Reporting Students

Reporting Students: A Guide for Coaches

There are two different reasons you might report a student on UPchieve, and they work very differently. Read both sections so you know what to do in each situation.

Part 1: Reporting a Student Who Is Offensive or Inappropriate

Reporting a student helps keep UPchieve safe and supportive for everyone. You should never feel uncomfortable or disrespected during a session — if you do, we want to know about it.

How to report: During a session or through Session History, click "Report" and select "[Immediate ban] Student extremely rude/inappropriate."

A confirmed report will temporarily suspend the student's account while we investigate; in severe cases, we may permanently ban them.

Report a student if they:

• Use or share offensive, inappropriate, or explicit language or content

• Harass or threaten you in any way

• Continue asking personal questions after you've reminded them it's against UPchieve's guidelines

• Ask to meet in person or communicate through outside platforms (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet, Instagram)

After reporting the student please end the session.

When NOT to report — use the post-session survey instead

Not every difficult session calls for a report. Students are often nervous, distracted, or dealing with circumstances you can't see. When in doubt, give them the benefit of the doubt and ask yourself: could this behavior have an innocent explanation?

For example, a student who suddenly drops off may have lost their internet connection — that's not a reportable offense.

Use the post-session survey (which appears automatically after a session ends) to flag these situations instead:

• The student was slow to respond, unresponsive, or left abruptly

• The student seemed disengaged or low-effort

• The student asked you to do the work for them or appeared to be cheating

• The student used slang or informal language

Part 2: Reporting a Student You're Worried About

In rare cases, a student may share something that makes you concerned for their safety or the safety of someone around them. UPchieve is only equipped to provide academic support — we're not trained crisis counselors — but you can still make a real difference by following these steps calmly and compassionately.

You do NOT need to report a student if:

• They mention feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed about school or homework

• They seem upset or frustrated during the session

• They stop responding or abruptly leave

These are normal parts of working with students under pressure. You can acknowledge what they've shared — "That sounds really stressful, I hope things get easier" — and either continue the session or note it in the post-session survey which appears automatically after a session ends.

A safety report is for situations where you believe a student (or someone around them) may be in immediate danger — things like disclosures of abuse, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or an unsafe living situation.

How to report: During a session or through Session History, click "Report" and select "I am worried for the immediate safety of this student."

Important: This works differently than reporting bad behavior. It will not suspend or restrict the student's account. Instead, it immediately alerts UPchieve staff to follow up — and triggers an automated email to the student with mental health resources.

What to do if the student is in immediate danger

You don't need to say everything perfectly — what matters most is that the student feels heard.

1. File the report first Report through the session or Session History so UPchieve staff are alerted while you continue talking.

2. Validate their experience Let them know you hear them without minimizing what they've shared.

   1. "I hear you — it sounds like you're going through a really hard time."

3. Gently explain your role Be honest about what UPchieve is and isn't, without making them feel dismissed.

   1. "I care about what you're going through, and I want to make sure you get the right support. As a tutor, I'm only trained to help with academics — but there are people whose whole job is helping with exactly what you're describing."

4. Share a resource Point them to the most relevant resource from the list below. You can paste the link directly into the chat.

   1. "There are really supportive people you can reach right now at [resource]. They know how to help with this, and they're there for you."

5. Close with encouragement End warmly, whether you continue the session or wrap up there.

   1. "I'm really glad you felt comfortable sharing that with me. I hope you'll reach out to them — I'll be rooting for you."

Resources to Share with Students