MCPS outlines bullying data, reporting tools and restorative‑practice approach; parents press for clearer communication

District administrators and building principals presented the board with data and practices used to address bullying, harassment and peer conflict across Missoula County Public Schools.

Barbara Frank, executive director of student services, and other speakers said district policy 3225 governs the district’s response to bullying and harassment and that Montana law requires behavior be persistent, severe or repeated to meet the statutory bullying definition. Frank summarized Office Discipline Referral (ODR) totals for the year: elementary schools recorded 4,626 ODRs with less than 5% coded as bullying or harassment; middle schools had 2,957 ODRs with under 5% related to bullying or harassment; high‑school write‑ups dropped overall but showed about 7% coded as bullying or harassment. The presentation also noted that single‑episode harassment may be recorded differently from repeated bullying in the district’s incident tracking systems.

Vinnie (the superintendent) described the Safer Montana tip line, which produced 95 reports over the last two years: 13 reports linked to bullying, 14 to single harassment episodes, and 68 categorized as other reports. Administrators said the anonymous tip line yields reports that might not otherwise be reported and helps schools follow up.

Principals described restorative practices used in schools: accountability and circle processes, multi‑hour restorative conversations to build empathy, and follow‑up meetings. Cameron Johnson, principal at Willard, said students sometimes request circles themselves, and that restorative approaches have reduced punitive reliance. Administrators credited grant‑funded training (U.S. Department of Justice and outside restorative partners) for recent professional development.

During an extended Q&A trustees and parents pressed staff on how incidents are documented and communicated. Trustees asked when ODRs are created (teachers and staff typically document incidents; some self‑reports are captured in different reporting systems but are collected centrally), how investigations proceed (student statements, parent notification, “no contact” orders, and, if bullying is confirmed, exclusion with restorative follow‑up), and what information can be shared with families (staff emphasized legal limits on sharing individual student disciplinary details, but said the district can and will describe procedures and protocols). On cameras and privacy, administrators said cameras are placed only in public spaces (hallways, exterior) and not in classrooms or restrooms and that recordings have helped corroborate reports in investigations.

Parents and trustees raised concerns about equity and discrimination. Trustees and principals said racist language and similar conduct are treated as harassment and can prompt immediate exclusion; leaders emphasized implicit‑bias training for staff and ongoing work to improve inclusion and outreach. Trustees asked staff to improve distribution and accessibility of the student handbook and to consider clearer parent communications about behavior expectations and reporting options.

What’s next: staff said the district will continue restorative‑practice training, expand partnerships with mental‑health providers, and consider communication improvements so families better understand reporting processes and the differences between peer conflict, harassment and bullying.