Federal Grant Provides $3.8 Million for Bullying Prevention in the District

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The youth-research organization Child Trends, the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR), and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) today announced they will receive a $3.8 million grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to focus on school climate and bullying prevention in District schools through implementation of the Safe School Certification Program (SSCP).

Thirty-six public and public charter schools will be recruited to participate in a randomized control evaluation of the SSCP. Schools in the intervention condition will receive expert support and technical assistance in using student and teacher input to identify needs, identifying and implementing strategies to improve climate and prevent bullying, and using data to assess effectiveness of the strategies. Schools participating in the three-year program will be announced next year, and will begin the program in the 2016 – 2017 school-year.

“The District of Columbia has made significant strides in its efforts to improve school climate and prevent bullying, and this grant allows us to expand these efforts to make a real and positive impact on District youth,” said Dr. Deborah Temkin, Program Area Director for Education for Child Trends and Principal Investigator for the grant. “Participating schools will use a research-informed approach that is tailored to the needs of each school, so the strategies are both effective and sustainable.”

The SSCP is a technical assistance model that certifies schools after they demonstrate efforts on each of eight key components of school climate. Schools will additionally have the ability to apply for sub-grants from OSSE to help support implementation of evidence-based programs. SSCP’s framework is strongly rooted in school climate and bullying prevention research, and it has been successfully implemented in other jurisdictions.  

“Best practices and research will guide the technical assistance provided to schools, however District youth-serving agencies will be regularly consulted to ensure the assistance is relevant for the communities and youth it serves,” said Suzanne Greenfield, Director of the Citywide Youth Bullying Prevention Program at OHR. “Our existing Citywide Youth Bullying Prevention Task Force will play a key role in monitoring the progress of schools, and will continue to provide advice and assistance to District schools that do not participate in this program.”

In 2013 the Citywide Youth Bullying Prevention Task Force released a Youth Bullying Prevention Model Policy to guide schools and youth-serving District agencies and grantees in adopting anti-bullying policies. Since then, all public schools and nearly all public charter schools have anti-bullying policies that comply with District law.

“When we create and foster safe school environments, our students can focus on learning the skills needed to prepare them for success in college, career and life," State Superintendent of Education Hanseul Kang said. "Through our collaboration with District government and nonprofit agencies to implement and evaluate the Safe School Certification Program, we are providing critical support to District schools in establishing positive school climates in which all students can thrive.”

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About Child Trends

Child Trends is the nation’s leading nonprofit research organization focused exclusively on improving the lives and prospects of children, youth, and their families. For 36 years, decision makers have relied on our rigorous research, unbiased analyses, and clear communications to improve public policies and interventions that serve children and families. We have more than 120 staff in three offices and multiple locations around the country, including our headquarters in Bethesda, Md.

childtrends.org

About the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights

The District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR) was established to eradicate discrimination, increase equal opportunity and protect human rights for persons who live in or visit the District of Columbia. The agency enforces local and federal human rights laws, including the DC Human Rights Act, by providing a legal process to those who believe they have been discriminated against. OHR also proactively enforces human rights in the District through Director’s Inquiries, which allow it to identify and investigate practices and policies that may be discriminatory.

ohr.dc.gov

About the Office of the State Superintendent of Education

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) serves as the state education agency for the District of Columbia and works with closely with the District's traditional and public charter schools to raise the quality of education for all DC residents.

osse.dc.gov

Cardinal celebrates becoming a Safe School

ELDON — Hundreds of Cardinal students took an oath Friday to stand up for their peers and put an end to bullying as the school officially became Safe School Certified. The ceremony comes after nearly four years of hard work from both high school students and Cardinal employees.

"Safe School Certification isn't saying that there is going to be no more bullying here at Cardinal, but it is saying that there are processes in place to keep kids safe and comfortable in schools," said Cardinal High School Principal Jeremy Hissem. "We have processes in place to be proactive when it comes to bullying."

Students in grades 5-12 attended the ceremony to learn about how being certified will positively impact their school experience. A leadership team of students in various grades meet twice a month to discuss the topic and will begin going to the Cardinal Elementary School to teach younger kids about how to deal with conflict effectively.

"We are going to address bullying and investigate every claim reported by a student. Right now, we have three bully investigators and two more are getting trained, myself included," explained Hissem.

Iowa's Anti-Bullying and Anti-Harrasment Act of 2007 required all school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to adopt a policy addressing the subject. Bullying is defined as electronic [cyber], written, verbal or physical act or conduct toward a student that creates a hostile school environment.

Although Cardinal had the state policy protecting its students, Heather Buckley, principal of Cardinal Elementary School, wanted to take the policy one step further and began working on becoming Safe School Certified. In order to become certified, the Safe School Certification program must be able to see that a school is working to put their policy into effect.

"This isn't just a certification; this is so much more than that, something you can be proud of. You can have an anti-bullying or anti-harassment policy, but it doesn't do anything if you don't enforce that policy," said Brent Robins, director of the Safe School Certification program.

The program allows students on the leadership team to voice concerns on the subject on behalf of the entire student body. According to Cardinal Community Schools Superintendent Joel Pedersen, the leadership team is an "important part of how it all works." These students are able to discuss the issue of bullying within the halls of Cardinal, and, according to the team, they hope to "make our school safe for everyone."

"I'm amazed by how students in these hallways treat me every day, and I want college professors, future employers or the military to think the same thing. "Hey, those Cardinal kids are really great," said Pedersen.

Before the ceremony ended and before the students joined together in cheering on the Cardinal Comets football team in a pep rally, Pedersen asked one thing of his student body.

"Be nice," he said. "Be respectful. I care about that more than math scores or reading scores because when we are respectful to each other, those math scores and reading scores actually go up."

According to Robins, students who feel bullied in school are more likely to drop out and not perform as well academically as their peers. These students may suffer depression and feelings of loneliness that follow them through adolescence and into adulthood. Students who bully others have higher risk of drug or alcohol abuse or physical abuse toward their spouse or children.

"How we treat each other is a non-negotiable for me. I will not tolerate [negative behavior]," said Pedersen. "Cardinal is a cool place, but places can change when we stop focusing on the right things," said Pedersen before holding up the Safe School Certification plaque proudly for students and facility to see.

A second communitywide Safe School Certification celebration took place at 6 p.m. Friday prior to the kickoff of the Cardinal and North Mahaska football game. The community was invited to attend the event, which featured an oath for official induction and guest speakers Iowa state Reps. Mary Gaskill and Curt Hanson.

— Danielle Lunsford is a staff writer at the Ottumwa Courier

Cardinal Community Schools receive Safe School Certification

Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:37:54 GMT — Cardinal Community Schools in Eldon gives out diplomas every spring, but the school now has a degree of its own with its new Safe School Certification.

This means that staff and 24 students are trained on how to handle bullying. School officials say the certification reinforces the positive climate the school says they are proud to have.

Cardinal Elementary Principal Heather Buckley says, "Number one, I think it is so important that we make sure that every student feels connected and has a positive relationship with someone at this school both with our staff members and the student to student interactions and to do everything we can to strengthen these relationships here so they feel more successful and supported."

The Cardinal Community School district is only the second school in the state to receive the certification. It took the district 3.5 years to get it.

Dike-New Hartford High School first in Iowa to be Safe School Certified

May 7, 2014, Dike-New Hartford (DNH) High School has become Iowa’s first high school to be awarded certification through the Safe School Certification Program (SSCP) based on its work over the past two years to proactively address bullying.

The certification helps schools create a safer environment in which students can better focus on learning, thus increasing their academic achievement. Students and staff reacted enthusiastically to the good news. Junior Andrew Heidemann stated, “To be known as a safe school makes us all very proud. To be the first safe school in all of Iowa makes us leaders.”

Senior Tessa Dall, a member of the Student Leadership Team, commented, “I am proud of what our school and students have accomplished. Even though Dike-New Hartford has been certified, I hope our school and community will continue to combat bullying.”

While certification does not guarantee that bullying will never happen, it does mean that the school has developed an ongoing plan for preventing bullying before it happens, and resolving bullying incidents when they occur. The school did this by satisfying stringent standards in the following 8 areas:

• Data collection and analysis

• Buy-in to the certification process

• Leadership at the staff and student levels

• Programs and initiatives related to bullying prevention

• Training for staff and students about prevention and intervention

• Student engagement in the school’s prevention efforts

• Enforcement of reasonable expectations for bullying prevention

• Family and community involvement in the school’s prevention efforts

Amy Seitz, a Language Arts teacher at the school noted, “This is a great honor for the DNH school, staff, students, and community. Being certified shows the desire our district has in ensuring that all students are provided with a safe environment where they can focus on academics. The certification process has provided our students with more opportunities to be positive leaders as they become more aware of bullying behavior and work to change those behaviors in our school.”

Miki Granberg, Math teacher and member of the Core Leadership Team that directed the certification work reflected, “Being recognized as the first certified safe school in the state of Iowa is a huge accomplishment. It means a lot to see our hard work recognized. We know there is still a lot of work to do, and we plan to continue our efforts toward making our school even better.”

Bullying Prevention Partnership Announced Between DC Office of Human Rights and RFK Center

Program to assist schools and agencies in implementing prevention policies

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK Center) and DC Office of Human Rights (OHR) announced a partnership to assist schools and youth-serving government agencies to develop and implement bullying prevention policies that protect District youth. The partnership, led by established bullying prevention programs at both OHR and the RFK Center, will use a policy assessment tool created by the RFK Center and their partners at the Safe School Certification Program to provide tailored guidance on policy implementation, data collection, and building positive climates for youth. The RFK Center will also work with OHR to review bullying prevention curricula, determine strategic use of data, and ensure schools and youth-serving government agencies meet the requirements of the District’s Youth Bullying Prevention Act.

“We are so pleased to be collaborating with the Office of Human Rights to bring RFK Project SEATBELT to the students of D.C.,” says Dr. Deborah Temkin, Bullying Prevention Manager at the RFK Center. “Our model rejects the idea that bullying is a natural part of childhood, and works to stop the behavior before it happens rather than focusing on punishment after the fact.”

The DC partnership is working with RFK Center’s Project SEATBELT – Safe Environments Achieved Through Bullying Prevention, Engagement, Leadership, and Teaching Respect – a bullying prevention initiative that helps create safe environments everywhere where youth live, learn, and play, but recognizes there is no one-size-fits-all solution for bullying. In schools, the initiative draws upon the Safe School Certification Program’s research-based framework of eight key components of safe schools that promote flexibility and innovation. In DC, a policy assessment tool will be developed to identify opportunities for positive impact at individual schools and agencies given their unique environment, resources and capacity. Technical assistance will be provided to schools by the RFK Center team on how to measure the success of in-school bullying prevention programs and curricula, so continual improvements can take place.

“The District has made immense strides in the last year to protect our youth through the work of the Citywide Bullying Prevention Task Force, and this is another significant step toward that goal,” said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “The partnership between DC government and the RFK Center will prove to be invaluable in providing the tools and data necessary for schools and agencies to implement policies that can most effectively prevent the bullying of the youth they serve.”

Representatives from both RFK Project SEATBELT and OHR’s Citywide Youth Bullying Prevention Program agree the District’s strong bullying prevention law is critical to bullying prevention, but that such efforts can only be fully successful with robust implementation. The partnership between the RFK Center and OHR will be based on the model bullying prevention policy that was created under the District’s bullying prevention law. The model policy is available at ohr.dc.gov/bullyingprevention/policy.

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About the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

The RFK Center was founded in 1968 by Robert Kennedy's family and friends to carry forward his unfinished work. Its core program areas are linked by a common commitment to helping realize Robert Kennedy’s dream of a more just and peaceful world: RFK Partners for Human Rights, the RFK Center’s litigation, advocacy, and capacity-building arm, builds multi-year partnerships with human rights activists to advance social justice goals around the world; RFK Speak Truth To Power educates more than half a million students around the world each year with a human rights school curriculum offered from pre-school to law school and a newly launched bullying prevention initiative, RFK Project SEATBELT; and RFK Compass promotes corporate responsibility by ensuring that human rights concerns, fair labor practices, and environmental safeguards are reflected in global investment strategies. The RFK Center’s European partner organization, RFK Europe, provides human rights education programs to schools across the continent, and operates the RFK Europe Training Institute providing cutting edge training for human rights activists and grassroots organizations.

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights is dedicated to advancing human rights through domestic and international programs that help the disadvantaged and oppressed and that recognize, train, and support our next generation of leaders.

About the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights

The District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR) was established to eradicate discrimination, increase equal opportunity and protect human rights for persons who live in or visit the District of Columbia. The agency enforces local and federal human rights laws, including the DC Human Rights Act, by providing a legal process to those who believe they have been discriminated against. OHR also proactively enforces human rights in the District through Director’s Inquiries, which allow it to identify and investigate practices and policies that may be discriminatory.

Iowa Safe and Supportive Schools sites announced

Twenty Iowa high schools have been chosen to participate in a federally-supported effort to measure and improve conditions for learning, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced.

The schools will study issues such as bullying, school safety, attendance and student engagement over the next four years with support through the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools grant.

Iowa was one of 11 states to be awarded nearly $3.5 million in federal money this year, and nearly $14 million over the next four years, through the grant program.

Earlier this year, 60 Iowa schools were randomly selected to participate in the first-ever “Iowa Safe and Supportive Schools” survey of students, parents and teachers. The goal was to measure student safety and student relationships with peers and adults and to determine whether students have adequate resources in their schools. Leaders in 47 of the 60 schools agreed to participate in the survey, which was administered this spring and summer.

“I commend the 47 Iowa high schools willing to participate in this important program,” Lt. Gov. Reynolds said. “While every school is forced to address issues such as bullying, attendance and student engagement, these 47 schools have taken the extra step to study these issues and develop ways to improve overall conditions for learning. If Iowa is once again going to be a leader in education, improving conditions for learning both inside and outside the classroom must be part of the equation.”

The grant money will be used to support the 20 schools with the lowest scores on the survey, or the lowest “Safe and Supportive Index.” It is important to understand these are NOT the lowest scores in the state; instead, the selected schools showed the greatest opportunity for improvement based on results and scoring.

The Iowa Department of Education, in conjunction with area education agencies, will work directly with each of the selected schools to design and implement activities that improve conditions for learning.

“This is the first time in our state’s history we have measured conditions for learning and made the results available for schools to use to strengthen classrooms,” said Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass.  “Studies show improving conditions for learning can lead to higher test scores and better student attitudes. We look forward to working with each of the participating schools over the next four years to carry out their ideas and develop best practices to be used by Iowa high schools throughout the state.”

Information will be gathered each year for four years. By the fourth year, the final survey will show the nation that Iowa is a leader in improving conditions for learning.