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Date: 6/14/2022
WARE - An end of the year update on the Ware Public Schools (WPS) anti-bullying app was provided to the School Committee during their June 8 meeting.
The anti-bullying app called “BRIM” was introduced to WPS as a way for students to report bullying and safety incidents anonymously. WPS launched this app in early March.
Marlene DiLeo, superintendent of WPS, shared a slideshow with School Committee members that encompassed data from each school.
At Stanley M. Koziol Elementary, only one report came in from the app, which was reported in March. DiLeo said this incident occurred outdoors.
At Ware Middle School, 16 reports were filed from March through June. DiLeo said the majority of these reports occurred in the “other” category, which she believes is social media.
At Ware Junior Senior High School, 18 reports were made when the app launched in March. The month of April had 17 reports, May had 4 reports and June had zero. DiLeo said the locations of these incidents reveal that 46.2 percent occurred in the classroom, followed by 25.6 percent occurring in “other.” Out of the 43 reports, DiLeo said 36 of them were deemed as not bullying and seven of them were false reports.
DiLeo explained that WPS is running anti-bullying programs such as Impact Boston, which works to prevent violence and abuse by giving people the tools to protect themselves.
She went on to say that they also brought back “Training Active Bystanders (TAB).” DiLeo said they have already trained 21 students in Grades 9 and 10. This will be rolled out in the 2022-23 school year. “Prior to the students going in and delivering the curriculum to seventh and eighth grade, they will have refresher training,” she said.
To assist students and families in understanding the app, DiLeo said they sent home infographics, took part in the Sandy Hook Promise initiative, along with the “See Something, Say Something” phrase.