The research is indisputable: Bullying behavior affects daily attendance, diminishes academic achievement among some victims and contributes to a district's dropout rate. When WASL scores have reached a plateau, the significant role that bullying and harassment can play has been underestimated by many.
What constitutes successful bullying prevention? The most effective anti-bullying approaches are grounded in comprehensive policies. An effective approach begins with a survey that helps determine the prevalence and nature of bullying. This data will play a key role in developing effective practices in your school. Education is critical on many levels so that staff, parents and students can recognize bullying as it occurs and develop the appropriate response skills.
PSESD's Prevention Center has a variety of training opportunities to assist schools in implementing successful bullying intervention and prevention efforts at every stage of development. Services and support can be tailored to meet your specific needs. For more information, contact Jennifer MacKillop, 425-917-7821, 253-778-7821, jmackillop@psesd.org.
Responding to the Challenge of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful messages or material using the Internet or a cell phone. The harm caused by cyberbullying can be devastating. There is no escape for those who are being cyberbullied – victimization is ongoing. Information can be distributed worldwide and is often irretrievable.
Responding to cyberbullying is one of the more challenging issues facing educators. Even when this activity is occurring off-campus, both the well being of students and the school climate can be significantly impacted. There are effective strategies that schools can employ to address this serious issue. Educators, parents and students all play an important role. The Prevention Center can help. For more information, contact Jennifer MacKillop, 425-917-7821, 253-778-7821, jmackillop@psesd.org.
Defense Against Compassion Fatigue
Educators regularly interact with students who have experienced a wide range of traumatic and highly stressful situations such as family violence, alcoholism, poverty, and community violence. Our role of teaching, counseling and supporting them can be challenging, overwhelming and exhausting.
The Prevention Center offers a training that offers strategies for you to recognize the signs of compassion stress and a variety of tools to help prevent compassion fatigue, burnout and help maintain resiliency. For more information, contact Jennifer MacKillop, 425-917-7821, 253-778-7821, jmackillop@psesd.org.
School Policy Enhancement: Decrease Tobacco Use to Increase Student Success
State and national data on tobacco use indicates that having a strong school tobacco policy is one of the most effective ways to address and decrease tobacco use among students.
State data indicates that there is a direct link between substance use, test scores, and academic achievement. Students who engage in substance use or have friends who use score an average of 53 points lower on the WASL than students who do not use or have friends who use.
In addition to impacting test scores, tobacco policies are instrumental in shaping school climate and reinforcing behaviors and attitudes that help keep students committed to school. Statistics from the “Nicotine and Tobacco Research” journal indicate that more than 40% of male smokers are suspended from or drop out of school, compared with their non-smoking peers who remain in school and graduate.
To provide a greater focus on school tobacco policy, Puget Sound ESD is partnering with school districts in a specialized project specifically to enhance district and school tobacco policies during the 2008-09 school year.
The project will focus on four major areas: (a) strengthening tobacco policies and the procedures that support the policy, (b) increasing awareness among students and staff about effects of tobacco on learning, (c) providing alternative to suspension options for students who are in violation of the policy, and for students who want to quit using tobacco, and (d) providing consistent, equitable enforcement of the tobacco policy and procedures.
For more information on strengthening your district's tobacco policy and procedures, visit the Tobacco Prevention Program webpage or contact Michele Haymond, Tobacco Prevention Program Coordinator at Puget Sound ESD, 425-917-7819, 253-778-7819, mhaymond@psesd.org.
