Bard DC students come from a wide variety of schools, neighborhoods, cultures and backgrounds. In addition to a rigorous academic schedule, students are involved in clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Like the academic program, student activities are driven by student leadership and student participation. All the clubs and activities at Bard DC are spearheaded by student interest. We encourage students to pursue their passions; faculty and staff are here to help facilitate that process through our robust system of support. These supports include the College Transfer Office, learning centers, faculty office hours, counseling, faculty and peer tutoring, and student activities offices.
The term Student Support Team (SST) includes the following Bard DC team members:
The Student Support Team (SST) provides a variety of personal, social, and academic support interventions to students in various forms. All of our SST members collaborate with parents and faculty members to insure the success and safety of Bard DC students. Our School Counselor, Social Worker, and School Psychologist are clinical service providers licensed by the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education and are able to provide our students with short-term, individual and group counseling. The primary focus of counseling is to equip students with coping strategies designed to help them manage personal stressors. Students learn to identify obstacles that interfere with their ability to achieve their goals. The counseling staff also offers conflict mediation services, organizational support, and, when necessary, make referrals to and collaborate with community based organizations and external mental health professionals. Lastly, our SST helps guide students through the college admissions process.
2019-20 Bard DC Student Handbook
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is committed to ensuring that our schools are safe and effective learning environments, free from bullying and other harmful and disruptive behavior. In every school—its classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, playgrounds, and other common areas—each member of the school community must feel welcomed, safe, and respected.
The goal of the DCPS District-Wide approach to bully prevention is to promote and practice strategies at the district and school level that will ensure that all students can learn in a safe, healthy, and supportive environment that is free from bullying. The most proactive approaches for bully prevention focus on four key areas:
Research documents that lower levels of bullying and higher levels of positive school climate/culture are associated with higher levels of academic growth as well as student and parent satisfaction with school. The DCPS Bully Prevention Policy includes model policy requirements and best practices.
“Bullying,” means any severe, pervasive, or persistent act or conduct, whether physical, electronic or verbal that
Bullying also occurs when a student or group of students organize a campaign against another student or when a student or group of students maliciously spread rumors about another student. In most circumstances Bullying does not include a mutual fight between two students who are angry with each other. Such fights are subject to discipline according to the disciplinary rules in District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR), Title 5-B, Chapter 25 (referred to in this policy as “Chapter 25”). All references to bullying in this policy shall also be understood to include cyber bullying.
Cyber Bullying – Bullying through the use of technology or electronic devices such as telephones, cell phones, computers, and the Internet. It includes, but is not limited to email, instant messaging, text messages, and Internet postings.
Electronic communication – The use of the Internet and mobile technology such as web pages, discussion groups such as instant messaging, SMS text, Instagram, or Facebook with the intent of intimidating, harassing, or harming another person.
DCPS strives to provide students with optimal conditions for learning by maintaining a school environment where everyone is treated with respect and no one is physically or emotionally harmed. Acts of bullying by students are prohibited:
Bard DC’s official position on Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation can be found in the Student Handbook on pages 12-13. Our commitment as a school team is to establish a positive school culture and climate; one where Social & Emotional skills are learned and practiced on a daily basis. When and if there are breaches in the creation of a safe environment at Bard DC, families, staff, and students have a variety of options to report incidents to our team:
All incidents will be investigated within 24-48 hours of reporting. Final outcomes of those investigations are confidential but we will communicate with affected parties and their families as appropriate.
DCPS District-Wide Bullying Prevention Policy
