Alachua County Public Schools provides three methods to report bullying. 

1. Online Form--Submit this online complaint form
2. Telephone: Call the Bullying Help Line, 352-955-7200
3. Email: reportbullyingnow@gm.sbac.edu *Subject: Report Bullying

• Include the following information in the body of the email
  • Your full name
  • Name of the student being bullied
  • School the student attends
  • Your telephone number
  • Your email address
  • A brief description of the complaint

• Stop Bullying Now

  What is Bullying?

  Aggressive behavior may be bullying depending on what happened, how often it happens and who it happens to. Find out what bullying is and what the different types are. You can also learn more about other topics related to bullying.

  Bullying Definition:

  Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

  Related Topics:

  There are many other types of aggressive behavior that don’t fit the definition of bullying. This does not mean that they are any less serious or require less attention than bullying. Rather, these behaviors require different prevention and response strategies.

  Early Childhood:

  Early childhood often marks the first opportunity for young children to interact with each other. Between the ages of 3 and 5, kids are learning how to get along with each other, cooperate, share, and understand their feelings. Young children may be aggressive and act out when they are angry or don’t get what they want, but this is not bullying. Still, there are ways to help children.

  Young Adults:

  Behaviors that are traditionally considered bullying among school-aged youth often require new attention and strategies in young adults and college students. Many of these behaviors are considered crimes under state and federal law and may trigger serious consequences after the age of 18.

  Alachua County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct states:

  BULLYING AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT (Policy 5517.01)
  The School Board will not tolerate bullying or harassment of any type, including sexual harassment.

  • During any school education program or activity;
  • During any school-related or school-sponsored program or activity or
    on a school bus or school bus stop; or
  • Through the use of computers, cell phones or any other electronic
    means.

  If you or your parent/guardian believes that you have been the victim of bullying or harassment, immediately report the situation to your teacher, school counselor, school principal/designee, or other school staff.

  Filing of a complaint or otherwise reporting sexual harassment will not affect your status, participation in extracurricular activities, future grades or work assignments.

  If you are found to have committed an act of bullying or harassment, including sexual harassment, or are found to have falsely accused another as a means of bullying or harassment, you may receive behavioral interventions or be disciplined up to and including suspension or expulsion.

• Cyber bullying

  Cyber-bullying has become a very serious problem.  It is a form of bullying which uses technology like computers and cell phones to harass and intimidate others.  At best, cyber-bullying is upsetting and distracting to students.  At worst, it has resulted in tragic consequences.  It is up to all of us to discourage this very damaging practice. Cyber-bullying cannot be considered acceptable at school or at home.  The following links give information on what cyber-bullying involves and what we can do about it.

  Helpful Links

  STOP Cyber-bullying - http://www.stopbullying.gov/
  
  Cyber-bullying Tips for Educators - http://teachers.net/gazette/OCT08/randel/

• Bully Free Starts with Me

  Preventing Violence & Bullying with NEA

  NEA--Bully Free Starts With Me

• Bullying and Harassment Board Policy po5517.01

  Bullying and Harassment Board Policy po5517.01

  https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/alaco/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AVRNRT5C1D85

  Site Shortcuts

  • Active Citizenship: Empowering America's Youth
  • Center for Civic Education
  • Character Education Partnership
  • Committee For Children
  • Cyberbullying
  • Federal Office of SFDFS
  • National Center for Youth Issues
  • Office of Juvenile Justice, Florida
  • Peace Education Foundation
  • ACPS Safe and Drug Free
  • Safe and Drug Free Schools (SDFS DOE)
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

The ESE and Student Services Department values data analytics as a resource to support student achievement. You can find more information on student assessments, calendars, state progress monitoring, private school testing, research and data requests, school grades, and more. Click here:

Data Analytics, Accountability, and Evaluation

School Health Services Handbook

School Health Services Program

Physical Requirements

Community Resources

Our Mission

The Alachua County Public School Health Services program provides professional and compassionate health care to students during their school day.  It is our mission to promote and maintain the physical and mental well-being of our students to ensure their success at school.  As nurses, we encourage healthy lifestyles.  School health staff follow Health Handbook procedures, which are updated by the School Health Advisory Council.  The School Health Plan is also updated yearly and outlines specific nursing interventions for the school year.  Parent and staff involvement and input is welcome.

• Under Florida law, parents/guardians must give active consent for their child to receive health care such as management for chronic health conditions, vision/hearing/scoliosis/dental screening, and other services. ALL students will be provided with emergency care, first aid treatment and acute care as deemed necessary by a school nurse, even without active consent from a parent/guardian.

  If your child needs medication at school for any reason, you must also complete a Medication/Treatment Authorization Form, which is available from your school nurse and on this site.  Completed Medication/Treatment Authorization forms must be submitted in person to your school nurse.

  To give active consent for your child to receive screenings and other health services at school, you must complete the new Consent for Health Services form. The form can be found under "Annual Updates"  in your Skyward Family Access account.

  If you do not have a Skyward Family Access account, you can set one up online or by emailing familyaccessrequest@gm.sbac.edu and providing: your full name and a photo ID; your student’s full name, date of birth, grade level and school. A Skyward Family Access account also gives you access to your child’s grades, test scores, attendance records and other important information.

  Parents/guardians without a Family Access account can also request a hard copy of the health form and other required annual forms from their child’s school.

  We appreciate your help as we work to provide the healthcare services you want for your student.

  Please direct any questions to greenj1@gm.sbac.edu.

Mental Health Newsletters

ParentGuidance.org

Being a parent can be tough. Our coaches give you confidence.

• (Many will provide in-school counseling)

  CDS Family and Behavioral Health Services - (352) 244-0628
  http://www.cdsfl.org/
  
  Child Advocacy Center – (352) 376-9161
  http://www.childadvocacycentergainesville.org/
  
  Children’s Home Society - (866) 427-5451
  https://www.chsfl.org/midflorida

  Haven Hospice (Grief Counseling) - (3526) 378-2121

  https://beyourhaven.org/bereavement

  Meridian Behavioral Health - (352) 374-5600
  http://www.mbhci.org/

  Step by Step Behavioral Health Services - (352) 225-3710
  http://step-by-stepbehaviorhealth.com/

  UF Health Child Psychiatry - (352) 265-4357
  https://ufhealth.org/uf-health-psychology-springhill

  Village Counseling Center - (352) 373-8189
  http://www.villagecounselingcenter.net/

  Vitas Hospice (Grief Counseling) - (352) 527-2020

  https://www.vitas.com/family-and-caregiver-suppport

Video from the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide 
http://www.sptsusa.org/not-my-kid/

Jason Foundation Parent Resource Program
http://prp.jasonfoundation.com/what-a-parent-can-do/  

Lauren's Kids Family Resources

https://safersmarterfamilies.org/

• Alachua County Crisis Center - 352-264-6789
  http://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/CSS/CrisisCenter/
  Pages/CrisisCenter.aspx

   National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

   NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness
  www.namigainesville.org

   SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  https://www.samhsa.gov/

   The Jason Foundation
  http://jasonfoundation.com/

   The Trevor Project – LGBT Youth
  https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/category/
  gender-identity/

   Teen Drug Abuse and Addiction

  https://www.addictiongroup.org/addiction/teens

School psychologists help students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community for all students.

School psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education.  This training emphasizes preparation in mental health and educational interventions, child development, learning, behavior, motivation, curriculum and instruction, assessment, consultation, collaboration, school law, and systems.

School psychologists in Alachua County work with students, parents, and school personnel through a consultative and Educational Planning Team (EPT) model of service delivery to:

• Identify and address learning and behavior problems that interfere with school success
• Design and implement academic and behavior interventions
• Design and implement student progress monitoring systems
• Support effective individualized instruction
• Assess student need for specialized programs and services
• Provide counseling, instruction and mentoring for students struggling with social, emotional, behavioral and family problems 
• Make referrals and help coordinate community support services
• Respond to personal, school, and family crises

• The School Board of Alachua County recognizes that comprehensive school counseling programs are essential to each student’s academic achievement, personal and social development, and career success.

  A comprehensive school counseling program, when delivered in a collaborative relationship among school, parents, and community, provides students with the skills necessary for them to become successful lifelong learners, responsible citizens, and productive workers.  School counselors, in addition to providing counseling services, provide instruction in essential skills required for success in school, community and work settings.   These skills include:

  • Academic/Learning Skills
  • Communication Skills
  • Relationship/Friendship Skills
  • Decision Making/Problem Solving/Self Management Skills
  • Organization and Planning Skills
  • Academic, College and Career Planning Skills

  The ultimate goal of comprehensive school counseling programs is student success. The program is delivered through the school counseling curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, program management, and system support. The three domains of academic, personal/social, and career development are addressed in the program as it focuses on what all students, PreK through grade12, should know, understand, and be able to do in order to develop into contributing members of their communities.

  School counselors serve as school leaders, student advocates, and team collaborators to remove systemic barriers to student success. Working together with school administrators, other professional educators, and community members, their collaborative approach produces measurable results that are shared and used to guide program improvement.  Targeted outcomes of fully implemented programs include increased student achievement, an improved graduation rate, better attendance, reduced disciplinary referrals, completed individual learning plans, and increased student participation in the community.

  School counselors are also experts in mental health resources and local services.  They are available to talk to, support and assess risk for students in need.

  For more information about school counseling in Alachua County contact the district Student Services office or your child’s school.

Hazel Health website

• Citizen of the Year awards recognize one student from each elementary school in Alachua County. At the end of the school year, each school picks a Citizen of the Year. This award by their teachers and peers is based upon their scholastic standing, attitude, conduct, their contribution to the community (for example, 4H, Scouts, church) and their extracurricular activities. The Kiwanis Club wishes to thank its partners and supporters in this program:

  • The Alachua County School District
  • Kiwanis Club of Gainesville
  • Children's Trust of Alachua County
  • MainStreet Daily News
  • SouthState Bank
  • Cade Museum
  • Huntington Learning Center
  • Gator Domino’s Pizza
  • PDQ Chicken
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes
  • 4 Rivers Smokehouse
  • Rock'n Roll Sushi
  • Tropical Smoothie Cafe
  • Santa Fe College
  • Campus USA
  • IQ Fiber
  • Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
  • Alachua County Library District

  For each month's awardees, see the featured month below and previous month's in the right column, on MainStreet's website at https://www.mainstreetdailynews.com/education/citizens-of-the-month or on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmainstreetgainesville%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02UB3GwdmMaPG2P3hb49XNgtJvADgvBppQcPmXWpVh9zCa8ESDdv6Wa384QA9wtDUPl 

  View Citizens of the Month - September 2024

• BEYOND THE BELL - Virtual After-School Counseling and Academic Advising

Click the Image to Join the Session:

• 

• Exciting news, students and parents!  Starting in September, Alachua County Public Schools is continuing an innovative program aimed at boosting your academic achievements and emotional wellness.

  Beyond the Bell is not a therapy program. Instead, the goal is to extend the support and guidance typically provided by our dedicated school counselors, ensuring that students have access to assistance beyond regular school hours.

  Key Program Features:

  Virtual After-School Counseling

  • Talk to a certified school counselor.
  • Obtain guidance on schoolwork, study skills, and organization.
  • Discuss academic challenges, social issues, and concerns.

  Academic Advising & Career Planning

  • Course and schedule assistance.
  • College and career readiness advice.
  • Skills assessments to identify areas of strength and interest.

  Emotional Wellness

  • Learn effective techniques to manage stress.
  • Build resilience by developing skills to handle setbacks, building self-esteem, and promoting overall well-being.

  For questions or additional information, contact griffints1@gm.sbac.edu or call (352) 955-7676

  To access this service, you can click the Beyond the Bell logo (video), or dial (voice only): 1-386-753-7853 PIN 928 202 186#

  We encourage students and families to take advantage of this resource.   

• 

  Students are more likely to benefit from the academic program offered by a school if they attend school regularly.  Daily school and class attendance not only improve academic performance, but help students develop social skills necessary to become a productive citizen in their community.

  Successful schools begin by engaging students and making sure they come to school regularly.  They work cooperatively with students and parents to make coming to school a positive experience for the student.

  Parents are responsible for student attendance as defined by Florida’s Compulsory School Attendance laws (F.S. 1003.24 and F.S. 1003.21).

  Alachua County Public School Attendance Officers are available to help students and their parents improve school attendance.

  District Contact

  • Rod Warner
    Student Attendance
    (352) 955-7671 x 1623
    Email:  warnerrw@gm.sbac.edu

  Contact Your School Attendance Officer

  • Terry Crews
    (352) 955-7671 x 1601
    Email:  crewswt@gm.sbac.edu

    James Franklin
    (352) 955-7671 x 1617
    Email: franklinjg@gm.sbac.edu

• **Coming Soon: All student records requests (current and former) and all student verification requests will be submitted and processed online. Please be on the lookout for additional information to follow.**

  Requests can be submitted by postal mail, FAX or email.

  Postal Mail:

  Alachua County Public School
  Student Records Office
  620 E. University Avenue
  Gainesville, FL 32601

  Email:  studentrecords (@gm.sbac.edu)

  FAX : 844-269-7051

  All records requests are processed in the order they are received. The normal processing time is three to four business days. 

  For more information, contact Student Records by phone at (352) 955-7740.