Page 73 - FY21 Wellness Promotion Policy Annual Report

STUDENTS
Physical Education
& Physical Activity Environment &
Social & Emotional Climate EMPLOYEES Engagement COORDINATING POLICY, PROCESS, AND PRACTICE Counseling, Social Services Social & Emotional & FAMILIES
Nutrition
Community
Services
Involvement
Family
Psychological
HEALTHY SAFE
CHALLENGED SUPPORTED ENGAGED
Physical
Environment
Employee IMPROVING LEARNING AND HEALTH Health Climate
Wellness Education
Health
Services
COMMUNITY
Safe School Ambassadors®
The Safe School Ambassadors® Program (SSA) is a student-centered model that educates diverse social
leaders (representative of all the student groups and population on campus in grades 4-12) with the skills
to prevent and reduce social cruelty and bullying. SSA is an evidenced-based, Social-Emotional Learning
program (SEL) and is on the government’s list of programs, grounded in research and proven to have a positive
influence on the social climate in schools.
The program model harnesses the power of the socially influential leaders of a school’s diverse cliques; the
ones who shape the social norms that govern other students’ behavior. Student selection has specific criteria,
such as strong position and influence in their peer group, good communication skills, and a history of standing
up for friends.
The SSA Program relies on the “inside-out” approach to improving school climate. Student bystanders see,
hear, and know things adults do not, can intervene in ways adults cannot and are often on the scene of an
incident before an adult. The Ambassadors are a critical and intentional resource for positively affecting the
crisis of bullying in our schools. SSA is the nation’s most effective student-led bullying prevention program
and meets the specific mandates in our School Safety Laws and policies stating that students need to be
involved in the creation of safe campuses.
Since our District has partnered with Community Matters in 2000, their program has expanded and is active
in over 2000 schools across the United States and Canada, and in such far reaching places like Puerto Rico,
Guam, and Mexico, and Japan. The School District of Palm Beach County has the highest density of SSA
programs in the nation and due to a unique arrangement with Community Matters, the Department of Safe
Schools is able to offer free training to all schools in Palm Beach County. Even facing COVID-19 in FY21 there
were 24 active programs.

Safe School Ambassadors® Program Schools

(Public, Charters, and Private)
Elementary Middle High
Berkshire Elementary Congress Middle Atlantic Community High
Coral Reef Elementary Crestwood Middle Boca Raton Community High
Cypress Trails Elementary Don Estridge High Tech Middle Cardinal Newman High
Elbridge Gale Elementary Eagles Landings Middle South Tech Academy
Forest Hill Elementary Howell L. Watkins Middle Spanish River Community High
Gove Elementary Jupiter Middle Suncoast High

Highland Elementary Lantana Community Middle West Boca Raton Community High
Hope Centennial Omni Middle
Morakami Elementary Palm Springs Community Middle
Seminole Trails Elementary South Tech Prepatory Academy
South Grade Elementary Tradewinds Middle
Starlight Cove Elementary Woodlands Middle
U.B. Kinsey/Palmview Elementary
West Gate Elementary
Whispering Pines Elementary
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