Bullying Prevention & Awareness

Bullying is typically defined as repeated, intentional behaviour that causes harm, fear, or distress. It often involves a real or perceived power imbalance between individuals or groups.

Bullying can take many forms, including:

• Physical (e.g., hitting, pushing)
• Verbal (e.g., name-calling, threats)
• Social (e.g., exclusion, spreading rumours)
• Cyber (e.g., online harassment, messaging, social media)

Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can significantly impact a student’s well-being and ability to learn.

Conflict vs. Bullying

Not all peer challenges are bullying. Students may experience both conflict and bullying, and schools respond to each in different ways.

• Conflict is a disagreement or problem between students of relatively equal power. It is a normal part of learning how to build relationships, solve problems, and communicate with others.
• Bullying involves intentional harm, often repeated over time, where there is a real or perceived power imbalance.

Why the Difference Matters

Both conflict and bullying are taken seriously.

• Conflict is addressed by helping students build the skills needed to resolve disagreements and strengthen relationships.
• Bullying requires a more structured response to ensure safety, accountability, and support for those impacted.

We are here to help.

If you are unsure whether a situation is conflict or bullying, we encourage you to connect with your school or report the concern.

When a serious bullying incident occurs, the school will take steps to respond, support, and follow up.

The principal will contact the families of students involved to share:

• What is known about the incident, including any harm that occurred
• The steps being taken to support student safety
• The general nature of the school’s response
• The supports that will be provided to students

How Schools Determine Next Steps

Schools respond to incidents in ways that are clear, consistent, and focused on student safety, well-being, and accountability.

When determining next steps, school leaders consider a range of factors, including:

• The nature and seriousness of the behaviour
• The impact on the student(s) involved
• Whether there is a pattern of behaviour over time
• The age and developmental stage of the student
• Individual circumstances that may have contributed
• Supports that are needed to prevent further harm

Responses may include a combination of:

• Actions to ensure immediate safety
• Appropriate consequences
• Opportunities for students to take responsibility and repair harm
• Supports for both the student who was harmed and the student who caused harm

Our goal is to respond in ways that are fair, appropriate, and help all students learn, grow, and remain connected to their school community.

Understanding Privacy

We understand that families want reassurance that concerns are taken seriously and addressed appropriately.

While schools will share information about how they are supporting your child and maintaining a safe environment, they are not able to share specific details about consequences or disciplinary actions for another student.

This is to protect the privacy and dignity of all students, as required under privacy legislation.

Not sharing this information does not mean that action has not been taken. Schools remain focused on:

• Ensuring student safety
• Addressing the behaviour
• Supporting accountability and learning
• Preventing further harm