Pages Menu
TwitterFacebook
DonateNow
Categories Menu

Bookstore

If you are concerned about the issue of bullying in your school or district and want to take strong steps to address it, implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program(OBPP) would be a good solution. Here are five key steps to take in making this decision.

Step # 1: Learn as much as you can about the issue of bullying at your school.

Analyze the amount and frequency of bullying at your school.  Look at your incident reports and reports from parents.  Meet with concerned parents.  Talk with your local PTA/PTO.  Talk with students and staff.

Consider administering the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire to find out the level of bullying in your school.  For a little more than $1.00/student, this 42-question survey will give you helpful information about the types of bullying, where it is happening, and how students and staff responding.

Step # 2: Learn as much as you can about the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.

Scroll to the documents at the bottom of this page:

  • Olweus Fact Sheet
  • Olweus Frequently Asked Questions
  • Stimulus Funding and OBPP

Step # 3: Establish a schoolwide Bullying Prevention Coordinating committee.

This committee will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of your OBPP efforts. This committee should be made up of 8-12 members, including:

  • A school administrator (principal or assistant principal).
  • A teacher from each grade level.
  • A school counselor, school psychologist, or other school-based mental health professional.
  • A representative from the non-teaching staff (such as a playground monitor, bus driver, cafeteria worker, custodian).
  • One or two parents.
  • A representative from the community (if possible), such as an after-school or youth program staff member or representative from the business or faith community who might have a stake in the results of the program.
  • Other school personnel (such as a nurse, school resource officer, Title IX representative) who may bring particular expertise to the committee.
  • Possibly one or two students (if they are in late elementary or middle school).

Step # 4: Purchase the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program material

Other than the re-administration of the survey, the purchase of OBPP materials is a one-time, upfront cost. The following materials are required to implement the program.

  • OBPP School Guide:  It is recommended that you purchase one copy for every member of your Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee.This guide will give step-by-step instructions on how to implement OBPP schoolwide, including a CD-ROM of resources and a program overview video that can be used in staff trainings.
  • OBPP Teacher Guide: It is recommended that you purchase one copy for every member of your Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee and, ideally, one copy for every teacher (or a minimum of one copy for every three teachers).This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to implement OBPP in the classroom, including a CD-ROM of resources and a DVD that contains video scenarios that can be used as discussion starters.
  • Olweus Bullying Questionnaire: It is recommended that you administer the survey once before the program is launched with students, and at the same time each year after that. Ideally each student should be surveyed, but for larger schools, you could look at doing random sampling.  To order the survey, scroll to the order form at the bottom of this page.

Be sure to use the STARS promotion code (i.e., STARS) and have checks payable to Hazelden.  STARS can provide quotes on the potential cost of the program materials for your school. Contact the STARS office at 615-279-0058.

Step #5:  Contract with a certified Olweus trainer to guide your implementation.

It is highly recommended that schools contract with a certified Olweus trainer to help guide their implementation of OBPP. Because it is a schoolwide effort, it is helpful to have this outside support.

A certified Olweus trainer will conduct a two-day program training for your school’s Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee and then consult with your committee one hour per month during the first 12 months of implementation. Schools that use a certified Olweus trainer find greater results with the program.