The Ranch Academy prohibits bullying of any district student. Bullying occurs when a student or group of students engages in written or verbal expression or physical conduct that:

• Will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student's person or of damage to the student's property; or 
• Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment or a student. 

Reports of bullying shall be made as soon as possible after the alleged act or knowledge of the alleged act. A failure to promptly report may impair the District's ability to investigate and address the prohibited conduct. Click on the STOP BULLYING link to the right to report bullying now.  

Any student who believes that he or she has experienced bullying or believes that another student has experienced bullying should immediately report the alleged acts to a Teacher, Principal, or other District employee. A report may be made orally or in writing. 

Any District employee who receives notice that a student has or may have experienced bullying shall immediately notify the campus Principal or designee. 

If a report is made orally, the campus Principal or designee shall reduce he report to written form. The campus principal or designee shall determine whether the allegations in the report, if proven would constitute prohibited conduct. 

The campus Principal or designee shall conduct an appropriate nvestigation based on the allegations in the report. The campus principal or designee shall promptly take interim action calculated to prevent bullying during the course of an investigation, if appropriate. 

Absent extenuating circumstances, the investigation should be completed within ten District business days from the date of the report; however, the campus Principal or designee shall take additional time if necessary to complete a thorough investigation. 

The campus Principal or designee shall prepare a written report of the investigation, including a determination of whether bullying occurred, and send a copy to the Superintendent or designee. 

If the results of an investigation indicate that bullying occurred, the District shall promptly respond by taking appropriate disciplinary or corrective action reasonably calculated to address the conduct in accordance with the District's Student Code of Conduct. 

The District may take action based on the results of an investigation, even if the District concludes that the conduct did not rise to the level of bullying under this policy. 

To the greatest extent possible, the District shall respect the privacy of the complainant, person against whom a report is filed, and witnesses. Limited disclosures may be necessary in order to conduct a thorough investigation.