Northampton Schools to Launch Peer-Based Anti-Bullying Program
The peer-support strategy aims to reduce bullying by enlisting classmates to help students experiencing isolation.
NORTHAMPTON — Northampton Public Schools will launch a new anti-bullying program this year that relies on peer support groups to help students experiencing bullying or social isolation, Superintendent of Schools Annie Azarloza announced this week. The "Undercover Anti-Bullying Team Approach" shifts away from purely punitive responses toward what the district describes as a more restorative, student-focused strategy.
When a student reports bullying to school staff, an adjustment counselor will assemble a small group of the student's peers—including the student accused of bullying—to discuss how they can support the bullied student. The strategy aims to use peer pressure and social dynamics to encourage behavioral change, with influential peers modeling empathy and acceptance.
Azarloza explained that the alleged bully benefits from seeing respected peers reject bullying behavior. "The students that typically make the right decisions and are influential are saying in that group, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe there's a student treating another student like that, that's terrible,'" she said Wednesday. She noted that empathy is learned, and exposure to peers who already possess it can help students still developing that capacity.
After the group discussion, students—including the alleged bully—are asked to discreetly monitor and support the bullied student, creating informal positive peer pressure to shift school social dynamics. The district will train adjustment counselors, psychologists, and social workers on the updated procedure and will monitor implementation throughout the school year.
Azarloza, who began as superintendent July 1, said she heard frequent bullying complaints during her "listening and learning" tour of the district. She stressed the importance of early intervention to prevent bullying from escalating.
Developed in New Zealand in the early 2000s, the approach has spread to schools in California and Massachusetts. Worcester Public Schools currently uses it, and Azarloza said she saw "great success" implementing similar policies in Worcester and Rochester, New Hampshire.
Bullying at Northampton Public Schools has been a persistent concern. In 2020, a 16-year-old Northampton High School student took her own life after allegedly being bullied, drawing statewide attention to the issue.
School Committee member Amy Martyn called the new program "really promising" and described it as an innovative approach to addressing an area where the district needs improvement.