Safe Positive Schools
Anti-bullying
Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools will not tolerate bullying behaviour. Guided by Gospel values, we will address the behaviour in a serious and timely manner. We believe all students have the right to a safe, caring and respectful school environment, free from bullying behaviour.
Holy Cross High School Anti-bullying Policy
What Is It?
- Bullying occurs when a person is the target, of repeated hurtful actions.
- Bullying occurs when there is an imbalance of power so that the victim has difficulty defending himself or herself.
- Bullying may include verbal or physical attacks designed to provoke or hurt another person.
Research shows that the vast majority of students do not engage in bullying but that most children experience bullying – either as bystanders, targets or aggressors. Some students miss school because of perceived threats or because they are worried about what may happen to them at school. Surprisingly, adults at school are often unaware of bullying because the bullying is often done in insidious ways. Cyber bulling is on the rise and students are advised to refrain from this form of bullying. Please report all forms of bullying to an administrator.
What Do We Do?
When reports of bullying do occur, our school has a number of processes that assist students and parents. Typically, the first report of bullying is made to a classroom teacher. The teacher will attempt to understand the situation and deal with it directly with the students involved. Teachers, counsellors or administrators may take several courses of action:
- Bring the students most concerned together for a discussion on the effects of bullying and how it must stop.
- Have discussions in classrooms about the effects of bullying and what students can do to prevent bullying (ie. Do not provide an audience for abuse, report the abuser etc.).
- Remind students about our school's Code of Conduct, the reasons for this code and the consequences for breaking the code.
- Seek a guidance counsellor's or RAP Workers advice.
- Refer the students directly to a guidance counsellor or school social worker.
- Seek counsellor-led mediation by contacting the Counselling Office in our school.
- Involve parents in the process to support our students.
- Seek direct administrative intervention for serious or repeat occurrences.
Our school's Code of Conduct is our guide in how we treat each other at Holy Cross High School. In this code, our Holy Cross Catholic School Community Council, our students and our staff have agreed to "dedicate ourselves to treating each other with Christian dignity and respect."
Intervention Process
Students who bully other students will usually be dealt with in the following manner, depending on severity of the incident:
1st Incident - Student will receive a warning, a phone call home and a connection to a counsellor.
2nd Incident – Student will receive a one day suspension,a phone call home and must see a school counsellor.
3rd Incident – Student will be suspended from school for three days or may be referred to an alternate school.
Much is done to promote our Catholic Christian values at Holy Cross High School and we are blessed with tremendous support from parents. We ask that parents treat bullying as a serious issue. We ask that parents get involved with their teens and talk with them about the situation. It may be helpful for the student to write out what happened and how they feel about the situation. Encourage your children to report bullying to their classroom teachers, counsellors, administrators or any adult in the building. We encourage parents to talk to a teacher, counsellor or administrator about the situation and ask for help at 659-7602 or 659-7603. Often, administrators, teachers and other adults are not aware of the situation and need to know this information, in order to help.
