District Prepares To Implement Prevention Programs
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The Seneca Valley School District is embarking on the implementation of two new educational programs to address positive peer behavior as well as the destructive and negative results that come from drug and alcohol use.
Seneca Valley fifth and sixth graders in the district will be part of a Drugs and Alcohol Educational Program for the 2009-10 school year. Taught as part of the health curriculum, this program will be presented to middle school students by teachers and will address the dangers of drugs and alcohol. In addition, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), a comprehensive bullying prevention program, will be implemented in the Seneca Valley School District, grades K-12, next school year.
Olweus is used at the school, classroom, and individual levels and includes methods to reach out to parents and the community for involvement and support. School administrators, teachers, and other staff are primarily responsible for introducing and implementing the program. These efforts are designed to improve peer relations and make the school a safer and more positive place for students to learn and develop.
The state recently cut the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program by 60 percent. In addition, recent studies indicated that the impact of DARE, taught to fifth graders only, isn't as effective as experts originally thought. To view more on the summary report, visit http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/publications/factsheets/positions/PS-001.pdf.
For these reasons, Seneca Valley has decided to move away from DARE and, with the support of our local municipalities and law enforcement agencies, will replace them with the above mentioned programs that address many of the same messages presented by DARE. Seneca Valley will continue to invite and encourage regular visits from our police officers so as to continue the excellent rapport these officers have with our students and staff.
Below is a pdf version of a parent letter that was sent home in April 2009, to explain the OBPP program and the district's implementation plan.
For more information on Olweus and to learn more about bullying prevention, please read the FAQ's PDF.
Olweus Frequently Asked Questions
For more information and resources on drugs and alcohol as well as bullying prevention, visit our student assistant resource page at http://www.svsd.net/schools/assistance/
