17. a. The principal in each school in a school district shall appoint a school anti-bullying specialist. When a school guidance counselor, school psychologist, or another individual similarly trained is currently employed in the school, the principal shall appoint that individual to be the school anti-bullying specialist. If no individual meeting this criteria is currently employed in the school, the principal shall appoint a school anti-bullying specialist from currently employed school personnel. The school anti-bullying specialist shall:

(1) chair the school safety team as provided in section 18 of P.L.2010, c.122 (C. 18A:37-21);

(2) lead the investigation of incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the school; and

(3) act as the primary school official responsible for preventing, identifying, and addressing incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the school.

b. The superintendent of schools shall appoint a district anti-bullying coordinator. The superintendent shall make every effort to appoint an employee of the school district to this position. The district anti-bullying coordinator shall:

(1) be responsible for coordinating and strengthening the school district’s policies to prevent, identify, and address harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students;

(2) collaborate with school anti-bullying specialists in the district, the board of education, and the superintendent of schools to prevent, identify, and respond to harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students in the district;

(3) provide data, in collaboration with the superintendent of schools, to the Department of Education regarding harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students; and

(4) execute such other duties related to school harassment, intimidation, and bullying as requested by the superintendent of schools.

c. The district anti-bullying coordinator shall meet at least twice a school year with the school anti-bullying specialists in the district to discuss and strengthen procedures and policies to prevent, identify, and address harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the district.

L.2010, c.122, s.17.