Bullying Information

For decades, USD 383 has promoted curriculum and instruction in prosocial, bullying prevention behaviors connected to the Kansas Social, Emotional, Character Development (SECD) standards, adopted in April 2012 and revised in 2018. These objectives are designed to help keep children safe and successful while developing their academic and life skills. Kansas was the first state to develop such standards.

As we continue to work together to meet the comprehensive needs of our students, USD 383 utilizes the Second Step and Character Strong programs. Students participate in these programs during class meetings, crew time or advisory times. Our goals include building prosocial behaviors, emotional intelligence and preventing bullying behaviors.

What is bullying?

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, severe or persistent, creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive environment, and that results in the following:

• actual physical or mental harm
• reasonable fear of physical or mental harm
• actual damage to property
• reasonable fear of damage to property

There are 5 types of bullying:

1. Physical Bullying
   • Physical bullying involves the use of physical force to target an individual or group of students. Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions and occurs when a person uses overt bodily acts to gain power over peers. Physical bullying also includes: hitting/kicking/pinching, spitting, tripping/pushing/shoving, taking or breaking someone’s property, making mean or rude hand gestures, hazing. 
2. Cyber Bullying
   • Cyberbullying involves behaviors with the intent of harming an individual through electronic means: social media, text messages, gaming, mobile applications, rumor spreading on a device, posting, reposting, or possessing compromising pictures (may also be considered possession of porn and require reports to local law enforcement), name calling, encouragement of social exclusion, encouragement of self-harm or suicidal behaviors.
3. Verbal Bullying
   • Verbal bullying may involve oral or written communication. Verbal bullying occurs when someone uses language to gain power over a person. This power causes harm or intends to cause harm to the target including: teasing, taunting, name-calling, threats, offensive language or notes/emails/texts/chats, derogatory hand gestures, inappropriate sexual comments, severe criticism, belittling, personal defamation, racist slurs, sexually suggestive and/or abusive remarks, extortion, sextortion.
4. Relational Bullying
   • Relational bullying involves behaviors designed to socially exclude or damage the reputation of the target or the systemic diminishing of a target’s sense of self that could lead to rejection or alienation. These behaviors may include: rumor spreading, social isolation, ignoring, encouraging others to unfriend the target, isolating, excluding, shunning, gossiping.
5. Damage to Property
   • Damage to property involves an aggressor intentionally damaging or stealing an individual’s property with the intent of causing harm or destruction.

This definition is provided by the Kansas Department of Education Bullying Prevention Toolkit and is used to determine if reported behavior or incidents are considered bullying. 

If you hear from your student about bullying, please contact your building principal, teacher or another adult in the building.

Resources

Stomp Out Bullying

Character Strong

Second Step

Pacer Bullying Resources

Social Emotional Learning

Stop Bullying

Board of Education policy KGC – Bullying By Parents

Understanding Risk Factors for Youth Suicide

A Guide for Families and Caregivers

At USD 383, we care deeply about the safety and emotional well-being of every student. While it can be difficult to talk about, it's important to understand the signs that a young person might be struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Knowing the risk factors can help families stay informed, connected, and proactive in supporting their children. Talking about suicide can feel scary, but it’s an act of love and care. By learning the warning signs and being present in your child’s life, you’re taking powerful steps to help them feel seen, heard, and supported.

If you ever have questions or need help, please reach out to your child’s school.

What Are Risk Factors?

Risk factors are things in a child or teen’s life that may increase the chances of them feeling overwhelmed or hopeless. Having one or more of these does not mean a young person will think about suicide, but they may need extra support and care.

 Mental and Emotional Health 

• Struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges
• Having strong mood swings or feeling hopeless
• Talking or thinking about death or suicide

Life at Home

• Recent family changes, such as divorce or separation
• Experiencing abuse, neglect, or violence at home
• Loss of a family member, friend, or loved one

School and Social Life

• Being bullied, excluded, or experiencing conflict with friends or classmates
• Feeling pressure from school, sports, or activities
• Trouble at school, including failing grades or frequent discipline

Identity and Belonging

• Struggles related to gender identity or sexual orientation, especially if not accepted by others
• Feeling like they don’t belong or are not supported
• Facing discrimination or being treated unfairly

Other Concerns

• Having access to things that can be used for self-harm (like firearms or medications)
• Using drugs, alcohol, or other substances
• A history of past suicide attempts or self-harming behavior
• Knowing someone who has died by suicide

What Families Can Do

• Listen without judgment — let your child know it’s safe to talk to you
• Notice changes in mood, behavior, or sleep
• Ask directly if they’re feeling overwhelmed or unsafe
• Stay connected — keep the lines of communication open
• Seek help from your school counselor, doctor, or mental health professional

Get Help Right Away If Needed

If you or your child is in crisis or needs immediate help, you are not alone.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988
• Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
• HeadQuarters Kansas: (785) 841-2345
• The Jason Foundation and Parent Resource Program
• The Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386/Text ‘START’ to 678-678
• Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program: (800) 273-8255
• The Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
• Local resources
  • Pawnee Mental Health Services: (785) 587-4300
  • PMHS Crisis Stabilization Unit: (800) 609-2002
  • MHK Mental Health
  • Ascension Via Christi

USD 383 Mental Health Team Employee Resources

The Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports Integrated Framework (MTSS) is a set of evidence-based practices implemented to meet the needs of all learners. MTSS builds a system of prevention, early intervention, and support to ensure that all students are learning from the instruction. MTSS establishes a system that intentionally focuses on leadership, professional development, and an empowering culture and content areas of reading, mathematics, behavior, and social-emotional learning.

MTSS is a coherent continuum of evidence-based, system-wide practices to support a rapid response to academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs with frequent data-based monitoring for instructional decision making to empower each Kansas student to achieve high standards. The focus of the Kansas MTSS Integrated Framework is system- level change across the classroom, school, district and state.

The goal of MTSS in USD 383 is to provide an integrated systemic approach to meeting the needs of each and every student and for schools to use their resources in ways that enable every child to be successful. This is accomplished by:

• Evaluating current practices to identify those that yield evidence of effectiveness; addressing areas that are missing; and replacing approaches with those that are supported by research.
• Being prevention oriented: knowing who needs support as early as possible and putting necessary and appropriate supports in place.

MTSS is built upon strong educational practices that should be at the center of all instruction. These basic educational practices include using evidence-based (the highest level of research available in the content area) curriculum and practices in such a way as to provide differentiated learning experiences that challenge all students. In addition to these basic practices, teachers must be effective in the delivery of instruction in order for students to attain high achievement.

Principals and Practices = Integration and Sustainability

• Evidence-Based Practices
• Differentiated Instruction
• Classroom Management
• Early Intervention
• Multi-Tier Model
• Fluid Groups
• Data-Based Decision Making
• Problem Solving Process

The MTSS website includes a wealth of information for school districts to utilize in preparation for or as support for implementing the Kansas MTSS Integrated Framework. 

For questions or concerns, please reach out to your school and ask to speak to the MTSS Coordinator. 

USD 383 MTSS Fact Sheet – English and Spanish

MTSS Interventions

Intervention Flowcharts

Family Guide

Title VI, Part A: Educational Program for Students of American Indian or Alaska Native Heritage

The Formula Grants program provides grants to support local educational agencies (LEAs), Indian Tribes and organizations, and other eligible entities in developing and implementing elementary and secondary school programs that serve Indian students. These funds must be used to support comprehensive programs that are designed to meet the unique cultural, language, and educational needs of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students and ensure that all students meet challenging State academic standards. These grants are an extension of sovereign treaty obligations to support Indigenous students as they work toward graduation so they may have a successful post-secondary experience.

Shannon Molt, Director of Student Support Services

Resources

Kansas State Department of Education

• KSDE Fact Sheet

National Parent Resources

• National Congress of American Indians
• National Indian Education Association
• American Indian Library Association
• Planet Youth

Post-Secondary Scholarships

• American Indian College Fund | Native American Scholarships
• Planet Youth Scholarships and other resources

University Indigenous Studies Programs

• Haskell Indian Nations University
• Portland State University
• Trent University: Indigenous Studies

Universities and Other Post-Secondary Programs

• Colleges And Universities Offering In-State Tuition And Tuition Waivers For Native American Students

Federal Resources

• Bureau of Indian Education
• First Nations Development Institute
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• Indian Tribes and Other Resources for Native Americans | USA.gov

The District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, set, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following persons have been designated to handle Section 504 inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies:

• Director of Student Services, Lincoln Education Center, 901 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas, 66502, 785-587-2000, has been designated to coordinate compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
• Director of Human Resources, Lincoln Education Center, 901 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502, 785-587-2000, has been designed to coordinate compliance with all other non-discrimination policies.

Inquiries may also be directed to:

For more information about Section 504 Plans, please visit the US Department of Education 504 overview website.

The district, in accordance with state and federal law and the Kansas state plan, will ensure that homeless children in the school district have access to free and appropriate public education. Homeless students are individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

If your family lives in any of the following situations:

• In a shelter

• In a motel or campground, due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation

• In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station

• Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship

Your school-aged children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Your eligible children have the right to:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education.

• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.

• Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.

• Enroll in the local school or continue attending their school of origin ( the school enrolled) if that is your preference and is feasible.

  • If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.

• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin if you request this.

• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children's needs.

If you believe your child might qualify for homeless services, please contact your school's principal or the local coordinator, Cheryl McCormick

If you need further assistance with your children's educational needs, contact the National Center for Homeless Education at 1-800-308-2145, or contact the State Coordinator, Maureen Tabasko

What is SIT?

• SIT stands for the Student Intervention Team. This is a part of the general education process, not special education. 

• Each building in the district has a SIT Team of educators including teachers, administrators, school psychologists, social workers or counselors. 

• This team meets on a regular basis to collaborate, brainstorm ideas, find strategies to fit student needs and develop an individualized plan or goal for each student who are struggling with academics, as well as behavior social emotional learning (BSEL). SIT also supports students who may need more challenge or enrichment. 
   

What do I do if I have concerns about my student?

1.   Contact your student’s teacher. Express your concerns and ask about interventions and strategies that may support or help your student.

2.   Keep lines of communication open between yourself and your student’s teacher and support staff at the school. If you have concerns about your student’s progress, ask your student’s teacher if they can schedule a formal meeting with the SIT team.  

3. Educators may initiate this process as well and invite you to be a part of the SIT meeting. If additional information is needed, you’ll be contacted by someone from the school to seek additional input.