What is Bullying?

Bullying is defined under Massachusetts Law (M.G.L. Chapter 71, section 370) as  the repeated use of written, verbal, or electronic communication or physical acts or gestures that:

• Causes physical or emotional harm to the victim

• Damage to the victim’s property

• Places the victim in reasonable fear of harm

• Creates a hostile environment at school for the victim

• Infringes on the rights of the victim at school; or

• Disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school

Bullying is the repeated use by one or more students or by a member of a school staff, including but not limited to, an educator, administrator, school nurse, cafeteria worker, custodian, bus driver, athletic coach, advisor of an extracurricular activity, or a paraprofessional of a written, verbal or electronic expression or a physical  act or gesture or any combination thereof, directed at a victim that:

• Causes physical or emotional harm to the victim or damages the victim’s property

• Places the victim in reasonable fear of harm or damage to his property

• Creates a hostile environment at school for the victim

• Infringes on the rights of the victim at school

• Materially or substantially disrupts the education process or orderly operation of a school.

Reporting

If your student is being bullied please report to the principal or their designee. 

​Reporting Forms

​​QPS Online Reporting Forms | Printable Paper Form

​Bullying FAQs, QPS Presentation & QPS Resources 

​FAQs | QPS Bullying Presentation | QPS Resources

There are many terms and acronyms used in communications from your students' school. We tried to define these terms to help families get acclimated to life at QPS. This glossary of terms is organized in alphabetical order. Scroll through to find the term you would like defined. If there's a term you would like to see added to this list, please send us an email at pto.citywide@gmail.com.

A

• Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELL): Federal and state laws require that English Learner (EL) students be assessed annually to measure their proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking English, as well as the progress they are making in learning English. In fulfillment of these laws, EL students are required to participate in ACCESS for ELLs tests. Refer to What is WIDA ACCESS for additional information (available in multiple languages).

• After School Strings Program: Quincy Public Schools offers string instrument lessons to both beginning and continuing students. Parents/Guardians will receive information at the start of the school year about who is eligible and where the lessons will be held. The classes are for 40-minute group lessons (4-8 students per group) on the violin, viola, and cello. 

• Advanced Placement Center (APC): The Advanced Placement Center is a citywide program for advanced learners in Grades 6-8 located at Central Middle School.  Selected Grade 5 students from all schools will be invited to screen for this program in the spring (March) with parent/guardian permission.  Screening result letters will be mailed out in May.  Please note, in addition to the Central APC program, all Quincy Public Schools middle schools offer Advanced coursework in English, Mathematics, and Science. 

• ASPEN: Aspen is the Quincy Public Schools Student Information System. The Aspen web portal allows guardians to see real time attendance information. Guardians can see current contact information, student assignments, due dates, and current grades. It's most useful for middle school and high school students/guardians. For elementary schools, Aspen is useful to see attendance and report cards. To login into ASPEN enter your student ID number, which you can get from the school. Enter the default password: Quincy123. This student ID will remain through your life in the QPS system. QPS put together this ASPEN How-to Presentation to help you navigate using Aspen. If you are not comfortable with Aspen, please contact your student’s principal and ask for assistance. 

B

• Build Our Kids' Success (BOKS): BOKS is a free fitness program run by select QPS teachers and is offered before the start of the school day. The program is designed to get kids active and establish a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. If your student's school offers BOKS, you will receive sign up information during the school year. 

C

• Calm Classroom: Calm Classroom is used across the district at multiple grade levels including Kindergarten. This is an opportunity for students to pause and refocus prior to starting a new activity. In addition, the nurse and guidance counselor or both will do classroom lessons throughout the year with the Kindergarten students on these topics.

• ​​Career Vocational & Technical Education (CVTE) Program: provides practical instruction and valuable intellectual content alongside academics. North Quincy High School and Quincy High School foster a stimulating environment where traditional programs exist side-by-side with cutting-edge 21st Century competency-based career pathways, including: Automotive Technology, Business Technology, Carpentry Technology, Culinary Arts, Design and Visual Communications, Early Education and Care, Electrical Technology, Engineering Technology, Fashion Technology, Film and Television Production, HealthCare Technology, Information Support and Networking Services, Legal and Protective Services, Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies, and Plumbing Technology.

• Central Registration: Registration takes place at all school sites and Central Registration (for families needing translation assistance). Parents will be contacted by the school or Central Registration to complete the registration process. 

• Citywide PTO: The Citywide Parent Teacher Organization is made up of parent representatives from all Quincy schools and open to all parents and members of the QPS Community. Virtual meetings are once a month from September to May. Citywide PTO is a place where parents from across Quincy can ask questions, express frustrations, and meet other parents. This website is created and maintained by Citywide PTO.

D

• ​Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE): is a program consisting of a series of classroom lessons that include the most up-to-date evidence and research-based strategies for drug abuse prevention. The program addresses common drug-related beliefs among adolescents; increases risk-awareness of substance abuse; and focuses on improving social skills like problem-solving, communication, decision making, and resistance/assertiveness training. The DARE program is taught by Quincy DARE officers to all 5th graders in Quincy Public Schools.

• Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE): DESE is responsible for overseeing the education of children in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 in Massachusetts.

E

• EDI/DEI (Equity Diversity Inclusion/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion): is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of different groups of individuals, including people of different ages, races and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, genders, religions, cultures, and sexual orientations.

• ELPAC (English Learner Parent Advisory Council): ELPAC is a group of parents/guardians of English Learners in the Quincy Public Schools who want to work with school and district leaders to improve the English Learner Education Program. Parents/guardians of English Learners, grandparents of English Learners, and parents/grandparents/legal guardians of former English Learners (students who were in the program but are now in regular mainstream classes) are eligible to be members of the ELPAC. You can contact elpacquincypublicschool@gmail.com for more details or Heather Wojcik, coordinator of English language education, at heatherwojcik@quincypublicschools.com for more details.

F

• Family Liaisons: QPS has family liaisons  to serve as the language and cultural bridge between families, schools and the community. 

I

• Individualized Education Program (IEP): An IEP is a legal document under US law that is developed for each public-school child in the US who needs special education. It is created through a team of the child’s parents/guardian and district personnel who are knowledgeable about the child’s needs. Please contact the Director of Special Education at 617.984.8743 if you have any questions and concerns about your child or any of the programs.

M

• Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS): These are statewide exams administered to Massachusetts students studying in public schools across the state. MCAS is an annual exam that is administered to all students in grade 3-8 and grade 10. Test results help identify areas where students have mastered the subject and where students need more help. The exams are held in spring every year and you can get the schedule on doe.mass.edu. Grade 3 and Grade 4 are tested on English and Math. Grade 5 has science as an additional subject. It's a computer-based exam. The results are typically mailed to parents in October. Check out the Department of Education's MCAS Parent Resources for additional information.

• Measure of Academic Performance (MAP): A computerized adaptive test which helps teachers, parents and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child’s academic growth. MAP is administered 3 times a year–fall, winter, and spring–across grade 2-5. The measurement system in MAP is called the RIT scale (Rasch unit) and is an equal-interval scale much like feet/inches on a yardstick. The scale is used to chart the child’s academic growth from year to year. 

P

• Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS): PBIS is a set of ideas and tools that schools use to improve the behavior of students. Tickets are given to students for following school rules, helping their peers or younger students, being kind and any positive behavior. The tickets are then collected, and children’s names are drawn for prizes. Every month students from each classroom are selected by the teachers as role models of the month for following that month’s expectation, such as respect for others. These students are then celebrated in the school in different ways depending on the school. 

• Parent Teacher Organization (PTO): A collaboration of parents/guardians and teachers that work towards organizing school events and help schools to fund raise. It is expected that each QPS has a PTO. Refer to the PACs and PTOs page to find PTO information for your child's school.

Q

• Quincy Band Boosters (QBB): QBB is a parents group formed in 2013 with wonderful and exciting plans to support the Quincy Public Schools' instrumental music program and instructors through fundraising and advocacy. Parents with children in the Quincy Public Schools band program are automatically members of the Quincy Band Boosters, or QBB. 

• Quincy Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC): A formally organized group of parents/guardians and other interested persons committed to the best possible services for children with special needs. The council, established in 1977, functions under the state mandate for MA regulations. Email qpac.quincy@gmail.com for more information.

• Quincy After School Childcare (QCARE): QCARE is a non-profit organization providing the licensed care for school-aged children. The program is run at nine elementary schools, Monday to Friday. 

R

• REACH: is an educational program for elementary school students who demonstrate advanced learning potential. If you have questions regarding the REACH program, please contact Bridget Vaughan at bridgetvaughan@quincypublicschools.com.

S

• Scholastic Fair: Some schools host Scholastic Book Fairs throughout the school year to give students an opportunity to buy books. Volunteers, usually through the PTO, work at the fair to helps students pick out books. 

• School Council: The school council is a collective of parents/guardians, teachers, principals, staff, and community representatives that support and enhance student learning. School council provides a way for the members of the school community to give advice to and consult with the principal and teachers.

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): STEM curriculum emphasizes connections within and between the fields of mathematics and science; integrates technology; introduces and engages students in the engineering design process; cultivates creativity and develops skills that drive innovation.

• Special Education: is a service designed for students who have disabilities that affect their ability to make progress in the general education setting. The Quincy Public Schools Special Education Department has the privilege of helping students with unique abilities, struggles, and achievement levels to reach their fullest academic potential. 

T

• Title 1: is a federal aid program in schools and has been funded by the government since 1965 to provide supplemental remedial services to students living in target areas and needing assistance in reading and/or mathematics. 

0-9

• 504 Plan: A 504 Plan is a plan developed to ensure that a child with a disability, identified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives accommodations that will provide access to the learning environment. The document assures compliance of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and is developed by a team of individuals that may consist of the student with a disability (if appropriate), the student's parent(s)/guardian(s), the student's teacher(s), the student's counselor, and the 504 coordinators.

To align with the Citywide PTO mission to advocate for the achievement and delivery of high-quality equitable education for every student across QPS, Citywide PTO has an intentional approach to integrating EDI discussions into regular activities. 

Each school is requested to designate an EDI representative to participate in Citywide PTO meetings, ensuring ongoing engagement in citywide EDI initiatives and discussions. Grace Young-Jae is the EDI lead on the Citywide PTO Executive Board.

Resources ​

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging Newsletter

• EDI Booklist

• 2025 - 2026 Cultural, Awareness and Appreciation Calendar

• Websites and discussions on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:

  • EmbraceRace.org

  • Resilient Educator

  • Systemic Racism Explained video

  • The Unequal Opportunity Race video

The mission of the Quincy Public Schools Health Services Team is to promote, protect and enhance the health status of all students. For any health-related query, refer to QPS Health Services.

All Quincy Public Schools Nutrition information, including meal application, events, promotions, blog, and menus, can be found on the QPS School Nutrition Department website.

The Quincy School Committee consists of six members elected by the citizens of Quincy, the Mayor (who serves as the Chair of the School Committee), and the Superintendent of Schools, who serves as the Secretary of the School Committee. 

The purpose of the School Committee is to establish policies and make decisions based on educational philosophy and goals, the most crucial of these being facilitating the optimal learning experience of the children enrolled in the Quincy Public Schools. 

Please check the calendar for the School Committee and sub-committee meeting dates. The Teaching and Learning sub-committee meets every month and all other sub-committees meet every quarter. The meetings can be viewed LIVE and the recordings can be accessed on this LINK. 

For issues related to technology, such as Chromebook help or Aspen password reset, refer to QPS Technology Assistance. 

Contact the Quincy Public Schools Transportation for any school bus query.

​

To request bus transport, complete the QPS Transportation User Fee Application.

​​

To check the bus routes, refer to ​Bus Routes on the QPS website. 

School PTOs wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the help of families in our local community. The PTOs are always looking for volunteers to help in any way they can. The PTO offers numerous volunteer opportunities to contribute to the school community. All parents/guardians who wish to volunteer or chaperone at school activities that include the potential for unmonitored contact with a student other than their child are required to complete Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI), Statewide Applicant Fingerprint Identification Services (SAFIS), CORI, and Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) checks before volunteering in the Quincy Public Schools.

Examples of activities that require SAFIS/CORI/SORI checks include but are not limited to:

• Volunteering at school book fairs

• Chaperoning field trips 

• Volunteering at field day activities

• Volunteering at school end-of-the-year activities 

• Chaperoning movie nights

Volunteers should assume any activity involving students will require a background check. Please contact your school principal for more information regarding the SAFIS, CORI, and SORI requirements for a specific event and refer to the Parent/Guardian Volunteering Information for additional information.

The afterschool programs are privately run and not affiliated with the schools. They may use school space but have their own rules and guidelines. The following entities provide afterschool services in Quincy:

• Quincy After School Child Care – QCARE (quincyafterschool.org)

• Elementary Afterschool (southshorestars.org)

• Quincy After School Programs - South Shore YMCA (ssymca.org)

Programs available in Boston and Quincy:

• Family Child Care

• Youth Center

• Adult Education

• Family Services

​

Contact Information:

• Main Location: 38 Ash Street, Boston, MA 02111 | 617-249-2995

• Pao Arts Center Location: 99 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02111 | 617-863-9080

• Quincy Location: 1458 Hancock Street, 3rd Fl, Suite 306, Quincy, MA 02169 | 617-770-0091

• Mailing Address: 38 Ash Street, Boston, MA 02111

• Website: https://bcnc.net/

• School Finder

• DESE Family Portal

• MCAS Results 2024 Quincy

• Career and Technical Education: What Students and Families Need to Know

• 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: Isolation and domestic violence have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic; DOVE’s 24-Hour Hotline is anonymous and ALWAYS answered by trained staff for immediate support and information on resources

Hotline: 617-471-1234 or 1-888-314-3683

• Emergency Shelter: Six-bedroom, gender-inclusive emergency shelter for victims fleeing domestic violence; DOVE Advocates use trauma-informed practices and assist with resources for life beyond shelter: 1-888-314-3683 and SAFELINK 1-877-785-2020

• Community-Based Advocacy and Counseling: All services are free and confidential: 617-770-4065 x 300 (leave a message)

• Support Groups: Multiple free and confidential support groups on a range of topics to meet the various needs of survivors happen throughout the year: 617-770-4065 x 300

• LGBQ/T Services: Offers identity-specific counseling services that affirm the unique challenges faced by LGBQ/T survivors of domestic violence:  617-770-4065 x 300

• Chinese Advocacy Program: Provides culturally and linguistically specific, client-centered, and trauma-informed support, with an understanding that cultural and linguistic barriers often impact a survivor’s consideration to seek help and access services:  617-770-4065 x 304

• Legal Advocacy Program: DOVE’s legal staff are specifically educated on domestic violence and applicable laws and provide trauma-informed, client-centered services: 617-770-4065 x 400 (leave a message)

• Children’s Services and Parenting Support: Long-term therapeutic counseling for ages 2-18 and short-term parenting support to help navigate parenting challenges or concerns: 617-770-4065 x 320 

• Civilian Domestic Violence Advocacy: Advocacy staff respond to domestic violence reports and increase access points for service through multiple police departments and the court system: 617-653-4226

• YouthSpeak: DOVE’s Healthy Relationship Education and Abuse Prevention Program educates students and young adults about dating and relationship issues while empower youth to become leaders and change-agents; available to middle and high schools at different levels of engagement:  617-770-4065 x 500

• Community Education and Training: DOVE, Inc., offers trainings, workshops, and seminars to various stakeholders in the community to raise awareness and prevent domestic violence:  617-770-4065 x 500

www.dovema.org | 617-471-1234 or 888-314-3683

Food Pantry, Family Garden and Cooking Classes for children and adults.

• Food Pantry: 617-376-1389

• After School Programs: Music, cooking, reading, swimming, homework assistance, Girl Scouts, and tutoring

• Teen Programs: Surrounding teens with peers and positive role models; Teen Nights; Basketball; Teen Success offers guidance on college and trade school applications as well as mentoring programs; summer camp opportunities

• Family and Community Programs: Family and community engagement activities, including events, outings, and day trips

• Women’s Programs: Building self-respect, communication skills, and self-esteem to empower women; nurturing groups; and a casual and professional attire second-hand boutique 

• Music Studio: Complete recording and performance studio

• Advocacy: Confidential advocacy, crisis intervention, on-site counseling, and referrals

• Holiday Assistance: Provides toys, meals, clothing, and Y program memberships. To request assistance, email holiday@ssymca.org.

www.ssymca.org | 617-376-1384

• Food assistance: The Food Pantry distributes food, diapers, feminine hygiene items, toiletries and pet food; seasonal programs include back-to-school backpacks, Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving meals, holiday gifts, and Bunny Baskets. Call 617-773-6203 x 19.

• Counseling services: New Directions Counseling Center provides mental health counseling services on a sliding-fee pay scale. Call 617-773-6203 x 12.

• Homelessness prevention: HomeSafe offers assistance with rent, utilities, budget counseling and medical expenses. Call 617-773-6203 x 16 (call at 9 a.m., limited intakes available per day).

• Thrift store: Boutique-style thrift store funds programs and offers low-cost clothing and a Career Closet; call 617-773-6203 x 32.

www.InterfaithSocialServices.org | 617-773-6203

• ​Serves ALL immigrants

• Translation assistance in multiple languages: Help with healthcare/insurance, housing, unemployment, childcare and more

• English classes (ESOL) and free citizenship classes

• Youth programs: ServiceCorps, Mentoring, TransitionUp, Scholarships, Higher Education Pathways, and MBTA Youth Passes

• Senior Services and Programs: Housing, Survival English, field trips, classes, and healthcare screenings

• Job Hub: Connecting clients and employers

• Lunar New Year and August Moon festivals

• Referrals to other community resources

www.quincyasianresources.org | 617-472-2200

• Childcare: Community Care, Head Start, resource help and vouchers for childcare: 617-657-5305 (Community Care) and 617-249-2000 (Head Start)

• Energy assistance: help with heat and utilities: 617- 657-5301 and 617-657-5354 (for heating emergencies)

• Housing: rent/mortgage assistance and more: 617- 657-5376

• Food assistance: Southwest Community Food Center and SNAP/food stamp application assistance: 617- 471-0796

• English language assistance (ESOL) and adult education classes (ABE): 617-657-5386 (ESOL) and 617-657-5387 (ABE)

www.qcap.org | 617-479-8181 

• Available to families of infants and toddlers with special needs, including developmental disabilities, developmental delays, and environmental or biological risk factors

• Team of professionals includes: developmental educators, speech pathologists, social workers, licensed mental health counselors, teaching assistants, nurses, and physical, occupational, and music therapists

• Collaborates on developmental assessments and individual family service plans

• Offers developmental and therapeutic interventions, as well as ongoing education and support for families

www.aspirehealthalliance.org | 800-528-4890