Online bullying reporting system deemed success by Cape district officials

Counselors in the Cape Girardeau School District say the district's anonymous, online bullying reporting system has exceeded their expectations.

Created by Central Junior High School counselors Ed Draper and Julie Janzow, the reporting system was first implemented at the junior high last fall before becoming districtwide in February.

The school's 1:1 program, which provides each student with a computer, was the rudder behind the idea, Janzow said.

"We have a lot of kids who don't want to be seen in our office," she said. "And they don't want to be associated with that 'I'm telling' or 'I'm snitching.' We were just trying to come up with a way for it to be more private, more anonymous, so students could feel comfortable to reach out to us."

Since the system was launched at the junior high school in September, the counselors have received more than 100 reports from students and sometimes parents.

Janzow said she can't imagine more than 100 students coming into the counselors' offices in that period of time.

"I definitely feel like we're reaching more students, or more students are reaching out," she said.

The counselors said they hope to share with other districts throughout the state how easy it was to create the reporting system.

Junior high and high-school students have direct access to the system on their computers through an application. Younger students can access the application at a school's computer lab.

The system also can be found on the district's website, capetigers.com.

When a form is submitted, it is emailed to counselors at the school the student attends.

The reports tell a variety of scenarios, Draper said, from a student saying he or she was pushed to instances of name calling.

But what the counselors didn't expect, they said, is to receive reports from students who are looking out for each other beyond bullying-type situations.

Janzow said they also receive information about students who may be hurting themselves, or students who are having troubles at home.

"The students have really started using it as: I want to help a student, and I know this is a way the right people will get the information," Janzow said.

The anonymous bullying form asks:

• What is the name of the student who you are concerned about?
• Where did the incident that you are reporting happen?
• Describe the problem or incident that you witnessed/heard that you are concerned about.
• What is the approximate date and time that this incident occurred?

Then students are given the option to leave a name or submit the form anonymously.

More than half the forms submitted, the counselors said, include the student's name, and some students who didn't include their name will quickly stop by the office to ensure the counselor received the form.

"For the age level they're at in this building, they've done a really good job with it," Janzow said. "We've been really proud of how they've responded to it and how they've used it appropriately."

If the form is submitted anonymously, Janzow said the counselors start looking into the reported situation by checking in with the person it's about.

The counselor lets the student know what was reported and asks the student what happened.

"And that usually is enough to get them to tell us what's going on," Janzow said, and then the next steps are determined by the situation.

Sometimes there is a student conference, or parents are called. Other times, the issue is taken to administration, or a safety officer gets involved.

Draper said the reporting system is explained to parents when new students are being enrolled at the district.

"That's always an issue that especially new students transferring in and out of the district are concerned about," Draper said. "So I'd like to think it helps new enrollees feel more comfortable coming into our building."

One of the counselors' goals, Draper said, was to help students have more control over their own environment.

If a student is afraid to share the name of a bully, Janzow said she reminds them they can submit a form anonymously. Knowing the counselor can reference the form instead of naming the student who reported the incident, they are more likely to share the information needed.

"They're more comfortable saying things," Janzow said.

Draper added: "And I think it makes our students feel more protected."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

205 Caruthers Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.