District's CyberBully Hotline Allows Anonymous Reporting

(The following press release was submitted by the Wentzville School District.)

The Wentzville School District, in partnership with SchoolReach, is implementing the CyberBully Hotline.

The purpose of this program is to create an anonymous, two-way means for students, parents, guardians and others to report incidents of bullying, harassment, or intimidation. The hotline also provides a way for individuals to share information about potentially harmful or violent acts by others.

The CyberBully Hotline number for the District is (636) 234-9135, and text messages or voice calls can be received. For a voice call, simply dial the number and leave your message after the greeting. To text, enter the number followed by the text message. The service is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A designated school official receives the message directly. No one else reads or sees the messages, and all calls are anonymous. No names or other information are associated with the received messages. The CyberBully Hotline gives the District the ability to reply to messages and have two-way anonymous conversations, so students are more likely to provide information and get whatever help or assistance is necessary.

In order for the District to be able to reply to a voice or text message, the call must be from a cellular phone, and the reply will be in the form of a text message. Users are encouraged to provide as much information as possible or as much as they feel comfortable providing.

If a CyberBully Hotline user is providing a tip on violence or harmful acts that are being planned by others, the District requests that they provide as much specific information as possible immediately so we can ensure the safety of all students and faculty. Anyone who would like to leave a call back number or their identity is encouraged to do so.

If parents or students have any questions or require further information, they can contact any school office, visit the CyberBully Hotline section of the District website, or visit www.cyberbullyhotline.com to learn more.