Fewer than 10 harassment, intimidation and bullying incidents were recorded last year from July 1 through Dec. 31 at the Medford Township School District.
According to Gale Ferraro, the district’s anti-bullying coordinator, a majority of the incidents were name-calling and harassment.
At the Board of Education’s meeting last week, Ferraro said the district has been reducing the number of investigations and violations.
At the elementary level, there were four investigations and one violation, and at the middle school level, there were five investigations and three violations.
She noted the district has increased the number of programs to raise awareness about preventing bullying, harassment and intimidation on an ongoing basis.
“There’s always room for improvement,” Ferraro said, adding parents are the biggest reporters of incidents in the district.
“The incidents are very minor things, but we take it very seriously. We want our kids to feel safe.”
In other news:
• Students and teachers were recognized at the meeting for recent accomplishments.
Memorial School social studies teacher Brittany Lare was recognized for becoming a National Board Certified Teacher, a peer reviewed process to advance student learning, Superintendent of Schools Joseph Del Rossi said.
Students from Memorial School were also awarded certificates for winning Teen Arts Awards.
Two additional Memorial School students received certificates for honorable mention for their essays in the New Jersey Center for the Book/Library of Congress Letters about Literature Contest.
• Students from all five elementary schools and the Haines Sixth Grade Center were awarded certificates for the “Switch It Off” poster contest.
Taunton Forge teacher Pete Johnson coordinated the project, and as an additional reward for the winners, he made the winning designs into posters for the students.
“We need to infuse and reinforce the lessons of energy conservation both at school and at home,” Johnson said.
“This was a great way to get our students to start discussing this at home.”
He noted the children who won really understood the concept and were able to effectively communicate it through the poster and to their peers.
The next board of education meeting is scheduled for June 24 at the Administrative Offices, located at 137 Hartford Road. For more information and the agenda, visit www.medford.k12.nj.us.
