ED’s Safe and Supportive Schools News Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools AUGUST 18, 2011 VOLUME 6, NUMBER 38 | |
In This Issue 1. U.S. ED’s OSDFS “Making the Connection: Creating and Maintaining Conditions for Learning” National Conference Announces Feedback Surveys and Conference Presentations now Online 2. U.S. ED’s IES’ NCES Has Released "Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto NAEP Scales: Variation and Change in State Standards for Reading and Mathematics, 2005-2009" 3. The Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Announce a new Webinar “Bullying Intervention: What Works,” August 24, 2011, 2-3 p.m., EDT 4. ED’s OSDFS Safe and Supportive Schools TA Center Substance Abuse Prevention Webinar Rescheduled 5. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Announces the Online Safety Education Kit for Middle Schools 6. HHS’ SAMHSA’s Disaster TA Center Advises to Register Now for Webinar: Applying Cultural Awareness to Disaster Behavioral Health on August 24, 2011, 2 p.m., EDT7. Strategies for Engaging Immigrant and Refugee Families 8. DOD Presents the August 2011 Edition of the Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) eMagazine 9. HHS’ CDC Finds Heavy Smoking on the Decline Among High School StudentsThe 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 | U.S. ED’s OSDFS “Making the Connection: Creating and Maintaining Conditions for Learning” National Conference Announces Feedback Surveys and Conference Presentations now Online U.S. ED’s OSDFS would like to thank everyone for attending the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools 2011 National Conference, “Making the Connection: Creating and Maintaining Conditions for Learning, August 8-10, 2011 at the Gaylord National Hotel, National Harbor, Maryland. Participant’s feedback about this year’s conference is very important and will help shape OSDFS’ priorities throughout the year, as well as future events. Please take time to tell us about the overall conference, and the institutes and workshops you attended. Please visit: http://osdfs.dgimeetings.com/Surveys.aspx In addition, most of the Conference power point presentations are now available by visiting: http://osdfs.dgimeetings.com/Presentations.aspx . If you have any questions, feel free to contact the conference planners at [log in to unmask] . U.S. ED’s IES’ NCES Has Released "Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto NAEP Scales: Variation and Change in State Standards for Reading and Mathematics, 2005-2009" The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has released the report Mapping State Proficiency Standards Onto NAEP Scales: Variation and Change in State Standards for Reading and Mathematics, 2005-2009. This report contains the findings of a study that compared the relative rigor of state proficiency standards in mathematics and reading using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scale as a common yardstick. Each individual state develops its own state assessments in mathematics and reading and sets its own proficiency standard. States can vary widely in the standards they set for their students. By using NAEP as a common yardstick, it was possible for this study to compare state proficiency standards. Findings include: • Most states’ proficiency standards were at or below NAEP’s definition of Basic performance. • For those states that had made substantive changes in their assessment between 2007 and 2009, most moved toward more rigorous standards as measured by NAEP. • For those states that had made substantive changes in their assessment between 2005 and 2009, changes in the rigor of states’ standards as measured by NAEP were mixed but showed more decreases than increases in the rigor of their standards. • Changes in the proportion of students meeting states’ standards for proficiency between 2005 and 2007 and between 2007 and 2009 were not corroborated by the proportion of students meeting proficiency as measured by NAEP. To read the full report, visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/studies/2011458.asp Additional resources for understanding state proficiency standards, including profiles of proficiency standards for each state, frequently asked questions, and copies of past reports, are available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/statemapping/ This report is a product of the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education. The Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Announce a new Webinar “Bullying Intervention: What Works,” August 24, 2011, 2-3 p.m., EDT On Wednesday, August 24, 2011, the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (U.S. Departments of: ED, HHS, Justice, Defense, Agriculture, Interior, Federal Trade Commission and the Nat’l Council on Disability, and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) will host a Webinar from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Presenters include: -Stan Davis, BA, certified social worker and guidance counselor, co-researcher—Youth Voice Project -Joel D. Haber, PhD., “The Anti-Bully Coach,” Founder: Respect U, LLC -Susan P. Limber, PhD., Professor, Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life, Clemson University The Webinar will be moderated by: Melodee Hanes, OJJDP Acting Deputy Administrator for Policy Learning Objectives--This Webinar is designed to teach participants how to: -Define bullying and understand its similarities and differences with other forms of aggression. -Understand the various roles that children and youth may play in instances of bullying. -Describe best practices to communicate and intervene with youth who bully, youth who are bullied, and youth who witness bullying. Note: you must register for the Webinar to participate. We look forward to your participation! Multiple participants from one organization should register as one location and one person. This will allow a larger number of participants to access the Webinar. In addition, this Webinar will be archived at www.nttac.org approximately 7-10 days following the Webinar. For registration questions contact Michelle Duhart-Tonge at [log in to unmask] or 703-225-2103. ED’s OSDFS Safe and Supportive Schools TA Center Substance Abuse Prevention Webinar Rescheduled ED’s OSDFS Safe and Supportive Schools TA Center originally scheduled its Substance Abuse Prevention Webinar for August 24 and 25 but has rescheduled it for October 12 (4:00 pm-5:30 pm ET) and 13 (11:00 am-12:30 pm ET). This session will explore the latest information on effective practice in the field of substance abuse prevention and provide detailed guidance for the management and design of an alcohol and other drug prevention and intervention effort. The content will focus on strategies that improve overall school climate and, as a result, student academic results. For those who registered for the August dates, your registration has been automatically switched to the new dates. (Those who originally registered for the August 24 session are now registered for the October 12 session. And those who originally registered for the August 25 session are now registered for the October 13 session.) If you would like to change you registration (attend a different session), please email [log in to unmask] or reregister for the other session here: http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=9&eid=87. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to you joining the rescheduled Webinar. For all others, you can register now for one of the Substance Abuse Prevention Webinar 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 the evening before the event. More details on this Webinar will be posted in early October. If you have any questions in the mean time, please email [log in to unmask] or call 1-800-258-8413. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Announces the Online Safety Education Kit for Middle Schools Deliver comprehensive online safety education for middle school students with this easy-to-use Kit, brought to you by Sprint and the child safety experts at NetSmartz Workshop. As a program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, NetSmartz focuses on educating children about online and personal safety. Who should use this Kit? -- Professionals interested in keeping children safer online: Middle school teachers; Youth program coordinators; Counselors; Law-enforcement officers; Social service providers; and Religious leaders. The Kit is available in English & Spanish. What is in this Kit? -- Everything you need to start teaching Internet safety! The NetSmartz Workshop Resource Manual - descriptions of resources and the online safety risks Tween & Teen Internet Safety Presentations - two, interactive 30-minute presentations teaching Internet safety Educational Videos - DVD collection of animated and documentary-style videos Activity Cards - lesson plans that accompany the videos Internet Safety Pledges & Tips - guidelines for safer Internet use Your NetSmartz Poster - double-sided poster with safety tips in English & Spanish Try the Elementary School Kit for grades K-5 at: http://www.netsmartz.org/kit NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) that provides age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer on- and offline. The program is designed for children ages 5-17, parents and guardians, educators, and law enforcement. With resources such as videos, games, activity cards, and presentations, NetSmartz entertains while it educates. For more information, please visit: http://www.netsmartz.org/Parents HHS’ SAMHSA’s Disaster TA Center Advises to Register Now for Webinar: Applying Cultural Awareness to Disaster Behavioral Health on August 24, 2011, 2 p.m., EDTThe SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) is pleased to present the Applying Cultural Awareness to Disaster Behavioral Health webinar on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 2 p.m. EDT The goal of this webinar is to provide information, recommendations, and tools that can be used to assess and strengthen cultural awareness practices in disaster behavioral health (DBH) services. This 60-minute webinar will help enhance preparedness and response efforts by offering the following: -Guiding principles on applying cultural awareness to DBH -Challenges in providing culturally aware DBH services -Field experiences and lessons learned Featured speakers include Kermit Crawford, Ph.D., of Boston University; Almarie Ford, M.S.W., LCSW, of the Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health; and Monica Indart, Psy.D., of Rutgers University. SAMHSA DTAC encourages participation in this webinar by both behavioral health and nonbehavioral health professionals who are involved in emergency management/disaster response and interested in learning more about applying cultural awareness practices to DBH. After you complete registration, you will receive a confirmation email with all of the information and instructions needed to access the webinar on August 24, 2011, at 2 p.m. eastern time (1 p.m. central/12 p.m. mountain/11 a.m. pacific). Strategies for Engaging Immigrant and Refugee Families American classrooms have become increasingly diverse. Immigrants and refugees now comprise over 20 percent of the students in U.S. public schools, and this percentage is expected to grow to 30 percent by 2015. The number of English language learners has also increased, doubling in size from 1995 to 2005. These diverse students hail from every corner of the world, with 39 percent of immigrants coming from Mexico, 23 percent from Asia and the Pacific Islands, 11 percent from Europe, 6 percent from Central America and the Caribbean, 5 percent from South America, and 3 percent from Africa. Immigrants no longer reside mainly in urban areas but have dispersed to rural communities, where historically, there has been little diversity and certainly far less experience working with immigrant and refugee populations. Many Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) sites across the United States have substantial immigrant populations and are interested in better understanding their diverse communities so that they may do more effective outreach to engage families in SS/HS programs. Download a copy of “Strategies” at: http://sshs.promoteprevent.org/webfm_send/2254 , published July 2011 SOURCE: July 2011 Safe Schools, Healthy Students Newsletter, National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention, EDC DOD Presents the August 2011 Edition of the Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) eMagazine In the August issue, the MC&FP provides tips and resources for handling the many phases of military life, providing policy, tools, and resources to further enhance the quality of life of service members and their families. From information about programs and services intended to help through various transitions, to the start of a new career, a deployment, a reunion, or a new school for your children. MC&FP Staff would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy and healthy transition from summer to fall. In this edition of the eMagazine: Military Spouse Education Program (MSEP) is a targeted recruitment and employment solution for spouses and employers For more information, please visit: https://www.msepjobs.com/skins/msep/home.aspx?AllowSSL=true . DoD Voluntary Education Program offers eligible service members opportunities to further their education through a variety of programs and services provided by the individual branches of Service. The Voluntary Education website can assist in planning, completing, and paying for educational advancement. For more information, please visit: http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p=VOLED:HOME:0 . DOD Sets Rules for Schools Receiving Tuition Assistance--To protect the interests of service members and to facilitate the achievement of their educational goals, DoD has established a new policy, effective January 1, 2012, under which all schools participating in the Tuition Assistance (TA) Program must have a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department. Schools began the process of signing the MOU July 2011. For the full story, please visit: http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOL-Library/MHF/261583.html . Please visit http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/mcfp/emag to read about the latest MC&FP program updates and information. The next issue of the MC&FP eMagazine will be published in October. HHS’ CDC Finds Heavy Smoking on the Decline Among High School StudentsThe percentage of high school smokers who smoke at least 11 cigarettes a day is on the decline, a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds. ‘Light’ smoking—defined as between one and five cigarettes a day—is increasing among U.S. high school students. The CDC researchers note that while the decline in heavy smoking among teens is encouraging, even light smoking can have detrimental health effects. Reuters reports (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/04/us-smoking-teens-idUSTRE7736IU20110804) that overall, 19.5 percent of high school students call themselves smokers. The percentage of teen smokers who smoked at least 11 cigarettes per day dropped from 18 percent in 1991 to 7.8 percent in 2009. During that same period, teen smokers who smoke between one and five cigarettes daily increased from 67.2 percent to 79.4 percent, the researchers report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (http://www.ajpmonline.org/webfiles/images/journals/amepre/AMEPRE%203140%20stamped.pdf). The study used data from an annual survey of between 14,000 and 16,000 students. Study co-author Dr. Terry Pechachek told Reuters, “With fewer cigarettes, the price effect, smoke-free policies and a change in the broad public awareness of risk, the heaviest patterns of use are becoming very rare.” He said he is concerned about the increase in light smokers. “It’s still a very risky behavior. We want to get across to people that although this is a positive trend, it’s very unacceptable to have so many children exposing themselves to something so addictive. The greatest danger is minimizing the risk.” SOURCE: Join Together, Daily News, August 5, 2011 |