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Early Birds Part 4.
First Step to Success is brought to bear at the outset of a child's school career when changes in antisocial and aggressive behavior are easiest to make and parents are most optimistic. But programs for parents of older children can also help promote positive behaviors and maintain a peaceful school atmosphere. Three such programs are profiled below. PROJECT ALLIANCE. "Usually, what you find in school-based services is programs for the kids," says Kate Kavanagh, director of Project Alliance, a large-scale effort to engage parents in promoting social and academic success for their middle school children. "They're a captive audience, and it's harder to get the parents involved." Taking place at three Portland middle schools, the five-year, federally funded study is being conducted by the Oregon Social Learning Center, a Eugene-based nonprofit research center that devised the home component of First Step. The center specializes in the study of family, peer, and school factors that influence behavior. To get parents involved, Project Alliance offers students and their families several levels of intervention, depending on need and interest. At each school, half of all sixth-graders and their families (the other half are in a control group) receive brochures on topics related to family management, relationships, and peer issues; in-class instruction and related family homework on topics such as study skills, healthy behaviors, dealing with strong feelings, problem solving, and how to stick with positive goals; and invitations to evening discussions on topics such as avoiding drugs, setting limits, and avoiding gang involvement. At the second level of intervention, families are offered a family check-up-an assessment using interviews, questionnaires, and videotaped family discussions. They can then obtain feedback on the family and child's degree of protection and risk in areas such as academics, peer relations, and parenting skills. At the third level, families are offered a menu of services, including parent groups, brief consultations, help in monitoring school performance, and help in drawing up an eighth-grade plan with specific academic and behavioral goals. Project Alliance shares pooled study information with parents in order to help create family norms around issues such as appropriate curfews, staying drug-free, and study routines. The project also tries to bring families together to strengthen each other's efforts to support academic achievement and positive social behaviors. "The strongest protection for kids is if parents know each other and work together," says Kavanagh. Students in the study will be followed into high school to find out if the services made a difference in their lives. MOM SQUAD. When Whiteaker Middle School in Keizer, Oregon, was reconfigured in 1994 to include sixth-graders, it became one of the biggest middle schools in the state, with 1,250 students. Parents of sixth-graders were worried about safety, about bullies, about 11- and 12-year-olds being stuffed in lockers and trash cans. Out of these concerns came a grassroots solution-the Mom Squad, a group that patrolled hallways during lunchtime. The effort was fairly informal until the 1998 school year when parent Ruth Hegle, seeing the initial group of parents move on as their children graduated, decided to appoint herself as Mom Squad Coordinator. "I knew it was too valuable to let it die when we lost our core people last spring," she says. With the support of Principal Irene Fernandez, Hegle held a training in August and was at school every day for the first month to make sure things went smoothly. About 25 parents turned up for the school tours and training that took them through various scenarios and established guidelines concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Hegle also emphasized the importance of finding out students' names when dealing with a problem, and cautioned parents not to join kids in criticizing school staff. The Mom Squad, usually four moms on a crew, supervises four lunch periods over the course of three hours. They're in the lunchroom, an outdoor courtyard, the gym, and two hallways. "We very seldom have fights because the kids really don't know when there's a mom around the corner," says Hegle. But, the moms see themselves as more than enforcers of discipline. They develop a rapport with the students. "We do a lot of correcting, but we do a lot of connecting," says Hegle. If a mom has a negative encounter, next time she's at school she seeks out that student in order to have a good encounter. Some students call the squad members "Mom." Some routinely hang out close by because the presence of adults makes them feel safe. The moms on the Mom Squad participate because they like kids and care about the school, not just because of concern about their own children's safety, Hegle says. "They're there to serve the kids. It can be stressful but it's very rewarding." SECURITY DADS. Linda and Anthony Wallace were unhappy when their son began attending Arlington High School in Indianapolis. As alumni, they were shocked by the deterioration of their formerly beautiful school. They saw trash in the halls, graffiti on the walls, kids climbing in and out of windows, and kids throwing things at football games. They also found an administration that didn't welcome parent help. Then a new principal, Jacqueline Greenwood, reached out to students and parents, inspiring trust and dedication. "Dr. Greenwood said, 'Parents, we really need your help,'" says Linda Wallace. Linda had noticed that students' behavior improved when her husband was present. At games and talent shows, she overheard comments like, "Hey man, that's Tony's father. Don't curse like that." "I saw what an impact a father figure would have," says Linda. "I'm about the strongest black woman, but I don't care how strong I am, I can't be my husband. You have to have that male there for the kids that are missing that at home." From this insight, and Greenwood's support, came Security Dads. Beginning with 10 fathers nine years ago, the program has grown to more than 50 men walking the halls, cafeteria, and library; going to games, dances, and concerts; acting as peacekeepers and role models. "It's gone beyond security," says Greenwood. "It's in the classrooms, it's tutoring, it's big brothers." Now, the building feels safe at any time of day and students show respect for their school and trust in adults. "They walk up to the dads and tell them anything. They report guns and drugs," says Wallace.
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Date of Last Update: 9/28/01 
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