Pennsylvania Center for Safe Schools Solicitation for Quotes for Safety and Climate Assessments
The Center for Safe Schools is seeking quotes from qualified organizations or individuals to conduct climate and safety assessments of schools designated by the Department as “Persistently Dangerous Schools” and/or schools with significant school safety issues. Thirty (30) individual school buildings, most of which are located in the southeastern region of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, will be assessed under this project. This project must be concluded by June 30, 2010.
Please see the Request for Quote for complete details.
Please feel free to contact Vicki Murray, Fiscal, Grants and Operations Manager, Center for Safe Schools at email: vmurray@csc.csiu.org with any questions.
Pennsylvania Celebrates 10th Annual Lights On Event
Over 260 afterschool programs in Pennsylvania participated in the 10th Annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration on Thursday, October 22, 2009. Lights On Afterschool celebrates the remarkable work being done by students who attend our afterschool programs. It is a powerful reminder that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve working parents of worries about how their children spend their afternoons.
Activities across the Commonwealth included student art and science displays; instrumental, singing and dance performances; and remarks by legislators, community leaders and educators.
Lights On Afterschool Proclamations affirm that afterschool programs are key to children’s success and that they keep kids safe, help working families and improve students' academic achievement.
Governor's Proclamation (PDF format)
Senate Resolution Number 175 - 2009 (PDF format)
House Resolution Number 479 - 2009 (PDF format)
Living in the New Normal: Supporting Children through Trauma and Loss
The Center for Safe Schools and Mission Homefront are pleased to partner with the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) to offer a series of regionally-based professional development institutes in the 2009-2010 school year entitled Living in the New Normal: Supporting Children through Trauma and Loss (LINN). The free two-day LINN Institute is designed to provide educators, community professionals, family members and other concerned adults with information to help support military children in times of uncertainty, trauma and grief.
Click here for more information.
Video and Audio Highlights from the 2009 Student Services Symposium: Supporting Students to Success!
The Pennsylvania Department of Education sponsored a one-day symposium entitled, "Supporting Students to Success". This was the fourth annual event to support Pennsylvania’s schools in the development of effective strategies to help students reach their educational and career goals.
The 2009 symposium focused on components integral to a resiliency approach that enable each student to grow into an inspired, productive, fulfilled life-long learner.
The keynote speaker was Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., Executive Director and Professor, Metropolitan Center for Urban Education of the Steinhardt Schools of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University in New York, NY. Dr. Noguera, a prolific writer and champion for issues relating to closing the achievement gap and ensuring equity and excellence for all students, provided “New Directions for American Education” which highlighted new approaches to educating children and managing schools and districts to bring about the necessary educational outcomes that our nation so desperately needs.
Click here to view the highlights of this event.
Protecting Kids Online Video Wins Prestigious Award
HARRISBURG - A special video designed to educate parents, caregivers and youngsters about Internet safety issues, including cyber-bullying and online predators, has earned a bronze Telly Award in the film and video category.
The Telly Awards, given out after a highly respected national and international competition, honor outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. More than 14,000 entries are received each year from all 50 states and many foreign countries.
The award-winning DVD, "Protecting Our Kids Online," was unveiled at the 2008 Safe School Conference earlier this year. The DVD was a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Funding for the video was provided by PCCD and supported by the Center for Schools and Communities.
DVDs were sent to public and private schools across Pennsylvania, as well as intermediate units. In addition, more than 500 law enforcement offices in the state have received training in the Protecting Our Kids Online initiative.
To view the video online, visit www.center-school.org/pko/.
For more information about PCCD and the commission's other services and programs, visit www.pccd.state.pa.us.Bullying Prevention Legislation in Pennsylvania
On July 4, 2008, the General Assembly of Pennsylvania amended through HB 1067 the Pennsylvania School Code of 1949. Two of the key changes were in “Article XIII-A Safe Schools” of the code. The amendment requires each school entity to adopt or amend its existing policy relating to bullying and the inclusion of non-public schools regarding the transfer of student disciplinary records.
On Monday, November 24, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Center for Safe Schools offered a live, online session for school services personnel. The session provided an overview of the new bullying prevention legislation and parameters outlining the requirements school districts must enact no later than January 1, 2009. Presenters were Michael Kozup, Pennsylvania Department of Education Safe Schools Supervisor and Stacie Molnar-Main, Special Projects Consultant, Center for Safe Schools.
Click here for more information.
Center for Safe Schools receives grant from Highmark Healthy High Five
The Highmark Foundation, through its Highmark Healthy High 5 initiative, recently announced a $2.3 million grant and a new partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Center for Safe Schools in an effort to address the issue of bullying.
To learn more, read the full press release (PDF format).
Pennsylvania's Bullying Prevention Network Serves as Model for Japanese Programs
Did you know Pennsylvania has the largest Network of Bullying Prevention trainers in the U.S.? Producers from the Fuji TV Manhattan office contacted Mary Dolan, coordinator of the Network, to recommend schools that have implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention model. The film crew arrived on December 6 at the Laurel Highlands Middle School, located in Uniontown, PA to spend three days interviewing students, staff and parents on the topic of bullying and to observe the Olweus model in action. As a result of recent Japanese student suicides, which have been attributed to bullying in schools, Fuji TV was charged by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to develop a program for Japan’s version of the Today Show. This show will highlight student involvement in program implementation and address how American schools are responding to bullying behavior by implementing research- based programs. In addition, Fuji TV was provided information on the coordinated efforts of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Center for Schools and Communities to support implementation of the Olweus model throughout the Commonwealth. For more information on the Bullying Prevention Initiative, click here.
