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I'm Miss Mortenson, your School Counselor (the second one to the left).

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This is my 7th year at Jefferson and 13th year as a school counselor

My job is to help support you and every student at big Jefferson and JPC do their best socially, emotionally and academically

That means making sure you: know and understand what respecting others and yourself means; know the difference between normal conflicts and bullying situations; how to handle conflicts with peers; how to manage your emotions; how to grow independently and boost your confidence and self esteem; how to handle disappointment and be proud of others and preparing for different transitions (middle school, family changes, friends)

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Classroom lessons throughout the year

Lunch, recess, specials pop-ins to support

Small groups, individual meetings

All the meetings!

5th grade-Announcements, safety patrol, peer leaders

Teamwork=dream work (Mr. Healy, teachers and staff, parents, YOU and me)

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In New Jersey, we have special laws that protect anyone who is bullied in NJ Public Schools. This can be in school, at school events, at home, in town, on the phone, social media... anywhere! If it is a student in our school (Jefferson) and it is reported, we have to, by law, investigate the situation. Today we are going to talk about what HIB means so you understand and hopefully do not find yourself involved in a HIB situation this year. And if you are involved in one, you know and understand what happens.

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Pushing, shoving for the purpose of making someone feel intimidated or the center of a joke. This can be one or more people participating and it does not have to happen more than once to be considered bullying. This also may include verbal comments like name calling or laughing.

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Can happen on any type of device- computer, tablet, cellphone, Ipad, gaming system. It can be in the form of text, video, photos or speech that someone posts about you or someone else that is hateful and hurtful. *Once something is shared online, it can never be erased! Even if you think you deleted it, it is never really gone!

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Making threats of any kind can be considered intimidation under HIB law in New Jersey and can be founded. Be careful what you say in person or online. "I'm just joking" will not get you out of a HIB investigation. What you think is a joke, someone else takes seriously.

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No, not everything is bullying. In fact, MOST reported cases in elementary schools are NOT bullying. Most of what is reported happens to be conflicts or what we call mean behavior that could become bullying if it doesn't stop.

Conflicts are arguments or disagreements that may happen in the heat of the moment due to something that happened in class, at lunch, recess or because of something someone did or said. They are usually an emotional response and not intentional.

Examples: You spilled your crayons all over the floor and others laughed. You get embarrassed when negative attention is on you so your emotional reaction= you knock over your friend's water bottle and it spills all over the floor. Now you and your friend are fighting.

During recess, your the goalie for the red team and your best friend is playing on the green team during recess. She's coming in to try and score. As she kicks, you block her shot and the ball bounces back up and hits her in the face. She gets mad and throws the ball at you and starts screaming. The two of you start pushing and shoving one another until a teacher comes and breaks up the fight.

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How to report possible HIB situations...

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How to report possible HIB situations...

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If you think someone is bullying you or someone else:

Let the closest adult know right away. Don't wait until you get back to the classroom or until you get home to tell your parents.

If you think they aren't taking you serious for some reason, let them know you need to speak with me (Miss Mortenson) or Mr. Healy right away.

Remember that reporting is NOT tattling.

Everyone has the right to feel safe at school and that can't happen if someone is being bullied and it goes unreported. Don't wait days, weeks, months to say something. We can't help if we don't know.

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If you are involved in a HIB investigation...

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If you are involved in a HIB investigation...

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ABS (me): Investigator

Students involved: interviewed by ABS one on one and information is confidential

Mr. Healy contacts parents

Everything is based on information gathered

Conclusion-actions-discussion with student/s-board meeting for approval

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As a student in elementary school, your are still learning what is right and wrong but as you get into 4th and 5th grade you are held to a higher degree of accountability-you should know that calling someone a certain name is wrong. You should know that actions have consequences. In 1st and 2nd grade, there is more understanding that these lessons are new and your brain is still growing.

The goal is that by middle school- you know that what you say and do matters and that every action has a reaction-positive and negative. If you treat others with kindness and respect, you will not find yourself in the middle of a HIB investigation. If you join others in doing something that intentionally offends or hurts someone else, there will be an investigation and possible consequences.