ED’s Safe and Supportive Schools News Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools SEPTEMBER 29, 2011 VOLUME 6, NUMBER 45 | |
In This Issue CORRECTION: Foundation Funding Opportunities 1. U.S. ED’s OSDFS Awards More Than $35 Million to Local Education Agencies and Community-based Organizations for Physical Education and Nutrition Education (PEP) 2. U.S. ED’s OSDFS Awards $15.2 Million in Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Grants for FY 20113. Redux: President Obama and Secretary Duncan set the bar High for Flexibility From No Child Left Behind to Advance Equity and Support Reform 4. U. S. ED’s OSDFS’ Safe and Supportive TA Center Announces a Webinar on Substance Abuse Prevention, Oct. 12, 4:00-5:30 p.m., EDT, and Oct. 13, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT 5. Federal Web Sites Offer Back to School Resources 6. Foundation Funding Opportunities -The Lawrence Foundation Community Grants -Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Exploration Grant: Round 8 7. PBS “In The Mix” Program Highlights for October 2011 The opinions expressed herein may not always reflect the views of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools or the US Department of Education, nor do they imply an endorsement. We hope that you find this information to be useful. If you think ED’s SAFE & SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL NEWS would be helpful to a friend or colleague, please send them to this website to: self enroll, change information, or unsubscribe. Contact Us: If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at [log in to unmask]. David Quinlan Editor | CORRECTION: In the 9/22/2011 LISTSERV, under Foundation Funding Opportunities, the web site for the FedEx Grants was inactive. The active web site is: http://about.van.fedex.com/corporate_responsibility/philanthropy/charitable_contribution_guidelines U.S. ED’s OSDFS Awards More Than $35 Million to Local Education Agencies and Community-based Organizations for Physical Education and Nutrition Education (PEP) Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools awarded 76 grants to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) who plan to implement comprehensive, integrated physical activity and nutrition programs for their students through the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP). Funding is intended to assist these entities initiate, expand, or enhance physical education and nutrition education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting their state standards for physical education. In addition, these programs must undertake 1) instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition and 2) physical fitness activities that include at least one of the following: (a) fitness education and assessment to help students understand, improve, or maintain their physical well-being; (b) instruction in a variety of motor skills and physical activities designed to enhance the physical, mental, and social or emotional development of every student; (c) development of, and instruction in, cognitive concepts about motor skills and physical fitness that support a lifelong healthy lifestyle; (d) opportunities to develop positive social and cooperative skills through physical activity participation; (5) and (e) opportunities for professional development for teachers of physical education to stay abreast of the latest research, issues, and trends in the field of physical education. The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, which manages PEP, supports efforts to create safe schools, ensure the health and well being of students, teach students good citizenship and character, respond to crises, and prevent drug and alcohol abuse. For additional information on the PEP grant program, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/whitephysed/index.html . For a complete list of new grantees please see attached document above: U.S. ED’s OSDFS Awards $15.2 Million in Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Grants for FY 2011The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools recently awarded $15.2 million to 43 schools districts in 19 states across the country to establish or expand counseling programs. Grantees will use funds to support counseling programs in target elementary or secondary schools. Specifically, the new awards will aid schools in hiring qualified mental-health professionals with the goal of expanding the range, availability, quantity and quality of counseling services. Parents of participating students will have input in the design and implementation of counseling services supported by these grants. "School counselors benefit both students and teachers by helping to create a safe school environment, improve teacher effectiveness, increase academic achievement and promote student well-being," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "We believe that school-based counseling programs offer great promise for improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of students with mental-health issues." Grantees also will use funds to help increase the number of available and qualified counselors based on a school's student population. Research shows that having adequate counseling services can help reduce the number of disciplinary referrals in schools, improve student attendance and academic performance and enhance development of social skills. Funds also may be used to support parental involvement, counselor and teacher professional development, and collaboration with community-based organizations that provide mental health and other services to students. For the complete list of new FY 2011 grantees, please see attached document above: Redux: President Obama and Secretary Duncan set the bar High for Flexibility From No Child Left Behind to Advance Equity and Support Reform On Friday, September 23, President Obama and Secretary Duncan outlined how states can get relief from provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – or No Child Left Behind (NCLB) – in exchange for serious state-led efforts to close achievement gaps, promote rigorous accountability, and ensure that all students are on track to graduate college- and career-ready. “To help states, districts and schools that are ready to move forward with education reform, our administration will provide flexibility from the law in exchange for a real commitment to undertake change. The purpose is not to give states and districts a reprieve from accountability, but rather to unleash energy to improve our schools at the local level,” President Obama said. What this means for you: For Teachers: A collaborative learning culture where teachers can target instruction towards the needs of students and offer a well-rounded curriculum. Fair and responsible evaluations that are based on multiple measures including peer review, principal observation, and classroom work. For Principals: Greater flexibility to tailor solutions to the unique educational challenges of their students and recognition for progress and performance. For Parents: Accurate and descriptive information about their children’s progress and honest accountability that recognizes and rewards success – where schools fall short – targeted and focused strategies for the students most at risk. For Students: A system that measures student growth and critical thinking to inspire better teaching and greater student engagement across a well-rounded curriculum. For more information on how this flexibility package may affect you, read our blog post: What NCLB Flexibility Means for You. Get the Facts: Brochure: Looking Back and Moving Forward (PDF) Brochure: Supporting State and Local Progress (PDF) FAQ: What ESEA Flexibility Means for Students, Teachers, and Parents (MS Word) Detailed info can be found at ED.gov's ESEA Flexibility page On the Blog: What NCLB Flexibility Means for You Arne Duncan: Providing Our Schools Relief From No Child Left Behind U. S. ED’s OSDFS’ Safe and Supportive TA Center Announces a Webinar on Substance Abuse Prevention, Oct. 12, 4:00-5:30 p.m., EDT, and Oct. 13, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools’ Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center announces the next event in its School Climate Webinar series on substance abuse prevention. This Webinar will be offered twice to accommodate schedules. The first session is on Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 4:00-5:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, and it will be repeated on Thursday, October 13, 2011, 11:00 a.m. − 12:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Please register for one of the sessions at: http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=87. Those who successfully register will receive an e-mail confirmation, and information on how to connect to each Webinar will be sent to those who register before the event. During this Webinar, Dr. William Hansen, an internationally recognized expert in prevention, will focus on recent research on effective prevention practice and its implications for practitioners. Specifically he will: 1. Explore current trends in substance abuse among American youth 2. Review the latest evidence on effective prevention strategies 3. Identify strategies for strengthening current practice in substance abuse prevention Audience: This Webinar is appropriate for all levels of school staff, administration, and policymakers. For more information, email [log in to unmask]. Federal Web Sites Offer Back to School Resources To encourage safety and good planning in the new school year, several federal Web sites are offering back to school resources for parents and students. The Department of Transportation is highlighting its Safe Routes to School program, an initiative that encourages children to walk or bicycle to school, and to make sure that the routes they take are safe and appealing. If children walk or bicycle to school, they will get exercise, reduce air pollution, lower fuel consumption, and reduce traffic. More than 10,000 schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia participate in this program. For more information, visit the National Center for Safe Routes to School’s Web site. The U.S. government’s official Web portal, USA.gov, has created a Back to School Web page that offers tips and resources for parents and educators who need to prepare for the school year. The site features a variety of topics, including keeping up with immunizations, financial assistance for families, homework help for students, lunch planning, and school supply shopping. Resources: Learn more about the Safe Routes to School program, at safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/. Find free resources at the National Center for Safe Routes to School’s Web site at saferoutesinfo.org/. Visit the Back to School Web page, at usa.gov/Topics/Back_to_School.shtml. Visit usa.gov. Foundation Funding Opportunities The Lawrence Foundation Community Grants Please contact the Lawrence Foundation for more information and to apply for this funding: http://www.thelawrencefoundation.org/grants/guidelines.php Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Exploration Grant: Round 8 Please contact the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for more information and to apply for this funding: http://www.grandchallenges.org/Explorations/Pages/ApplicationInstructions.aspx SOURCE: The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS), The Weekly Insider, September 21, 2011 PBS “In The Mix” Program Highlights for October 2011 Week of: Oct 1 -- # 401 -- TEEN SOLUTIONS TO RACISM -- Teens all across the country and around the world are doing what they can to combat racism. In the Mix travels along with “Kids to Korea,” a program that breaks down stereotypes by having urban American teens meet Korean teens and learn about their culture. We see the differences as well as the similarities. We also visit Washington State to check out “The Seattle Young People's Project,” organized by students who are challenging their school board to establish a multicultural curriculum. In New York City, the culturally diverse James Madison High School shows how teens work as peer educators in workshops that fight prejudice and reduce violence. Celebrities David Alan Grier, Henry Rollins and Run DMC also speak out against racism. Oct 8 -- # 434 -- SCHOOL VIOLENCE: ANSWERS FROM THE INSIDE (Guide) -- Cliques and groups may be part of school life…but stereotyping, scapegoating, and conflict don’t have to be. In response to the recent incidents of violence in schools, this special, hosted by ER’s Kellie Martin, explores the reasons behind the tensions, plus what students as well as schools can do to prevent them from escalating. We take an in-depth look, through the eyes and voices of its students, at a diverse suburban school that has a variety of pro-active student centered programs in place. These programs include peer mediation, conflict resolution, anger management and communication training, human relations groups and mentoring. They are working to help prevent violence and break down stereotypes, creating a more respectful and tolerant school community. Oct 15 -- # 442 -- WHAT’S NORMAL: OVERCOMING OBSTACLES AND STEREOTYPES -- Most teens are concerned about being “normal” and “fitting in.” But what if you also have to cope with being different in some way? In this program, teens speak out honestly…and show how they live with physical problems that include learning disabilities, deafness, and loss of a leg. We also meet teens living in foster care group homes and gay teens who face their own challenges. By getting to know the people behind the stereotypes and how they want to be treated, viewers gain empathy and a new understanding of what “normal” really means. Oct 22 -- #504 -- SELF-ESTEEM: BUILDING STRENGTHS (Guide) DVD w/Spanish subtitles -- Both boys and girls face a drop in confidence as they enter puberty. This program helps teens develop self-esteem by focusing on physical, mental and emotional strengths. We follow teens as they participate in challenging activities and workshops given by psychologists and celebrity role models, including athletes Tiffeny Millbrett and Lisa Leslie. Along with an adolescent development expert, they answer questions and give specific advice on setting goals, coping with mistakes, negative thinking, bullying, choosing friends, dealing with emotions, problem solving and other critical issues. Boys and girls also speak out about the pressure to fit in and other stresses. Viewers see how these teens learn to create their own definitions of strength and self-esteem. The program is primarily directed towards middle school grades, but it is also relevant for high schoolers. *The In the Mix website www.inthemix.org provides extensive companion areas on over 60 programs, with video clips, transcripts, discussion guides, resources, how to get DVDs and more. |