ANTI-BULLYING GRANT APPLICATION

ANTI-BULLYING GRANT APPLICATION 2015 SCHOOL SAFETY INITIATIVE 2014 Session Law, Division 1400, Unit 1401 Jillian Balow State Superintendent of Public Instruction Wyoming Department of Education Hathaway Building, Second Floor 2300 Capitol Avenue Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002-0050 WDE Program Contact: Bruce Hayes, Program Consultant Standards and Accountability Division Phone: 307-777-6198 FAX: 307-777-8924 E-mail: bruce.hayes@wyo.gov COVER TEXT/GRAPHIC GENERATED AT http://www.wordle.net 1

General Information Definition of Anti-Bullying Program An anti-bullying program is considered any program, either provided by an outside third party or developed within a school district, which has the real and measurable net effect of reducing bullying. Goals for Anti-Bullying Programs The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is helping schools and districts acquire either programmatically mature/evidence-based anti-bullying programs or innovative programs to make the largest positive impact possible in reducing school bullying and increasing positive school climate. Intended Uses of the Anti-Bullying Grant Funding Continue with anti-bullying work started with the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014 School Safety Initiatives Start new anti-bullying work in a school or district that did not exist before Increase levels of character education that can translate into reduced bullying Bring in proven evidence-based best practices to increase school climate Start effective innovative programs that are aimed at lowering bullying levels Eligibility Requirements Any Wyoming school district may apply for the grant (or a school through its district). It is necessary to have a grant administrator such as a teacher or staff member who is responsible for carrying out or overseeing the work of the grant. Method of Submission To be considered for funding, four (4) hard copies must be postmarked by May 28, 2015 addressed to: Bruce Hayes, School Safety Consultant Wyoming Department of Education Hathaway Building, 2nd Floor 2300 Capitol Avenue Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002-0050 Appendices and additional attachments are not allowed. Each complete application must include: Cover Page A Response to All Categories [A-C] Signature Page 2

Grant Scoring/Award Process Scoring of applications is done using the provided rubric by an independent group of internal/external evaluators. Each anti-bullying grant section is scored using the enclosed rubric on page 9. Regarding page 4 All information will be checked complete and valid (points may be removed if the basics are incomplete). A. Program Requested 30 Points Possible B. Program Justification 30 Points Possible C. How Funding Will be Utilized 40 Points Possible Total points per reviewer 100 Points Possible Funding award letters shall be sent to each (recipient) grant administrator on or about June 5, 2015. The bulk of the summer will be available to align providers for the fall of the 2015-2016 school year. Funds are available to the recipient districts on a reimbursement basis. At the End of the Grant Period Districts are reimbursed up to the originally approved grant amount by submitting a single itemized district invoice. This invoice shall be submitted together with the grant final report. Both are due no later than April 29, 2016. A copy of the receipts or other similar documentation must be provided to correlate reimbursement costs. Each grant final report shall include the following items. In the submitted report, the indicated content shown below shall be aligned to its respective letter: A. Program name, district, grant administrator, and contact information. B. The actual grant amount expended and confirmation that the grant related activities are on the district website so other districts may learn from your experiences. C. The number of students enrolled in the school(s) involved with the grant. D. A summary of how the grant or program impacted the staff and student body. E. At least one metric used in the grant and how the metric values changed over the time the program was in effect (examples: discipline referrals, class disruptions, fights, etc.). F. A two to five page evaluation of how well (or not) the program reduced bullying. IMPORTANT: The grant invoice submitted without its associated final report is NOT reimbursable. LEA #: Award Amount: Date Approved: For WDE Use Only 3

Application The Anti-Bullying Grant Application is electronically accessible at http://edu.wyoming.gov/in-the-classroom/health-safety/facilities-safety/ Cover Page Application Due by May 28, 2015 Name of Program: Second Step Program Provider: Committee For Children Provider Address: 2815 Second Avenue, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98121-3207 Total Student Number Affected: List Schools Served by Program or Grant: 1267 Sage Valley Junior High and Twin Spruce Junior High Name of District Campbell County Grant Administrator: Kip Farnum Work Phone Number: 307-687-4546 Cell Phone Number: Work Email Address: kfarnum@ccsd.k12.wy.us and (Optional) Alternate Email Address: Mailing Address: 1000 W. Eighth St. Gillette, WY 82716 Amount Requested: ($1K to $12K) $12,000 Send four (4) hardcopy applications to: Bruce Hayes, School Safety Consultant Support Systems and Resources Division Phone: 307-777-6198 FAX: 307-777-8924 E-mail: bruce.hayes@wyo.gov 4

A. Program Requested Achievement and How it Works: Please fill in the requested information below: Name of Program: What the Program Accomplishes: Target Grades: Second Step Social Emotional Learning Curriculum Since 2010, CCSD has been implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program as the primary framework for preventing and reducing bullying in our schools. While CCSD has experienced improvements district-wide to prevent bullying from happening, we recognize that effective bullying prevention requires a multi-pronged effort; especially in the junior high age group, where bullying behaviors peak. CCSD has worked diligently to develop appropriate anti-bullying policies and procedures; in addition to training school staff and district employees to know the right way to work with students involved in bullying behavior. Another critically important part of tackling the problem is focusing on developing the social-emotional skills of children. Social-emotional skills enable children to be socially competent citizens within the school environment and help build an overall positive climate within the school. It is our belief that enhancing these skills in our students will support the development of healthier, happier children who are ready to learn and contribute to a safer environment. By supplementing the Olweus class meeting component work with a social-emotional learning curriculum CCSD students will be better equipped to self-regulate emotions, resulting in increased ability to participate in and benefit from classroom instruction. Having empathy prepares students to manage their own strong emotions and solve interpersonal problems with others. Students who practice emotion management by recognizing strong emotions and calming down cope better and are less prone to aggressive behaviors. When students use problem-solving skills to handle interpersonal conflicts with peers, they are less likely to engage in impulsive or aggressive behaviors. In short, social-emotional learning promotes students school success and connectedness and contributes toward a safe and respectful school climate. It also helps prevent problem behaviors, peer rejection, impulsivity, and low academic achievement. 7 th and 8 th Grade 5

How the Program Works: (Staff training, how program involves students, etc.) The program is divided into weekly lessons, 50 minutes each, but can be divided into two 25 minute lessons as Part 1 and Part 2. The themes are Empathy and Communication, Bullying Prevention, Emotion Management, Problem Solving and Substance Abuse Prevention. The lessons are scripted and are designed to be taught by teachers or counselors in the classrooms. In addition, there are assessments, following through activities, and homework to guide conversations at home with a caring adult and/or family member. The Second Step program will be used as a supplement to the class meetings that are already being done as a component of the Olweus Bullying Prevention program. The teachers teaching the program participate in a video based three hour training at secondstep.org in order to be prepared to teach the lessons. On secondstep.org are also many supplemental materials to support the implementation of the middle school program. Additional Comments: (Optional field for additional information) Program Goals list two to five: (Recall that a quality goal is a SMART goal; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) 1. Reduce existing bullying problems among students 2. Prevent the development of new bullying behaviors. 3. Achieve better peer relations at school. 4. Enhance student self-regulation, empathy, emotion management, and problem-solving skills. Program Objectives list two to six: (Steps to achieve goals) 1. Students will be able to understand empathy and communication and how they positively and negatively impact relationships. 2. Students will be able to define, identify, and respond to bullying behaviors and the impact it has on relationships and the school environment 3. Students will be able to understand emotions and how to manage emotions effectively. 4. Students will learn substance abuse prevention skills and how the use of substances impacts relationships and the school environment. 5. See attached Scope and Sequence for the comprehensive list of program objectives. B. Program Justification Reasons: In the space below, relate the reasons why you are choosing this program or effort. Campbell County School District has been implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in the junior high schools since 2010 and 2012. Over the course of the last five years of implementation, there has been varying degrees of improvement towards effectively reducing bullying behaviors in the school environment in the junior high schools. One of the key 6

components of the Olweus program that directly involves students is the weekly class meeting. Teacher s who ve been implementing class meetings as a component of the Olweus Program have asked for more guided or structured lessons to help supplement the class meeting topics. When CCSD employees attended the International Bullying Prevention Conference in November they heard multiple presentations on the research behind Social Emotional Learning and the impact incorporating SEL into class lessons has on promoting positive school climate. To that end, CCSD started exploring the option of enhancing the class meetings with an SEL curriculum, not entirely replacing unstructured class meeting discussions, but providing additional resources for teachers to use to facilitate class meetings. Sage Valley Junior High has decided to fully implement the Second Step curriculum into all seventh & eighth grade class meetings. Twin Spruce Junior High chose to pilot the Second Step curriculum in some class meetings in both seventh and eighth grade. We feel that this will be a good litmus test for how the Second Step Curriculum fits with class meetings versus teachers having to come up with class meeting materials all on their own. We are optimistic that we will see an improvement towards the goal of reducing bullying behaviors in school and promoting a positive school environment by enhancing class meetings with SEL curriculum. Outcomes: Specific outcomes or benefits expected. 1. Reduce existing bullying problems and prevent the development of new bullying behaviors. 2. Enhance student self-regulation, empathy, emotion management, and problem-solving skills. 3. Decrease student engagement in impulsive or aggressive behaviors. 4. Students are less likely to engage in high-risk behaviors that interfere with learning. 5. Reduce student suspensions and expulsions and increase student attendance. 7

C. How Funding Will be Utilized Narrative: Please describe how the funding will be utilized. Funding will be used to purchase the Second Step Curriculum from Center For Children. Each kit costs $369.00. We will purchase twenty (20) seventh grade kits and twenty (20) eighth grade kits. Fifteen seventh and fifteen eighth grade kits will be allocated to Sage Valley, for use in all seventh and eighth grade class meeting groups. Five kits will be allocated to Twin Spruce to be piloted in five seventh and five eighth grade class meeting groups. Budget Expenditures: Please itemize specific expenditures. (Add lines if necessary. Total should match amount requested.) Itemized Costs: 1. 20 Units Second Step Curriculum kits for 7 th grade @ $369 each $7,380 2. 20 Units Second Step Curriculum kits for 8 th grade @ $369 each $7,380 Total Program Cost: Total cost - $14,760 Requesting - $12,000 Directions: Please ensure all original signatures are in blue ink. Signature Page The undersigned agree and support the implementation of the anti-bullying program as outlined within this grant request. GRANT ADMINISTRATOR S NAME SIGNATURE DATE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT S NAME SIGNATURE DATE IMPORTANT! A grant application cannot be considered if both signature lines are not filled. Funding is predicated upon receipt of the original signatures. 8

This rubric describes how the grant will be judged. Higher scores are awarded first. Awards continue downward until the funding runs out. In extenuating circumstances, adjustments can be made either way for very little or highly extended efforts put into the grant application. Rubric A. Program Requested (Max. 30 points. Actual points awarded for each row will be interpolated on a graduated scale from 0 to 10 depending on the number/quality of successfully included provisions.) (0-10 Points) (0-10 Points) (0-10 Points) 10 Points Program requested information is complete and easy to understand. 10 Points Program goals are SMART goals, well explained, and sufficient in number. 10Points Program objectives are present, explained, and linked to the goals. 0 Points Program requested information is significantly incomplete and difficult to understand. 0 Points Program goals are not SMART goals, difficult to categorize, and insufficient in number. 0 Points Some material is listed, but cannot fully be interpreted as objectives. B. Program Justification (Max. 30 points. Actual points awarded for each row will be interpolated on a graduated scale from 0 to 15 depending on the number of successfully included provisions.) (0-15 Points) (0-15 Points) 15 Points The reasons narrative is compelling, realistic, strongly linked to anti-bully strategy, easy to read, and supported by facts. 15 Points At least three outcomes are listed, strong, and aligned to the narrative. 0 Points A small number of things are listed that cannot be fully interpreted as supporting justification. 0 Points Itemized outcomes are too few and difficult to relate to anti-bullying. C. How funding Will be Utilized (Max. 40 points. Actual points awarded for each row will be interpolated on a graduated scale from 0 to 20 depending on the number of successfully included provisions.) (0-20 Points) (0-20 Points) 20 Points The narrative on how the funding will be used is clearly written and deemed effective towards achieving anticipated results. 20 Points Specific expenditures are align to the narrative, are pertinent, clear, easy to read, and the itemized costs are correctly totaled. 0 Points The small number of things listed cannot easily be interpreted as narrative items regarding how the funding will be used. 0 Points There is a weak level of clarity in what is listed as specific expenditures. Itemized costs do not add up. 9

Definitions Program A named and packaged set of actions and training elements that typically exists outside the standard school curriculum, which is designed to accomplish a specific goal in schools. Outside third party A provider of services, either for-profit or non-profit, that is not employed with the school, district, or the state. Programmatically mature A program that has already been proven to be effective and is used frequently in the field. Evidence-based A term often applied to education programs that tell the public a given program is studied and that concrete data exists to indicate the effectiveness of the program in actual school settings. Innovative programs Programs that are relatively new, or that may have unconventional elements to their mechanics or theories, but have garnered the support of the school administration for various reasons as worthy of implementation. 10