The Not In Our School Identity Safe and Inclusive School Program 

The purpose of the Not In Our School Identity Safe and Inclusive School Program is to promote identity safe middle and high schools using research and evidenced-based strategies. Not In Our School (NIOS) combines a unique approach to creating an equitable schoolwide culture together with student-led efforts and involvement of the entire community to prevent bullying and intolerance while ensuring acceptance, and inclusion. The climate on any campus determines whether every child feels physically and emotionally safe, engaged, and respected.

This new Guide incorporates a comprehensive set of structured activities for middle schools and high schools, along with implementation and evaluation tools, focused on bullying prevention combined with schoolwide initiatives to create an inclusive school climate. With this program, students can learn to promote kindness and empathy, reduce bullying, become “upstanders” rather than bystanders, and develop compassion and acceptance of others. The comprehensive program leads educators on a path to create identity safe school climates with an array of tools to transform schools: plans to assess climate and to create a whole school change, staff training on identity safety, implicit bias, addressing bullying and intolerance classroom lessons on equity, bullying, and intolerance, how to be an upstander a step-by-step campaign guide for student-led action; and ideas for working with parents and getting the whole community involved.