Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) compliance report covering September–December 2025.
The district presenter, identified during the meeting as the anti‑bullying coordinator, said the SSDS aggregates incidents of violence, vandalism and HIB reporting. For the reporting period the district recorded 16 incidents categorized as violence (including four vandalism events and one substance‑abuse incident), and the HIB reporting showed 20 investigations with three confirmed HIB incidents.
"There were a total of 20 investigations in which 3 were confirmed HIB," the presenter said, and added that overall the district saw a decline in HIB‑related incidents compared with the prior reporting period. The presentation emphasized staff development: high school staff advanced to tier‑2 and tier‑3 restorative‑justice training and anti‑bullying specialists lead investigations and training.
The report highlighted 52 prevention and culture programs across schools during the four‑month window, including a Not In Our School event for students at the high school that drew more than 100 attendees, a student project called "No Heat in the Garden State" to raise awareness of bias and its mental‑health effects, and elementary strategies such as "Shine Your Inner Wealth" and "Zones of Regulation." Staff said the district is coordinating programs and grant‑supported trainings to reduce incidents and support student social‑emotional learning.
Board members thanked counselors and staff for the volume of programming and noted that capacity to sustain training and staffing remains important to continued improvements.
