Safe & Drug Free Schools Program

1. SAFE & DRUG FREE SCHOOLSREPORT2012 - 2013Presented by:Brandy GardnerSafe & Drug Free Schools CoordinatorDr. Peggy J. Rogers, Assistant SuperintendentLynn Wright, Superintendent

2. Safe & Drug Free Schools Program The purpose of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act is to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools; that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; that involve parents and communities; and that are coordinated with related federal, state, school, and community efforts and resources to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports student academic achievement.

3. How information is gathered Each year our district conducts a comprehensive needs assessment in order to tailor a set of programs to fit the needs of our schools. The overall purpose of the comprehensive needs assessment is to identify gaps between the current status of the district and its vision of where it wants to be. One area that is assessed is SCHOOL SAFETY.

4. What questions were asked • Certified faculty, students and parents were asked several questions on the needs assessment surveys dealing with school safety. • The following questions were asked: • Certified Staff: Check 3 favorable aspects of your school. School safety was one aspect. • Students: I feel safe at this school • Parents: My child is safe at school

5. Certified Staff Results • 390 Certified Staff took the survey • 107 (27.4%) selected safety as a favorable aspect of their school. • 38 (9.7%) selected safety as an unfavorable aspect of their school.

6. Grades 2-5 Results • 1457 students in grades 2-5 took the survey • 1,228 (84.3%) feel safe at school • 76 (5.2%) did not feel safe at school • 153 (10.5%) were not sure if they felt safe at school

7. Grades 6-12 Results • 2473 students in grades 6-12 took the survey • 955 (38.6%) felt safe at school • 983 (39.7%) felt somewhat safe at school • 134 (5.4%) felt somewhat unsafe at school • 401 (16.2%) felt unsafe at school

8. Parent Results • 1164 parents took the survey • 763 (65.5%) said their child was safe at school • 329 (28.3%) said their child was somewhat safe at school • 16 (1.4%) said their child was somewhat unsafe at school • 56 (4.8%) said their child was unsafe at school

9. MSIS STUDENT DISCIPLINE REPORTThe following number of students were suspended/expelled for the following: 2011 – 2012 5000 Students 2012 – 2013 5071 Students 35 = FIGHTING (.70%) 4 = ASSAULT (.08%) 11 = WEAPON POSSESSION (.22%) 13 = ALCOHOL/DRUG POSSESSION (.26%) 7 = VANDALISM (.14%) 1 = DISORDERLY CONDUCT (.02%) 0 = BOMB THREATS (0%) 2 = GANG RELATED INCIDENT (.04%) 32 = FIGHTING (.63%) 5 = ASSAULT (.09%) 8 = WEAPON POSSESSION (.16%) 17 = ALCOHOL/DRUG POSSESSION (.34%) 0 = VANDALISM (0%) 3 = DISORDERLY CONDUCT (.06%) 1 = BOMB THREATS (.02%) 2 = GANG RELATED INCIDENT (.04%)

10. What Can We Do In an effort to decrease violence in our schools, we need to have the following: • Activities designed to foster school norms against violence, aggression and bullying. • Skills training based on a strong theoretical foundation. • A comprehensive approach that includes family, students, teachers, and community

11. Parental Involvement The Lowndes County School District believes that without the help of parents, we will continue to fall short in our goals to have safe schools where we can educate our children. In an effort to increase parental awareness, each school in the district has a parent coordinator that uses the PRACTICAL PARENT EDUCATION CURRICULUM to conduct workshops throughout the year on issues such as: bullying, gangs, drug abuse and violence.

12. What is Practical Parent Education • Practical Parent Education (PPE) was founded on the principles of family systems and the ages and stages of children and addresses issues such as developing children’s confidence, self-esteem, motivation, trust, responsibility and social skills. The program also addresses emerging needs such as bullying, truancy, gangs, and social media. • The PPE program is evidence-informed using the best available research and information about best practices to be responsive to families’ cultural backgrounds, community values and individual preferences. PPE works with schools to creatively determine and implement ideas about “How to Connect with Families.” Everything is aimed at giving parents the skills and the motivation to be actively engaged in their child’s academic success. • A group of experienced Education Consultants provides the professional development and workshop training that prepares our parent coordinators to implement the PPE program easily. Both the curriculum and the professional development fulfill Title I, Part A Guidelines.

13. What’s to come for the following year • Schools will revise their crisis management plans in an effort to combat school safety issues. • School security will enforce the rules of the schools at all times. • Safe & Drug Free committee members will work with the parent coordinators to conduct parent workshops on school safety.

14. UNSAFE SCHOOL CHOICE OPTION POLICY This policy states that each state receiving funds under this Act shall establish and implement a statewide policy requiring that a student attending a “persistently dangerous public school, as determined by the State, or who becomes a victim of a violent criminal offense, be allowed to attend a safe school within the local education agency. ALL SCHOOLS IN THE LOWNDES COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE SAFE SCHOOLS!