Sunday, June 14, 2009

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NH seacoast schools work to stop bullying

HAMPTON, N.H. -- Officials at five Hampton area schools are working to come up with a common strategy to reduce instances of bullying at the schools.

The Portsmouth Herald reports that the effort started at Winnacunnet High School, which serves Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton and Seabrook.

A 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey at the school found 7 percent of students missed at least one day of school because they didn't feel safe going. Thirty percent reported being in a fight sometime during the previous 12 months.

School officials have determined that bullying is a problem not just at the high school but in lower grades as well. The area school district has decided to pay $6,000 to hire a Maine consulting group to help it address the issue.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)