School Safety Effort Involves Students, Strengthens Communities

March 14, 2001 - More than 20,000 students, 600 teachers and 500 parents have taken part in programs supported by the Safe Schools/Healthy Students program, Dr. Ron Anderson announced at a conference of educators and child advocates Thursday (March 8).

The three-year, federally funded program helps provide or expand services in a series of curriculum initiatives, youth involvement activities, mental health programs, security upgrades and preschool and after school programs. The people that work in the different programs met at the conference to share information about their efforts and find ways they could work together.

Thanks to the Safe Schools/Healthy Students programs, Robin Roberts now oversees several parent educators in Parents as Teachers.

"The philosophy behind the program is that parents are their child's first and best teachers," said Roberts. "Our parent educators visit families in their homes twice a month and hold group meetings with parents."

Each of the parent educators works with a caseload of 30 families. The program is serving 120 Wake County families. Schools recommend families as the parent educators begin, but their caseloads quickly fill as they visit in the community.

"We are primarily looking at increasing parents' competence and confidence," said Roberts. "We are a school readiness program that is very literacy based. We also provide parents child development information, and health screenings for the children."

"We can teach the kids how to read and how to write, but we can't teach them, if they don't know how to behave," said Lambright. "If you can just help these kids in terms of behavior, help them understand what is appropriate, you save lots of time in the classroom. It helps us move these kids along on academics."

Another program expanded through the Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant is Teen Court.
"Teen Court is a sentencing option for nine- to 18-year old youths who have committed their first misdemeanor crime, like shoplifting, larceny, property damage, trespassing, truancy, or possession of alcohol," said Peyton Young of Teen Court. "These students are referred to our program from a variety of agencies."

Offenders who admit their guilt may choose to go to Teen Court, rather than traditional court proceedings. More than 250 middle and high school students volunteer to serve in Teen Court as the jury, attorneys, clerks and bailiffs. Offenders go through a hearing and receive their sentences which include community service, service on a Teen Court jury, and other sanctions such as writing letters of apology, or touring jails.

"If youths don't complete their sentences, we refer them back to juvenile or district court," said Young. "It is a sentence. Because they have already admitted guilt, they will go directly into the sentencing phase with the judge when they fail to complete their Teen Court sentence."

The Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant has attracted more than 890 students into Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Clubs and has enlisted 22 students in a Youth Advisory Council. Students in SAVE Clubs learn conflict resolution and mediation skills, the virtues of good citizenship, civility, and nonviolence and meet regularly to discuss spreading their message in their school and community. The Youth Advisory Council plans a yearly youth summit to encourage Wake County students to build safer communities and create proposals to reduce violence in schools. The council meets regularly to discuss ways communities can support youths throughout Wake County.