Oct. 2, 2026 – As Team Duval joins districts across the nation in recognizing October as National Bullying Prevention Month, students and families are reminded that resources are available to help recognize, report, and prevent bullying.
“Duval County Public Schools takes all reported acts of bullying seriously,” said Heather Watson, a School Psychologist who works in District Bully Prevention. “Part of ensuring our schools are safe, harmonious, and positive learning environments for children is to have strong bullying reporting and preventative measures in place.”
School Board Policy 10.2, also known as the district’s Anti-Bullying Policy, defines bullying as “systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students.” Bullying may include unwanted teasing, social exclusion, threats, intimidation, stalking, cyberbullying, spreading rumors or falsehoods, and more.
Students and families who experience or witness bullying should report it directly to a school administrator or dean of discipline, who will conduct the investigation. Reports of bullying or harassment should also be submitted in writing whenever possible.
Bullying Prevention Resources
In addition to telling a school administrator, students and families can also report bullying through the district’s anti-bullying hotline, which is managed by district employees.
Anti-Bullying Hotline: 904-390-2255
Email or text: 390Call@duvalschools.org
Once a report has been submitted through the hotline, the student’s parents or guardians will receive written notification that an investigation is underway. Families can learn more about the process by visiting the district’s bullying prevention page.
Students and families can also access the following resources for information about recognizing the signs of bullying, prevention, and ways to help:
StopBullying.gov – Resources for parents, educators, and community members.
National Bullying Prevention Center – Resources for K-12 students, youth, families, and educators
Florida Department of Education – Bullying prevention resources for educators, parents, and youth.
Stop the Bullying Contest for Middle School Students
The Len Mattiace Foundation is hosting its annual Stop the Bullying Competition in partnership with Team Duval. The contest is open to all middle school students and invites them to submit a project focused on compassion, inclusion, and kindness.
Fifteen prizes will be awarded, with the top two Grand Prize winners receiving $1,000 each. The deadline to enter is Nov. 5, 2026.
Learn more by visiting the foundation’s Stop the Bullying Campaign page.