A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Safe and Drug-Free Schools --
Middle School Coordinators Program

This initiative provides funds to recruit, hire, and train drug prevention and school safety program coordinators for middle schools with significant drug and violence problems.

A total of 97 grants were awarded in Fiscal Year 1999. These grants:

• Are located in 46 states;

• Support recruiting, hiring, and training approximately 282 coordinators in middle schools; and

• Provide coordination services for approximately 483 schools.

Purpose of the grants:

• Recruit, hire, and train full-time drug prevention and school safety program coordinators to serve at least one middle school and no more than seven middle schools.

Coordinators' duties:

• Identify research-based drug and violence prevention strategies;
• Assist schools in adopting the most successful strategies, including training of teachers, staff and relevant community partners as needed;
• Develop, conduct, and analyze assessments of school crime and drug problems;
• Work with community agencies and organizations to ensure that students' requirements are met;
• Work with parents and students to obtain information about effective programs and strategies and encourage their participation in development and implementation;
• Assist in the development and implementation of evaluation strategies;
• Identify additional funding sources for drug prevention and school safety programming;
• Provide feedback to state educational agencies on programs and activities that have proved to be successful in reducing drug use and improving school safety; and
• Coordinate with student assistance and employee assistance programs.

Eligible applicants:

• Local educational agencies with significant drug, discipline, or school safety problems in their middle schools.

Contact Information:
Internet: www.ed.gov/offices/OSDFS/
E-mail: Deirdra_Hilliard@ed.gov
Fax: (202) 260-7767

Examples

Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Project Abstract:
Minneapolis Public Schools received a $272,119 grant to hire three middle school coordinators who work directly with four schools serving students in grades six through eight. The coordinators work within the schools to train teachers, administrators, educational assistants, and chemical-health specialists in the integration of exemplary drug and violence prevention practices into the classroom and the curriculum.

San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, San Marcos, Texas

Project Abstract:
San Marcos received a $130,000 grant to hire three middle school coordinators, each of whom has been assigned to work within one of the three target schools. The coordinators work together to complete a thorough needs assessment and create a comprehensive drug prevention and safety education plan. Each coordinator then focuses on coordinating programs at one campus, working intensively with the principal and Campus Improvement Team (CIT) to set specific campus process and outcome goals. Each coordinator works with volunteers, community-based agencies, and staff to ensure that programs implemented are research-based and that the program continues to follow the original design. Additionally, each coordinator is implementing strategies to gain student and community involvement, and to evaluate the process and outcome of the project.

Community School District #24, New York City, New York

Project Abstract:
Community School District #24 in New York City received a $160,000 grant to hire two middle school coordinators, each of whom works district-wide to serve middle schools. One coordinator is bilingual and has the responsibility to develop and maintain relations with the district's limited- and non-English-speaking population. The coordinator trains bilingual staff in issues related to drugs, violence and safety. In addition, the coordinator is responsible for developing and maintaining an updated list of community referral sources that have the ability to provide counseling, treatment and other services in a variety of languages. The second coordinator is responsible for ensuring that a conflict resolution/peer mediation program is active and viable in all of the district's intermediate schools. This coordinator is available to all intermediate schools for training and technical support. Other duties include staying abreast of research in the area and introducing new curricula and program materials when appropriate as well as organizing parent and community workshops on conflict resolution so that skills learned in school can be reinforced at home and in the community.

Publications

For additional information on Safe and Drug-Free Schools -- Middle School Coordinators Program, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSDFS/news.html

• Challenge Newsletter Online provides information for classroom teachers on model drug and violence programs, research, findings, and available resources.

• Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent's Guide to Prevention helps parents talk with their preschool-to-high-school-age children about drugs. It provides answers to children's questions, five sources of assistance, and suggests ways to reinforce prevention messages.

• Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools summarizes research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools. It describes what to look for and what to do to prevent violence.

• Preventing Youth Hate Crime: A Manual for Schools and Communities assists schools and communities to confront and eliminate harassing, intimidating, violent, and other hate-motivated behavior among young people. It promotes discussion, planning, immediate action, and long-term responses to hate crimes.

• Conflict Resolution Education: A Guide to Implementing Programs in Schools, Youth-Serving Organizations, and Community and Juvenile Justice Settings describes model programs and practices and suggests resources for further information.

• Creating Safe and Drug-Free Schools: An Action Guide provides action steps for schools, parents, students, and community and business groups in addition to information briefs on specific issues affecting school safety, research and evaluation findings, and resources.

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