Safe and Drug Free School Plan

The Safe & Drug Free Schools Program

The mission of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program is to empower young people to make positive choices,enhancing life through freedom from violence, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The multi-tiered model of prevention and intervention services provides a clear and consistent “no-use”message for students and parents of Delaware City Schools in order to delay the onset of initial alcohol use and to intervene to prevent future use. A long standing partnership between our schools and community-based resources such as Recovery and Prevention and Central Ohio Mental Health serves as the foundation of our plan.

Students asked to Participate in Voluntary Survey

In 2009, students in Delaware City School District will be participating in a countywide survey. The information will be used to plan and refine important prevention and intervention programs. Pupils will be asked questions about their attitudes and use regarding violence, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs;activities and behaviors; and school climate. Participation is absolutely voluntary.

This survey is anonymous; no names or personal identifiers will be used. The answers that students give will be used only as part of a group response. Since 1988, the Safe &Drug-Free Schools Consortium has conducted this survey every three years. Diagnostics Plus, an independent research firm in Pennsylvania,will collect and analyze the information.

Principal funders of the survey are the Office of Justice Programs (#199-JN-FX-0144), United Way of Central Ohio, and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium, a program of the Educational Council’s Center for Learning Partnerships.

Student Assistance Program (SAP)

The Rutherford B. Hayes Student Assistance Counselor program is a school based program designed to assist students with support and interventions for academic, behavioral, attendance,substance abuse, mental health, or social issues. It provides resources for students and parents in the school setting that teachers do not possess and assists with decreasing student barriers to academic engagement and learning. It is also designed to provide an arena to utilize prevention approaches to decrease the initiation of substance use among student population.

The Student Assistance Program is part of a larger model of intervention known as The Core Team Model. The Hayes Core Team is run by a central group of 6-8 multidisciplinary, on sight, school personnel. The team includes administrators, school guidance counselors, SAP counselor, teachers, school nurse, Delaware police, and the school psychologist. The Core Team functions to identify and refer students who are in need of Student Assistance Services. It is one of the larger referral sources for Student Assistance. Other referral sources include guidance counselors, teachers,administrators, juvenile probation offices, community counselors, parents, Delaware police department,Project Promise, Kids in Crisis (KIC), and family members.

The SAP program is based on two SAHMSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) models of intervention called Project SUCCESS and The Logic Model. Project SUCCESS is a research-based program founded on research and practice by the program developer Ellen Morehouse LCSW,CASAC, CPP. Project SUCCESS works by placing a trained, masters-level professional in the school to provide a full range of substance abuse prevention and early intervention services, including information dissemination, prevention education, problem identification and referral, community-based processes, environmental approaches, and resistance and social competency skills. Project SUCCESS has been designated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) as a Model Program as well as The Logic Model.

Positive Behavior Support(PBS)

Positive Behavior Support (PBS)is an approach to intervention derived from social, behavioral, educational,and biomedical science to achieve reduction in problem behavior and improved quality of life. PBS is unique in its focus on systems change. Emphasis is placed on prevention, environmental redesign, and instruction.

Instead of relying on punishment and school exclusion to control problem behavior, PBS emphasizes early screening for students who are at risk of problem behavior and using assessment strategies that identify the function or purpose of the behaviors to develop more effective, efficient and relevant behavior intervention plans. This approach is known as School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS). The framework for PBS has been implemented in each of the school buildings in our district.

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support is best defined by the interaction of the following components:

· A common purpose and approach to discipline;

· A clear set of positive expectations and behaviors;

· A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior;

· A continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior; and

Research studies have demonstrated that when PBS strategies are implemented school-wide, children with and without disabilities benefit by having an environment that is conducive to learning. They learn more about their own behavior, learn to work together, and support each other as a community of learners.

Our PBS model is based on the Effective Behavior Support Model (Sugai, 1999) developed at the University of Oregon. We emphasize a school-wide system that defines, teaches, and encourages appropriate behavior in all of our schools.

Recovery and Prevention

Students Against Substances (SAS)

SAS is a student-led group comprised of substance-free students who plan and oversee Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug (ATOD)-free events throughout the school year to provide alternate activities in which to participate. They encourage other students to remain free of ATOP and act as role models throughout the district.

The Olweus Program

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a school-wide program designed to prevent or reduce bullying throughout the school setting. The multi-component approach involves individuals, classrooms, entire schools, as well as parents and communities, to successfully address bullying in schools.

Statistics show how successful implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program can reduce school bullying. Outcomes have included:

· Reductions in student reports of being bullied and bullying others. Peer and teacher ratings of bullying problems have yielded similar results.

· Significant reductions in student reports of general antisocial behavior such as school bullying, vandalism, school violence, fighting, theft, and truancy.

· Significant improvements in the classroom social climate as reflected in students’ reports of improved order and discipline,more positive relationships, and more positive attitudes toward schoolwork and school.

· Greater support for students who are bullied,and stronger, more effective interventions for students who bully.

Teen Survivor Program

The Teen Survivor Program was brought to the schools through a coalition of Law Enforcement, Schools, and Social Agencies from Delaware County. It is open to all 11^th graders in the county. The program addresses the teen issues of drugs, drinking, and bullying, giving teens suggestions to take the right course and create their own positive life story. The group is leading focus groups of teens,led by teens, to discuss what they feel are the important issues each school needs to work on and ideas on what might be done.

Project Promise

Project Promise is a collaborative project between Delaware Hayes High School and its community partners. Project Promise focuses on connecting families, school, and community partners in effective problem-solving strategies. The ultimate goal is success for the student within the context of their family and school. Project Promise organizations are dedicated to building constructive relationships and support networks between the student and his or her family.

Project Promise has four phases:

· Phase One: Engagement and Team Preparation
A potential Project Promise family is invited to take part in the program. Once the family decides to participate in the project, family members are asked to attend an initial meeting to tell their story to the Project Promise members so that information can be collected to formulate a plan of support for the family.

· Phase Two: Initial Plan Document
Once the team as collected all the information, they formulate a plan to best support the Project Promise family. The plan and all information that could help the family is summarized and handed over to an assigned member of the group to work with the family throughout the implementation of the plan.

· Phase Three: Ongoing Plan Implementation and Refinement
During this phase, the assigned committee member contacts the Project Promise family on a regular basis to follow up on progress with the agreed upon plan. Both successes and failures are shared with the group in order to continue to provide support to the family.

· Phase Four: Transition From Project Promise
When the Project Promise family has achieved its goals, a transition plan is developed to help define how the family can continue to sustain success.

Families are identified for Project Promise utilizing four criteria: (1) The needs are big enough that they will take awhile to achieve, (2) There is more than one way to meet the needs, (3) The needs will motivate the family to want to participate on the Project Promise team, and (4) If the student needs are met, it will improve the quality of life for the student and/or those who are engaged with the student on a regular basis such as family, friends, and teachers.

Organizations who participate in Project Promise include (but are not limited to): Delaware City Schools,Helpline, Central Ohio Mental Health, Delaware County Job and Family Services,People in Need, Juvenile Court, RPR, Family and Children First Council,Delaware County MRDD, Delaware County Children’s Services, and Directions for Youth.

Teen Institute Program

The Teen Institute Program consists of drug-free high school students that encourage their peers and younger students to live a life free of violence, alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (VATOD). These students participate in ongoing leadership training, prevention programs, community service projects and social drug-free events. The Teen Institute students serve as positive role models throughout the school district and community with programs such as DARE.

Junior Teen Advocates

Junior Teen Advocates (JTA) is a leadership program for middle school students that promotes healthy life choices, including being drug-free.

JTA is sponsored by Recovery& Prevention Resources (RPR) of Delaware County and Willis Intermediate. RPR is a non-profit agency committed to promoting healthy, drug-free lifestyles for the youth of Delaware County.

Babes

Beginning Alcohol and Basic Education Studies (BABES) is a primary prevention program designed to help young children, preschool, and kindergarten, develop positive life skills. The purpose of the program is to support the social/emotional development of young children.

Participants learn and practice age appropriate life skills including understanding feelings, decision making,coping, getting help, and awareness about medicine and drugs. The program supports and reinforces the development of healthy attitudes and behaviors at a critical developmental phase for these children. The program also helps to identify and redirect inappropriate behaviors.

Early Asset Development

Research shows a strong correlation in children and youth between the presence of identified developmental assets and leading a healthy and productive life.

The goal of the Early Asset Development program is to assist young children in building developmental assets by teaching them positive social skills. The curriculum design strengthens children’s desire for healthy living by improving their ability to protect themselves from harmful behaviors and decisions.

Y.E.S./SAFEkids

Children of individuals with alcohol and other drug problems (COA) are a high risk population with specific needs and issues. When these children gain related knowledge and skills, they are better prepared to cope with the challenges of their situation.

This prevention program was developed by the Columbus Health Department for children growing up with parental alcohol or other drug abuse problems.

The three goals for participants in this program are:

1. Reduce the risk of alcohol and other drug abuse

2. Increase self-esteem and self worth

3. Increase coping skills

The program is a 12 session curriculum, created for children 5 to 13 years of age. Teachers or counselors identify and refer students to the program

The sessions use age-appropriate activities to provide education that addresses: feelings, anger and anger management, defenses, alcohol and other drug use, COA risk issues, family issues, problem solving, identifying safe places and safe adults, self-esteem, and the importance of play.

Curricular/Classroom Emphasis

Within classroom settings at all schools, relevant discussions concerning ATOD use is infused into Health Wellness classes. Age appropriate information and materials are distributed.