Shop
enroll donate

Organizational Policies

Home » Organizational Policies

iCan Dream Center Bullying Prevention Policy

Purpose & Commitment

iCan Dream Center (iCDC) is committed to providing every scholar with a safe, supportive, inclusive, and non-hostile learning environment. Bullying, cyberbullying, intimidation, and harassment are detrimental to scholar safety, well-being, belonging, and academic success and will not be tolerated.

All scholars deserve access to an educational environment in which they can learn, participate, and receive school services without fear of bullying or retaliation.

This policy is adopted in accordance with 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7, applicable Illinois law, and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requirements and guidance.

1. Definition of Bullying

Bullying includes cyberbullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including written or electronic communications, directed toward a scholar or scholars that has or can reasonably be predicted to result in one or more of the following:

  1. Placing the scholar or scholars in reasonable fear of harm to their person or property;
  2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the scholar’s physical or mental health;
  3. Substantially interfering with the scholar’s academic performance; or
  4. Substantially interfering with the scholar’s ability to participate in or benefit from school services, activities, or privileges.

Bullying may include, but is not limited to:

  • Harassment;
  • Threats;
  • Intimidation;
  • Stalking;
  • Physical violence;
  • Sexual harassment or sexual violence;
  • Theft;
  • Public humiliation;
  • Destruction of property;
  • Social exclusion when the conduct meets the definition of bullying;
  • Cyberbullying; and
  • Retaliation for reporting, asserting, or alleging an act of bullying.

2. Cyberbullying & Unauthorized Digital Replicas

Cyberbullying means bullying through the use of technology or electronic communication.

Cyberbullying may occur through:

  • Email;
  • Text messages;
  • Social media;
  • Instant messaging;
  • Websites;
  • Online platforms or applications;
  • Images, photographs, audio, or video;
  • School computers or computer networks;
  • Personal computers, phones, tablets, or other electronic devices; or
  • Other forms of electronic communication.

Cyberbullying may also include impersonating another person or creating, posting, sending, or distributing content using another person’s identity when the conduct creates any of the effects described in the definition of bullying.

Unauthorized Digital Replicas

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, cyberbullying also includes the posting or distribution by electronic means of an unauthorized digital replica when the conduct creates any of the effects described in the definition of bullying.

An unauthorized digital replica includes the use of a digital replica of an individual—including AI-generated or digitally manipulated images, audio, or video—without the consent of the individual depicted.

This may include digitally created, altered, manipulated, or fabricated photographs, videos, recordings, voices, or other content involving a scholar or other individual.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI), deepfake technology, photo or video editing applications, voice-generation technology, or other digital tools does not exempt the conduct from this policy.

3. Prohibited Conduct & Scope

Bullying and cyberbullying are prohibited:

  • During any iCan Dream Center-sponsored educational program, activity, or event;
  • While at school or on iCan Dream Center property;
  • During transportation provided or arranged in connection with iCDC programming, including school vans;
  • At school-sponsored or school-sanctioned activities, programs, field experiences, or events;
  • Through the use of school-owned computers, networks, electronic systems, or other technology; and
  • Through electronic technology or devices not owned by iCan Dream Center when the conduct falls within the applicable definition of bullying or causes a substantial disruption to the educational process or orderly operation of the school.

Bullying is prohibited whether based on actual or perceived characteristics, including but not limited to:

  • Race;
  • Color;
  • National origin;
  • Ancestry;
  • Sex;
  • Sexual orientation;
  • Gender identity or expression;
  • Disability;
  • Religion;
  • Immigration status;
  • Association with a person or group with one or more of these characteristics; or
  • Any other distinguishing characteristic.

4. Reporting Bullying

Any scholar, parent/guardian, staff member, or community member may report suspected bullying or cyberbullying.

Reports may be made:

  • Verbally;
  • In writing; or

Scholars are encouraged to report bullying to a trusted adult, teacher, social worker, administrator, Student Success & Belonging team member, or any other iCDC staff member.

Anonymous reports will be reviewed and investigated as appropriate. Formal disciplinary action will not be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report without sufficient supporting information.

Designated Bullying Report Managers

LaKisha Thigpen
Chief School Officer
[email protected]
708-798-4200

Matthew Adkins
Student Success & Belonging Specialist
[email protected]
708-798-4200

Director of People, Culture & Equity
Anonymous Reports
708-798-4200

Anonymous Reporting

Anonymous reports may be submitted through Ethico at 888-209-1324.

A report may also be made to any appropriate iCan Dream Center staff member or administrator, regardless of whether that individual is specifically listed above.

5. Response & Investigation

iCan Dream Center will respond promptly to reports of bullying and cyberbullying.

Notification

Reported incidents will be acknowledged promptly. Parents/guardians of involved scholars will be notified in accordance with applicable requirements and iCDC procedures.

Investigation

A trained administrator or designated program leader will initiate an investigation promptly.

iCan Dream Center will make reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 school days after receiving the report, taking into consideration additional information received during the investigation.

Jurisdiction

The investigation will include determining whether the alleged conduct falls within the scope of this policy and iCan Dream Center’s jurisdiction.

Privacy

Information related to bullying reports and investigations will be handled in accordance with applicable federal and State student privacy requirements.

Parent/Guardian Involvement

Parents/guardians of involved scholars will be provided appropriate opportunities to participate in the process and receive information regarding findings, interventions, and actions taken, subject to applicable student privacy requirements.

6. Interventions, Supports & Consequences

iCan Dream Center recognizes that an effective response to bullying should address scholar safety, accountability, prevention, behavioral needs, and continued access to education.

Interventions may include:

  • Counseling;
  • Restorative conversations or restorative practices;
  • Social-emotional skill development;
  • Behavioral interventions;
  • Increased supervision;
  • Safety planning;
  • Referral to social work, psychological, or other related services;
  • Individualized scholar supports;
  • Parent/guardian collaboration;
  • IEP team consideration when appropriate; and
  • Other supports or interventions based on the circumstances.

Consequences will be developmentally appropriate and consistent with the severity, frequency, circumstances, and impact of the behavior.

For scholars with disabilities, interventions and disciplinary responses will be implemented consistent with applicable special education requirements and the scholar’s individualized needs.

7. Retaliation

Retaliation or reprisal against any person who:

  • Reports bullying or cyberbullying in good faith;
  • Provides information regarding an incident;
  • Participates in an investigation; or
  • Supports another individual who reports bullying.

Retaliation may constitute a separate violation of this policy and may result in appropriate disciplinary action.

8. False Reports

Knowingly making a materially false accusation of bullying or cyberbullying is prohibited and may result in appropriate disciplinary action.

A report that cannot be substantiated after investigation is not, by itself, considered a false report.

9. ISBE Bullying Data Reporting

iCan Dream Center will submit bullying-related data to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) as requested and in the manner and format directed by ISBE, including on organizational letterhead when required.

The reporting obligation applies even when iCan Dream Center has no bullying incidents to report during the applicable reporting period. When no incidents have occurred, iCDC will complete the applicable reporting process indicating that there are no incidents rather than assuming no submission is required.

Appropriate iCDC leadership will ensure required information is compiled, verified, and submitted by the deadline established by ISBE.

10. Policy Evaluation & Annual Review

iCan Dream Center will evaluate the effectiveness of its bullying prevention efforts in accordance with applicable Illinois requirements.

The evaluation will consider, as appropriate:

  • Frequency of bullying and victimization;
  • Scholar perceptions and observations of school safety;
  • Common locations where bullying occurs;
  • Types of bullying and cyberbullying;
  • Bystander intervention;
  • Trends in reported incidents;
  • Effectiveness of interventions; and
  • Emerging forms of cyberbullying, including AI-generated and digitally manipulated content.

Findings may be used to inform prevention programming, scholar education, staff professional development, policy revisions, and schoolwide safety practices.

Annual Compliance Review

This policy will also be reviewed annually, no later than September 30, to ensure continued alignment with Illinois law, ISBE guidance, and applicable requirements. The review will consider changes affecting bullying, cyberbullying, unauthorized digital replicas, reporting obligations, and emerging technology.

Revisions will be made and submitted or re-filed with ISBE when required.

11. Prevention, Education & Schoolwide Responsibility

Bullying prevention is a shared responsibility.

iCan Dream Center will promote a school culture that emphasizes:

  • Scholar safety;
  • Belonging;
  • Respect;
  • Healthy peer relationships;
  • Responsible technology use;
  • Digital citizenship;
  • Appropriate bystander intervention;
  • Reporting concerns to trusted adults; and
  • Respect for the dignity and individual differences of others.

As technology evolves, scholars will be reminded that creating, editing, posting, forwarding, sharing, or redistributing harmful digital content—including AI-generated or manipulated content—may constitute cyberbullying even when the scholar did not originally create the content.

12. Notification & Distribution

This policy will be:

  • Posted in each school building where applicable conduct rules are posted;
  • Included or referenced in the Scholar & Family Handbook;
  • Posted on the iCan Dream Center website;
  • Distributed or communicated annually to scholars, parents/guardians, and school personnel;
  • Provided to new employees as appropriate;
  • Incorporated into applicable scholar safety and digital citizenship education; and
  • Submitted or re-filed with ISBE as required.

Adoption & Review

Adopted by iCan Dream Center on June 11, 2020

Policy revised July 1, 2021| Adopted by Board of Directors on July 14, 2021

Policy reviewed on July 1, 2023

Policy revised on Sept. 15, 2025| Adopted by Board of Directors on Sept. 29, 2025

Policy revised on Sept. 23, 2026| Adopted by Board of Directors on Sept. 30, 2026