Reducing Peer Mistreatment and Improving School Climate Safe School Ambassadors ® :

What’s the Issue? Raise academic achievement Keep schools safe Schools face enormous pressures to:

These pressures create… The Current Dilemma   Focus on academic achievement OR…  Focus on whole-child, social- emotional development

Visible Less Visible Fights Weapons Gangs Physical bullying Unwanted contact Relational aggression Exclusion Put downs Rumors Peer Mistreatment “Iceberg”

160,000 25,000 Assaulted Absent 6 0ut 0f 10 Witness

Costs of Mistreatment People are afraid and tense Students can’t focus and learn Illness - Absenteeism Loss of ADA Funds Students bring weapons Drug and alcohol use or abuse

Costs of Mistreatment Depression Eating disorders Self-mutilation Suicide Time spent on discipline Lower teacher, staff, and student morale

22% of 4th through 8th graders reported academic problems due to bullying Impact on Learning

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Physical needs Safety physical & emotional Belonging Self-esteem Self actualization (achievement)

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health When students get along, they feel: - safer - more connected - more engaged in learning

“It’s not a hardware issue anymore — it’s an interpersonal issue. It’s the relationships between the people in the school.” Bill Bond, Security Consultant National Association of Secondary School Principals Creating Safer Schools: Focus on School Climate

Traditional “Outside-In” Approach Security Adult-Driven Rules Consequences

What is school climate?   Degree of safety we feel   Based on our inner sense   It’s visceral   Everyone can feel it

“Inside-out” Approach   Relationships   Student-Centered   Norms   Social Change

The Power and Potential of Youth Students: Are 90% of the school population. Are the primary targets and perpetrators of mistreatment in schools. See, hear and know things adults don’t. Can intervene in ways adults can’t. Turn to each other first when upset or in need.. Set the tone and social norms on campus. Adults can’t do it alone!

Strategies for Getting There EngageEmpowerEquip … the silent but caring majority of students to stand up and speak out for what’s right, to prevent and stop the mistreatment they see.

Targets Aggressors Bystanders 85% = Passive Majority Dynamic of Mistreatment

Bystanders (85%) Why don’t they get involved? Fear of retaliation Don’t know what to do or say Afraid they’ll make things worse Worry about losing social status Belief that adults won’t listen

developed by Community Matters Safe School Ambassadors ® developed by Community Matters A research-based, field-tested strategy to empower and equip students to reduce bullying and other forms of mistreatment.

SSA VIDEO

Safe School Ambassadors Program Key Elements Acknowledge and recognize Ambassadors  Acknowledge and recognize Ambassadors  Identify, recruit, select and engage the right students Provide skills based training  Provide skills based training Assess and measure program effectiveness  Assess and measure program effectiveness Provide ongoing supervision/support  Provide ongoing supervision/support

Goths Punks Stoners Geeks Jocks Techies Gangsters Preppies Skaters Identification

Identifying the Change-Agents Socially-influential youth High verbal skills Tendency to speak up on behalf of others Classes or Cliques Diverse Student Leaders

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Do Select students based on Select students based on Social position Social position Influence Influence Personality Personality Positive values Positive values Relationships Relationships

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Select a diverse group of students based on Select a diverse group of students based on Ethnicity Ethnicity Interest Interest Clique Clique Age Age Do

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Survey both the students and adults to compile a list of potential Ambassadors. Survey both the students and adults to compile a list of potential Ambassadors. Do

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Don’t Select students that need to be “fixed.”

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Don’t Select just aggressors and targets.

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Don’t Select students based only on good behavior or grades.

Selecting the Change Agents: Do’s and Don’ts Don’t Select only those who volunteer to “help”

Student Recruitment Process Overview   Identify the“change agents”   Invite potential Ambassadors to orientation   Conduct orientation and assess degree of student interest   Select final (or for Elementary) and notify parents and students

Two days (Elementary) or (Middle or High) student leaders 6-8 adults Safe School Ambassadors Training

5 Types of Mistreatment 1. 1.Exclusion 2. 2.Put-downs 3. 3.Bullying 4. 4.Unwanted physical touch 5. 5.Acts against campus

Six Types of Intervention 1) 1) Balancing 2) 2) Supporting 3) 3) Reasoning 4) 4) Distracting 5) 5) Directing 6) 6) Getting Help

With whom do they intervene? Start with self “Walk the Talk” Friends & Family Others in school & community Classmates

 Regularly-scheduled  Deepen skills  Debrief experience  Collect data  Connect & inspire Ongoing Support & Supervision = Family Group Meetings Family Group Meetings

Ambassadors are active: 2 actions per week x 25 Ambassadors = more than 50 actions per week

50 actions per week x 40 weeks in a year = More than 2,000 actions per year !!

Reduced Bullying % Reduced Adults Greatly Reduced 55% 11% 70% 66% Ambassadors 58% 12%

Reduced Fighting % Reduced Adults Greatly Reduced 41% 18% 60% 59% Ambassadors 48% 12%

Ambassadors influence their peers in ways that result in 59% - 70% reductions in fighting and bullying.

Benefits of these reductions include: Students are less fearful and less distracted Students are less fearful and less distracted and can perform better in school. and can perform better in school. Educators spend more time on teaching Educators spend more time on teaching and supporting the learning in classes. and supporting the learning in classes.

Improved School Climate % Better Adults Much Better 66% 12% 78%

Research has shown that improved school climate is correlated with better test scores and higher overall academic achievement.

Decrease in fights Decrease in suspensions Decrease in administrative time

Increase in attendance and academic performance

What We Need From Staff  Serve as Family Group Facilitators  Support Ambassadors throughout the year  Nominate students to be Ambassadors