A conference on bullying prevention was held Friday on Boise State University's campus.
Approximately 170 educators and school counselors traveled to the City of Trees from all parts of the Gem state to be in attendance.
The first annual Idaho Positive Behavior Network Conference was hosted by a group that provides educational training.
The theme was chosen by those with the Idaho Positive Behavior Network to help school leaders get aligned with new bullying-related criteria set forth in House Bill 246.
Idaho educators are now required to:
- Ensure that information on harassment, intimidation and bullying of students is disseminated annually to all school personnel, parents and students.
- Provide ongoing, professional development to build skills of all school staff members.
- Write district policies to include a series of graduated consequences.
- Annually report bullying incidents to the Idaho State Department of Education.
"We have a continuum of consequences that matches the intensity of the behavior, and we're also collecting data," said Katie Bubak, IPBN director.
Jennifer Tachell, a school counselor at Whitney Elementary in Boise said: "Instead of just reacting to the problem, we're being proactive and really putting things into place to support students who, maybe, don't know another way to deal with conflict."
The overall goal is to create safe and secure learning environments. One of the components set forth in leading to that goal is to focus on the root causes behind a student acting out at school.
