Public School Works
October Newsletter | 2015
Safety News

In This Issue

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

Task Force Recommends Adolescents be Screened for Depression

5 Things to Consider When Creating a Bullying Prevention Program for Your District

Giving Teachers Tools to Manage Student Trauma

Events

Relationships matter, especially those we share with school administrators.

Stop by our booth at an upcoming conference to learn why 100% of U.S. school districts that use our EmployeeSafe and StudentWatch suites renew their licenses year after year. We hope to see you at:

AASPA's Annual Conference
Booth 214
10/13-10/16 in Baltimore, MD

ASBO International's Annual Meeting & Expo
Booth 413
10/23-10/26 in Grapevine, TX

2015 OSBA Capital Conference
Booth 203
11/8-11/11 in Columbus, OH

We'll also be attending the following shows. Hopefully we'll see you around!

CASBO Fall Conference
10/7-10/9 in Breckenridge, CO

Testimonial of the Month

"A sincere thank you to PublicSchoolWORKS� Research & Development team for the hard work they put into developing the USDA training for the new professional standards! The beautifully laid-out breakdown of the requirements is a HUGE time savings for us and provides such nice documentation!"

Director of School Nutrition and Wellness Coordinator at Bloomington School District 87 (IL)


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October is National Bullying Prevention Month

Although every October is National Bullying Prevention Month, we need to prioritize bullying prevention year round. According to the National Center for Educational Statistic's most recent research, 22 percent of students report being bullied during the school year.

If we apply this statistic to this school year, we can assume that more than 11 million of the approximately 50.1 million students enrolled in K-12 public schools will report being bullied.

So, what can we do? School-based bullying prevention programs can decrease bullying by up to 25 percent. PublicSchoolWORKS' Student Bullying & Violence Prevention Program (SBVPP) is a complete program that includes online training for staff and students, reporting systems and additional communication tools designed specifically to help districts support students experiencing bullying, violence and other school safety issues. This case study describes how the SBVPP helped a district in Texas overcome student safety issues. Contact us today to learn how your school can start benefiting from the SBVPP.

Task Force Recommends Adolescents be Screened for Depression

In a recent recommendation statement, The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggests adolescents should be screened for major depressive disorder (MDD).

Research shows that depression screening can identify MDD in children 12-18 years of age. The USPSTF is recommending these screenings because MDD can impair adolescents' performance at school, as well as their relationships with their families and peers. Early detection of MDD means earlier treatment for those diagnosed, which increases their chances of having healthy academic, social and emotional lives.

Individuals can comment on the USPSTF's recommendation until October 8, 2015. To view the recommendation in its entirety and to comment on it, click here.

5 Things to Consider When Creating a Bullying Prevention Program for Your District

According to stopbullying.gov, 28 percent of U.S. students in grades 6-12 have experienced bullying. The long-term effects of bullying — a higher risk of depression, obesity, substance abuse and more — can lead to profound issues within our society.

State and federal government legislatures have been taking steps to create change. New legislation called "The Safe Schools Improvement Act" was introduced to the House of Representatives this past July. If passed, it will prohibit bullying based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or religion and will allow schools to use funding through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to create policies and procedures to address these concerns.

If this legislation is passed and districts can use federal funds to create programs, where will they start? We've put together this list of five things to consider when creating your own bullying prevention program.

Read about these five considerations on our blog here.

Giving Teachers Tools to Manage Student Trauma

The deadline for According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, childhood trauma, if not adequately addressed, can cause a magnitude of long-term effects for children, including cognitive issues. For children who have experienced trauma or have grown up in an environment with constant threats, most of their energy goes toward survival, which can negatively affect their reasoning, problem-solving and ability to plan ahead — all skills that students need for their education.

The Huffington Post recently published a blog titled "What Teachers Aren't Learning" written by Jeffrey Cipriani, a second grade teacher in Boston. A majority of the students in Cipriani's schools come from impoverished families and with that comes a different set of skill sets that teachers must master. Cipriani's school partners with Vital Village, a community network local to Boston, to help educators learn how to manage student trauma. Vital Village's goal is to empower students in trauma-sensitive classrooms to navigate their emotions before conflicts start.

In Cipriani's classroom, Vital Village provided a sensory box to help students calm down when they start to feel anxious about problems at home. Sticks of lavender, soothing music and even molding clay help students refocus on their classwork. Cipriani also encourages students to share their feelings with him, but asks they hand him a written note if it is of a personal matter. Students refer to emotional vocabulary posted in the classroom to help them articulate their thoughts. A combination of these tactics, as well as an open mind, is how Cipriani helps students manage their trauma and succeed in school.

Cipriani argues colleges should do a better job of educating students about the roles of community organizations and how they can help families in need. He also argues that teachers need to learn about supporting students in distress. PublicSchoolWORKS Student Behavior, Intervention & Support catalog includes online courses on ways to better support students. To learn how you can provide your teachers with these course, email us today.