Single School Culture© Initiatives for Climate continues to provide the programs and activities intended to create safe, supportive, respectable, and nurturing environments for ALL staff and students. The department’s prevention and intervention efforts, as well as the website (under revision: www.palmbeachschools.org/ssci/Bullying.asp) which provides resources that address the District’s broader mission to improve school and workplace climate for all employees and students.

In alignment with the District’s School-wide Positive Behavior Support (Sw-PBS) mandate, the website organizes resources using the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) approach by providing:

Ongoing since the 2009-2010 school year, the Department of Single School Culture© Initiatives provides direct support and consultation to schools, parents, guardians, and community agencies in response to reports of mistreatment and bullying.

The Department recognizes the need to set the norms for positive interactions between all students. When parents visit school offices and classrooms, they will likely encounter posters that contain the school’s Universal Guidelines (or ethical statements) that serve to set high standards for positive interpersonal conduct. While each school is free to customize their own Universal Guidelines through their system of School-wide Positive Behavior Supports, many of the themes involve respect, responsibility, and kindness. In addition, schools are provided with plans for teaching positive expectations. For example, this year all schools were provided talking points for the first four days of school that included the concepts of respect, consideration, and the use of conflict resolution techniques.

In the spring of 2014 an additional script was developed titled: Steps to Expanding School-wide Positive Behavior Supports to Include Interpersonal Expectations-Five Day Plan. This document is an expanded version of the original Four Day Plan and includes an additional lesson discussion related to noticing and embracing differences. This lesson provides the opportunity for teachers to create a climate of inclusivity. Teachers and School District personnel, who provide direct supervision to students, are encouraged to use this resource as a strategy to intentionally create a positive environment for all students.

To meet state and local requirements regarding cyber bullying and Internet Safety, Single School Culture© Initiatives has collaborated with the Educational Technology Department, Library Media Services, and IT Infrastructure to inform students and staff about the acceptable use of technology and the positive and negative use of social media and the internet. This content includes instruction and reflection related to the:

Additionally, the school-based curriculum Words Wound: Delete Cyberbullying and Make Kindness Go Viral was piloted in selected middle schools to involve students in using technology to combat cruelty and promote kindness.

The Department of Single School Culture© Initiatives recognizes that simply telling students about the Universal Guidelines is a good first step, but people are still going to make social mistakes. The Department has designed an in-depth website that includes tools for administrators, counselors, and teachers, so that they can set high standards, and use social mistakes as opportunities to learn. The website can be accessed at http://www.palmbeachschools.org/ssci/bullying.asp. Professional development is provided in the area of Climate Enhancement Initiatives for school personnel and guides them to resources that will allow effective investigation and intervention for both targets and victims in incidents involving mistreatment

The Department recognizes that parents are wonderful social coaches for their children, and designate learning tools for parents to use to help their children respond to difficult social situations. Local and national resources such as the Pacer National Center for Bullying Prevention and Intervention (http://www.pacer.org/bullying/index.aspare) are available for parents on the Department’s website. In addition, school counselors provide instruction in social skills through classroom guidance and special programs such as Student Success Skills, Educational Enhancement Groups, and Bullying Awareness and Prevention for use in 3rd grade.

The Department has even enlisted socially capable students as allies in 4th-12th grade via the Safe School Ambassadors program. This national program is available for all Palm Beach County schools. In it, student opinion leaders from all the formal and informal groups on the campus are trained to recognize mistreatment and intervene using diplomatic skills, not force.

The Department has established a relationship with the Student County Council (high school leadership) to expand their capacity to address school climate and safety issues on their respective campuses. All student groups enthusiastically agreed to work with Single School Culture© Initiatives to:

Lastly, the Department is proud that the District is seen as a state leader in meeting the requirements of the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act of 2009. Certification from the State has recently been reviewed saying that all the Florida Department of Education School Compliance requirements have been met and exceeded regarding mandates which include:

Single School Culture© Initiatives has a team of people available to offer assistance to staff members and schools, and wants parents to know that all reports are taken very seriously.

Contact Kim Mazauskas (561) 982-0922 Kim.mazauskas@palmbeachschools.org or Rick Lewis (561) 982-0920 Rick.lewis@palmbeachschools.org of Single School Culture© Initiatives with any questions.