Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Environments November 7, 2012

1. Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Environments November 7, 2012

2. Presentation Goals • Present Ohio School Climate Guidelines • Align components of school climate with coordinated school health objectives • Offer approaches for institutionalizing prevention and intervention strategies in Ohio schools.

3. Resentful Depressed Impaired Hungry Anonymous Hopeless Worried Disengaged Indifferent Fearful Neglected Bullied Molested Drugged Destitute Violent Absent Lost Homeless Alone Sick

5. School Climate Defined • School climate • Refers to the “feel” of the school at the building and classroom levels • Reflects the physical and psychologicalaspects of the school • Provides the preconditions necessary for teaching, learning and coordinated school health activities.

6. Caring School Climate • Values positive character traits • Respect • Honesty • Determination • Hard work • Healthy • Values positive interpersonal trait • Helping behaviors • Altruism • Teamwork • Good citizenship • Wellness

7. School Climate and Positive Outcomes • Positive school climate is associated with: • Better academic achievement • Higher rates of school attendance among students • Higher rates of grade promotion • Lower levels of students receiving suspensions/expulsions • Healthier and Happier students and staff

8. School Climate and Positive Outcomes • Positive school climate is associated with: • Increased self-image and self-esteem • Lower levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness • Students who are less likely to drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, or use other drugs • Increased engagement and connectedness among students and teachers • Being physically active

9. School Climate and • Healthy People 2020 Goals • Create social & physical environments that promote good health for all • Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, & improve the health of all groups • Promote quality of life, healthy development & healthy behaviors across all life stages • Attain high quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, & premature death

10. Asset-Building to Enhance Climate • Support • Other adult relationships • Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults • Caring school climate • School provides a caring, encouraging environment • Boundaries and Expectations • School boundaries • School provides clear rules and consequences • High expectations • Teachers encourage the young person to do well • Empowerment • Community values youth • Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth • Community that sees youth as resources • Young people are given useful roles in the community • A safe environment • Young person feels safe at school

11. Communities That Value Youth See Them as Resources • Ways to communicate this to others • Engaging them in reciprocal dialogue • Involving them in decision-making processes • Getting to know them on a personal level • Giving them a role to play

12. Components of School Climate

14. PHYSICAL Welcoming and Conducive to Learning

15. Physical Environment:Appropriate Number of Students VS. A child at the front of the classroom at the rural school in Glenarchy near Oakville, July 1946

16. Physical Environment:Orderly and Organized VS.

17. Physical Environment andExamples of Healthy People 2020 Objectives • Healthy & Safe Physical Environment • Air quality • Hazardous materials & pesticides • Safe drinking water • Safe Routes to School • Daily Physical Health Activities • Nutritious foods and beverages • Tobacco –free environment • Drug Free Schools • Anti Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

18. Physical Environment:Safe and Comfortable Place VS.

19. Safe Environment with Clear Boundaries and Expectations • All students have the right to feel safe • Role of adults = ensure safety at school • Students are better able to learn and thrive in classrooms with clear: • Rules • Behavioral expectations • Boundaries

20. SOCIAL Promotes Communication and Interaction

21. Social Environment Encourage Positive Communication Share Decision-Making Responsibility Develop Interpersonal Skills Foster Positive Relationships

22. Social Environment and Relationship BuildingTechniques • Being Available • Listening • Teaching the Basics • Being Positive • Intervening • Having Fun • Remembering Personal Events and Holidays • Being ‘Real’ • Being Respectful

23. Positive and Caring Relationships With Other Adults • Associated with: • better social and behavioral adjustment • better school adjustment • higher levels of internal motivation • more resilience • active engagement at school • better academic achievement

24. AFFECTIVE Promotes a Sense of Belonging and Self-Esteem

25. Affective Environment

26. Reinforcement for Pro-Social, Positive Behaviors • Step #1: Define the behaviors that you would like to see continue • Step #2: Notice the desired behaviors in others • Step #3: Name the specific behavior that you reinforcing • Step #4: Give the reinforcement immediately and enthusiastically (following the behavior) • Types of reinforcements • Sensory (listening to music), Activity (playing a game), Edible (healthy snack), Material (an item), Token (points), Social (smile, praise)

27. ACADEMIC Promotes Learning and Self-Fulfillment

28. Academic Environment

29. Academic Impact • Students can’t learn if they are not healthy. • Absenteeism and truancy become barriers to academic achievement for students that aren't healthy. • Academic and health disparities can be linked to physical, social and emotional health.

30. Why Do We Care Higher achievement for all students

31. Students receive high quality instruction aligned with academic content standards Why Do We Care

32. Students have the right conditions and motivation for learning Why Do We Care

33. Climate Counts – Risk Matters

34. Elements of Positive School Climate Identifying students early on who exhibit warning signs that may lead to violent behaviors Ensuring students who are identified get help they need

35. School Climate and Performance Index Score

36. School Climate and Graduation Rate

37. Academics and Physical Activity • Higher grade‐point average • Higher scores on standardized tests • Increased concentration • Better memory • Improved classroom behaviors • Reduced school dropout rate • Greater odds of attending college full‐time Physical Education and Academic Achievement in Elementary School: Data From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. American Journal of Public Health: April 2008, Vol. 98, No. 4, pp. 721‐727. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.117176 ACADEMIC Promotes Learning and Self-Fulfillment

38. A Systems Approach for Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

39. Comprehensive System of Learning Supports Early detection and intervention with students experiencing learning and other problems prevent costly intensive interventions later

40. Comprehensive System of Learning Supports Systemic approach for diagnosing academic and non-academic needs

41. Comprehensive System of Learning Supports

42. Keys for Success Leadership for Change Vision Create enthusiasm and commitment to embrace the common vision

43. Keys for Success Community Partnership Assessment Continuous Improvement Planning – Ohio Improvement Process Professional Development

44. Keys for Success Implementation Communications and Marketing Monitor and Evaluate

45. Keys for Success Best Practices Programs and strategies that are effective in reaching process and program outcomes

46. Creating a Supportive Learning Environment What can we do? “Breaking the Cycle” Comprehensive Action Plan! Collaborate

47. Linking with Community Services Based on Identified Need

48. Give Credit, Where Credit Is Due… • Michigan State University • University-Community Partnerships • Best Practice Briefs: School Climate and Learning (No. 31, December 2004) • Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets • Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs at Miami University Cricket Meehan, Ph.D. • meehandc@muohio.edu • Healthy People 2020 • www.healthypeople.gov • Dawn Ayres - Ohio Department of Education – Dawn.Ayres@education.ohio.gov • Laura Rooney - Ohio Department of Health - Laura.Rooney@odh.ohio.gov • Healthy School Leadership Institute – Lorain City School District

49. SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING RESOURCES

50. education.ohio.govSearch Key Words: Safe and Supportive Learning