MIDDLE SCHOOL DRUG PREVENTION

AND SCHOOL SAFETY

INITIATIVE
(February 2002 - February 2005)

Safety and health must be an integral part of every school. Without question, it is everyone’s responsibility. Each teacher, parent, administrator, support staff, and student has potential to contribute to its improvement. It was the goal of TEAM Newark and the Middle School Drug Prevention and School Safety Coordinators (MSC) to create an environment that optimizes the opportunities for safe and healthy learners.

Our MISSION Statement:

To support the prevention and intervention efforts of the Newark Public Schools.  We did this by providing effective research-based programs and strategies to middle school students through the collaborative efforts of TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) Newark.

Our GOALS:

With the collaboration of the schools, families and community and the incorporation of research-based strategies with demonstrated effectiveness into school-based drug prevention and school safety programs/curricula, the Newark Public Schools should experience:

§Improved academic performance	§Reduced absenteeism and tardiness
§Improved school climate	§Improved student social and emotional well-being
§Reduced substance abuse and violence incidents

What was the MSC Program?

The overarching purpose of this initiative was to incorporate research-based strategies with demonstrated effectiveness into school-based drug prevention and school safety programs/curricula.  This was accomplished through:

· Developing programs based on identified community needs.

· Developing with community input goals and objectives for each school.

· Implementing only research-based, effective programs to address these needs.

· Evaluating program success at regular intervals and using these findings to improve future programs.

Absolute Priorities

In keeping with the requirements set by the US Department of Education, Safe and Drug Free Schools, the following services were performed:

· Identify research-based drug and violence prevention strategies and assist schools in adopting the most successful ones given their needs.

· Identify school crime and drug problems and work with the community to identify needs.

· Work with parents, students, community agencies and organizations to develop comprehensive programs that ensure student’s needs are met.

· Assist in the development and implementation of evaluation strategies.

· Identify additional funding sources for drug prevention and school safety programming.

· Provide feedback on programs and activities that have been successful in reducing drug use and improving school safety

· Coordinate with student assistance and employee assistance programs.

What Schools Did and Still Can Do?

Schools can play an important role in solutions to substance use and violence by:

Changing Individual Behavior

· Social and thinking skills education for all students.

· Early identification, referral, and intervention for students and parents at-risk.

· Safe and supervised alternative activities for students at risk.

Changing Schools and Classrooms

· Classroom restructuring for more engaging and interactive education environments.

· Clear school policies to deter substance use and violence that can be integrated into more general school reform efforts.

· Enforcement of school policies, with clear reward structures and unambiguous sanctions.

· School-wide communication campaigns to influence school norms about substance use and violence.

Influencing Community Change

· Community policies to limit availability of drugs and weapons.

· ·Enforcement of these policies to limit youth access to drugs and weapons.

· Community-wide communication campaigns to influence norms about substance use and violence.

The MSC Initiative's work continues with the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Grant awarded to the district in October, 2006.

Working with you for Safe and Healthy Tomorrows

Back To Drugs, Alcohol, HIV/AIDS & Violence Prevention Main Page

Back To Newark Public Schools

updated 4-20-09