STOP BULLYING MAINE:
Working with Maine schools to prevent bullying.

Who we are
What is the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program?
What does research say about the Olweus program?
How do schools implement the Olweus program?
What materials are needed?
What are the training costs?
Resources for grant funding for Olweus interventions in Maine
Contact us

Who we are:
Stan Davis, Molly Mercer, and Chuck Saufler are Maine educators who have supported schools throughout Maine in reducing bullying. All three of us have experienced successful bullying prevention programs from the inside, working as staff in schools that were reducing bullying. We are also certified trainers and consultants in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Between us we have more than 70 years of experience in education and counseling and more than 20 years of experience in bullying prevention. 
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What is the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program?

    The Olweus program  is a research-based schoolwide program designed to prevent or reduce bullying in elementary, middle or junior high schools through the restructuring of the school environment. The Olweus interventions reduce opportunities and rewards for bullying, and empower peer bystanders to take appropriate action. 
    School staff is largely responsible for introducing and implementing the program. Their efforts are directed toward improving peer relations and making the school a safe and positive place for students to learn and develop. 
   This research-based program combines interventions at four levels:

Schoolwide:

  • Administration of the Olweus Bully/ Victim Questionnaire. 
  • Formation of a Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee. 
  • Training for all staff.
  • Development and enforcement of schoolwide rules and disciplinary procedures against bullying. 
  • Improving supervision in areas where bullying often takes place.

Classroom Interventions: 

  • Regular classroom meetings about peer relations and bullying.

Individual-level Interventions:  

  • Individual meetings with children who bully. 
  • Individual meetings with children who are the targets of bullying. 
  • Meetings with parents of children involved.

Community interventions

More information
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What does research say about the Olweus program?
Extensive evaluations of the program worldwide have shown: 

  • A 30% to 70% reduction in student reports of being bullied and bullying others 
  • Reduction in existing bully/victim problems as well as prevention of the development of new cases of bullying 
  • Significant reductions in student reports of general antisocial behaviors (e.g., vandalism, fighting, theft, and truancy) 
  • Significant improvements in classroom order and discipline  
  • More positive attitude toward schoolwork and school 
  • Improved peer relations at school

 In the United States, the Olweus intervention has been recognized as a model program by the following organizations: 

  •  The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention  
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 
  • U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services 
  • and The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.

 It is one of only 11 'Blueprints for Violence Prevention' Model Programs.
More information
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How do schools implement the Olweus program?

  • Schools begin by reviewing the program's goals and structure to see if this program is a good fit. We will help you evaluate your school's readiness for the Olweus program.
  • A bullying prevention committee is developed which represents the components of your school; it also includes parents.
  • We train your committee and help them develop a training program for all staff. This committee training takes two days. 
  • The school uses the Olweus Bully-Victim Questionnaire to determine the patterns of bullying, hot spots needing additional supervision, and special needs for intervention.
  • The bullying prevention committee trains all school staff in a half-day to full-day workshop, and works over time to improve the effectiveness of disciplinary and educational approaches to bullying. We work with you through ongoing consultation to help with this process..
  • Staff participate in ongoing discussion groups and begin to implement components of the model.
  • Staff and students participate in kickoff events.
  • The school works with parents and other community members to implement the program.
    Here is a scope and sequence description of the Olweus program
    and a suggested timeline for implementation.
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What materials are needed?

What are the training costs?
The fee for training and consultation is $3000. This includes:

  • Pre-training consultation to help you evaluate readiness for the program, choose a committee, and plan the intervention;
  • Two days of training for the bullying prevention committee and consultation to help them design and implement staff training;
  • Guidance in administering and interpreting the Bully-Victim Questionnaire;
  • Ongoing consultation for one year, to include 1 hour per month phone consultation, unlimited email consultation, and two site visits (there will be an extra fee of $25/hour travel time for site visits more than one hour from the trainer's office).
  • The school is responsible for copying costs for handouts and for buying program materials.

NOTE: One suggested Maine funding source for grants is the Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group
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Finding Funding for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Maine

Federal support for the Olweus Program comes from SAMHSA, through the Office of Substance abuse in Maine.   One Maine grants through the Maine Office of Substance Abuse have supported the bullying programs in several areas of Maine. For more information go to: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/bds/osa/fiscal/index.htm
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention sometimes issues RFP’s for violence prevention programs such as the Olweus Program  http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/funding/funding.html
In the Midcoast area the Knox County Coalition Against Tobacco (KCCAT) has been working on an additional grant to support an expansion of the Olweus Program in that area. 
It pays to check the Maine State resource lists frequently such as:
Maine DOE grant information  http://www.state.me.us/education/grantlist.htm
Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group http://www.state.me.us/corrections/jjag/

 

Contact us

Email us at molly@stopbullyingmaine.com , stan@stopbullyingmaine.com ,  or chuck@stopbullyingmaine.com
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