|
BY REQUEST... October 1998 |
Location
Contact
Description
RCCP is a districtwide approach to peaceful schools. Program implementation begins with a nine-to-12-month planning phase that includes key district stakeholders. The resulting plan that is developed directs district implementation of the program and addresses funding and staffing issues. Needs assessments, faculty surveys, and written principal agreements are also used to guide decisions in this phase. A core principle of RCCP is that a peaceful classroom starts with a peaceful teacher. To achieve this, the second phase of the program centers on teacher, staff, and administrative training. They take part in an intensive 30-hour training that introduces them to the curriculum and helps them to develop an awareness of their own biases, prejudices, and cultural insensitivities. Each teacher can then work with a trained RCCP teacher mentor who provides follow-up classroom assistance. Once teachers have received sufficient RCCP training, they implement the curriculum in their classrooms. Students generally receive one RCCP lesson per week. Lesson themes include cooperation, empathy, communication, diversity appreciation, responsible decisionmaking, and conflict resolution. The core curriculum focuses on defining conflict, win-win negotiation, active listening, using "I" messages, mediation, and valuing diversity. After the RCCP curriculum has been implemented for at least a year (preferably two), schools can implement a peer mediation program. Students selected as peer mediators receive 24 hours of specialized training. Working in pairs, mediators are on duty at every recess, and can be identified by the peer mediator T-shirts they wear. The mediators are very respected by the other children, who frequently involve them to solve simple disputes. Mediators know, however, that there are certain disputes that must involve adults, and they do not hesitate to do so. Every couple of weeks each school’s peer mediator group meets to discuss issues and receive additional training. Once a year all of the district’s more than 800 peer mediators gather for a rally. In addition to the school and classroom components of the program, parents are also involved in RCCP. Starting this year the district will implement the RCCP parent component, called Peace in the Family, which trains parents to work with their peers in teaching RCCP concepts and skills for use at home. Nationally high schools have been the most difficult places to infuse violence prevention curriculum. This year the RCCP National Center selected one Anchorage high schools to pilot a high school implementation process. Each Anchorage high school has already established a Violence Prevention Task Force (during the 1997-98 school year) that will dovetail nicely with RCCP efforts. The task forces are comprised of a representative sample of the high school community, including students, parents, and business partners. During the past school year, each task force conducted a needs assessment for their school, and developed a violence prevention plan. Through a Greatest Need Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant, each task force was allotted $5,000 to begin implementation of their plan. More funds will be available this year for continued implementation. Task forces are led by two building coordinators, who receive a $1,000 stipend for their responsibilities. While the task forces are not officially connected with the RCCP effort, many of them are considering RCCP as part of their implementation plan. Over the last few years (1996-1999), the ASD has devoted over $500,000 of the Greatest Need Safe and Drug-Free Schools funds to the implementation of RCCP and the development of the high school Violence Prevention Task Forces. As part of the 1998-99 funding, ASD will be working with the research team that conducted the national RCCP research. Initial data will be gathered and a master plan developed for a full-fledged violence prevention effort evaluation for next year. Further information about RCCP can be obtained from the RCCP National Center at 212/509-0022. The center provides on-site training, professional development, technical assistance, and a site-specific national RCCP trainer. Two annual conferences are held to help RCCP sites stay current on methodology and research. RCCP National Center
Observed Outcomes
Keys to Success
Location
Contact
Description
In addition to working with the NSSC, the district is emphasizing positive school climate as the key to school safety. As Assistant Superintendent Jim Holt puts it, "If kids like their schools and like being in them, the chance of violence drops significantly." Keeping with this philosophy, each school building in the district has made a concerted effort to improve school climate by surveying the staff, parents, and students to find out what they like about their school and what they are concerned about. Improvement goals will be based on the results of these surveys. The district has also stepped up it efforts to make sure that school hallways (often the location of fights and disruption) are peaceful places. Though district-employed hall monitors have been used for several years in Fairbanks, this year the monitors were renamed "Safety Monitors." Present in building hallways during passing times and throughout the day, they are easily identified by the vests and name tags they wear. The Safety Monitors, as well as administrators, are receiving training in a certified program called Mandt Training. It focuses on teaching the skills for de-escalating potentially harmful situations and passive physical restraint. A new addition to the district’s violence prevention strategies is the school district Safety Officer, whose primary responsibilities will include truancy prevention and anti-drug and gang efforts. To accomplish this the Safety Officer will coordinate with local businesses and conduct home visits as necessary. Observed Outcomes
Keys to Success
|
