ADEL, Iowa — A freshman at Adel De Soto Minburn High School died by suicide last month, which caused parents to press the school board for changes regarding bullying in the district. The board unveiled their first steps towards a safer school district this week.
The anti-bullying plan is divided into two sections: crisis response and responding to concerns.
The ‘crisis response’ section deals with how students and staff members recognize bullying, while the ‘responding to concerns’ section covers the school district’s past history with discipline and anti-bullying measures.
Changes covered in the crisis response section include:
- Continued mental health support
- A partnership with the University of Iowa’s Scanlan Center for School Mental Health to help students and staff process their grief
- Mandating a review among ADM students next month about what bullying is and how to talk about it with a trusted adult
Actions covered in the responding to concerns section include:
- A comprehensive review of ADM’s student discipline history with third-party organization Restoring Student Wellness
- An internal review of culture and climate within ADM schools
- A review of how accessible counseling and mental health are for ADM students
- Establishment of a School Improvement Advisory Committee to keep ADM on track to meet its mental health goals
ADM school board president Tim Canney did not respond to WHO 13’s e-mail about the changes in place.
