FSCA NEWS

What We Think is the third school climate survey conducted by the National School Boards Association's Council of Urban Boards of Education which surveyed how parents feel about their urban school environments.  This survey is a follow-up to two previous school climate surveys by CUBE, Where We Learn, which surveyed how students feel about their urban school climate, and Where We Teach, which surveyed teachers and administrators.

 The survey questions gauge parent perceptions about bullying; expectations of student success; influence of race; parental involvement; safety; and trust, respect, and ethos of caring.  Dr. Brian K. Perkins, Principal Investigator and Professor of Education Law and Policy of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Southern Connecticut State University and 2008 ASCA keynote speaker, conducted the survey which examined the responses of 10,270 parents in 112 urban schools from 17 states. Brian Perkins also serves as the CUBE Steering Committee's Immediate Past Chair and School Board President in New Haven, Connecticut.

To view the report, go to http://www.nsba.org/WhatWeThinkPdf.  If you are not able to open the report by clicking on the link, cut and paste the address into your internet address line.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2685172/Parent-Info-on-Post-Secondary-for-Migrant-Students-April-20

Advertise Your Cause Challenge: The By Kids For Kids youth empowerment company and DoSomething.org announce the Advertise Your Cause Media Challenge, which encourages young people to discover what cause matters most to them and then "Do Something" to propel their cause into the public eye. The competition will reward the cleverest new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign idea with up to $10,000 and national media exposure. Eligibility: U.S. residents ages 5 to 19, not graduated from high school at the time of competition. Deadline: June 30, 2008.

http://www.bkfk.com/Modules/Competition/Competition.aspx?section=sayit

Governor Charlie Crist announced Florida’s participation in the American Diploma Project Network, a nationwide movement designed to improve preparation of high school students for higher education and the 21st century workforce. Governor Crist designated Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith to lead Florida’s participation in the American Diploma Project.

In October 2007, the Go Higher, Florida! Task Force recommended that Governor Crist join 32 other Governors whose states are currently participating in the American Diploma Project Network. The task force developed recommendations for preparing all Florida students for a successful transition to college or other career preparation. For more information, visit www.flgov.com/release/9970.

The RTI Action Network is dedicated to the effective implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) in school districts nationwide. The goal is to guide educators and families in the large-scale implementation of RTI so that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students – including those with learning disabilities – are identified early and receive the necessary supports to be successful. The RTI Action Network is a program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, funded by the Cisco Foundation and in partnership with the nation’s leading education associations and top RTI experts.

Go to http://www.RTINetwork.org/ to see all the resources, information and professional development opportunities available through the network.

The Merchants of Cool

Website companion to a PBS Frontline program about "the merchants of cool: creators and sellers of popular culture who have made teenagers the hottest consumer demographic in America." Features a look at the work of cool hunters (researchers specializing in youth culture), teen opinions of the program, themes of the report, interviews, and holdings of media giants. Includes the full program, classroom guide, and related material about cool hunting.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/

Girls and sexual minorities suffer most from this type of abuse

Heidelberg,  23 April 2008

Schools’ current focus on bullying prevention may be masking the serious and underestimated health consequences of sexual harassment, according to James Gruber from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Susan Fineran from the University of Southern Maine in the US. Their research¹, just published  online in Springer’s journal Sex Roles, shows that although less frequent, sexual harassment has a greater negative impact on teenagers’ health than the more common form of victimization, bullying.

Gruber and Fineran’s study, the first of its kind to compare bullying and sexual harassment victimization using equivalent measurements and time frames, looked at the frequency and health implications of both bullying and sexual harassment among 522 middle and high school students. The teenagers completed a questionnaire which asked how often they had experienced each behavior during the school year, who the perpetrators were, and their reaction.

Bullying was more frequent than sexual harassment for both boys and girls - just over half the students (52%) had been bullied and just over a third (35%) were sexually harassed. Almost a third (32%) had been subject to both behaviors. Girls were bullied or harassed as frequently as boys, but gays, lesbians and bisexuals – sexual minorities – were submitted to greater levels of both.

Both behaviors have a negative effect on victims’ health. After taking into account the effects of other stressful life events, ranging from parents’ divorce, moving house, falling in love and getting into trouble with the law, Gruber and Fineran found that sexual harassment causes more harm than bullying in both boys and girls. Girls and sexual minorities, however, appeared to be the most affected by sexual harassment, suffering from lower self-esteem, poorer mental and physical health, and more trauma symptoms (thoughts and feelings arising from stressful experiences) than boys.

In the authors’ view, schools’ current focus on preventing bullying, as well as the tendency to regard sexual harassment as a form of bullying rather than an issue in its own right, draws attention away from a serious health issue. They argue that sexual harassment prevention should receive equal attention as a distinct focus, so that schools can continue to provide a healthy environment for children.

Reference

1. Gruber JE & Fineran S (2008). Comparing the impact of bullying and sexual harassment victimization on the mental and physical health of adolescents.  Sex Roles (DOI 10.1007/s11199-008-9431-5)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 22, 2008 

CONTACT:        Samara Yudof or Elissa Leonard
                (202) 401-1576    

U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION MARGARET SPELLINGS ANNOUNCES PROPOSED REGULATIONS TO STRENGTHEN NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

Focus on Improved Accountability and Transparency, Uniform and Disaggregated Graduation Rates and Improved Parental Notification

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced proposed new regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind (NCLB).  The proposed regulations focus on improved accountability and transparency, uniform and disaggregated graduation rates and improved parental notification for Supplemental Education Services and public school choice.  The Secretary made the announcement at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, Mich.

“I’m proposing new policy tools that will give families lifelines - and empower educators to create dramatic improvement,” said Secretary Spellings.  “Many are actions that have gained broad support through conversations on how to strengthen No Child Left Behind.  While I will continue working with legislators to renew this law, I also realize that students and families and teachers and schools need help now.  So, at the President’s request, I’m moving forward to empower educators to take actions that families have been waiting for.”

The Secretary noted that these new regulations build on NCLB’s positive results and are consistent with the law’s core principles of annual testing, publishing data and helping schools that fall behind.  She added that in her travels to nearly two dozen states -- which included meetings with governors, state school chiefs and state legislatures -- discussions focused on how states and districts can improve struggling schools, more accurately measure dropout rates and chart student progress over time. 

Several of the proposed regulations seek to clarify elements of the law that demand school systems be accountable for results and transparent in their reporting to parents and the public, including requiring that states publish data from the Nation’s Report Card alongside data from their own tests for students.  The Secretary emphasized that measures of student academic achievement may include multiple types of questions and multiple assessments within a subject area.  In addition, a state’s accountability system must ensure the inclusion of all sub-groups of students by adopting appropriate N-sizes.

Building on the Department’s growth model pilot program, the proposed regulations would outline the criteria that States must meet in order to incorporate individual student progress into the State’s definition of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).  Secretary Spellings is also proposing to strengthen the provisions of the law on school restructuring.  Schools in restructuring need the most significant intervention, and a recent study found that 40 percent of schools in restructuring did not implement any of the restructuring options under the law.  The proposed regulations will clarify that restructuring interventions must be more rigorous and that interventions must address the reasons for the school being in restructuring.

To continue the dialogue and address some of the more technical needs of the states and their departments of education, Secretary Spellings proposed the creation of a National Technical Advisory Council.  The council will be made up of experts in the fields of education standards, accountability systems, statistics and psychometrics and be tasked with advising the Department on highly complex and technical issues and ensuring state standards and assessments are of the highest technical quality.

Noting that, according to a recent study, 75 percent of high school students in Detroit public schools do not graduate on time, Secretary Spellings announced the Department would build on the work of the National Governor’s Association to establish a uniform graduate rate that shows how many incoming freshman in a given high school graduate within four years. 

“Over their lifetimes, dropouts from the class of 2007 alone will cost our nation more than 300 billion dollars in lost wages, lost taxes and lost productivity,” said Secretary Spellings. “Increasing graduation rates by just five percent, for male students alone, would save us nearly eight billion dollars each year in crime-related costs.”

All states would use the same formula to calculate how many students graduate from high school on time and how many drop out.  The data would then be made public so that educators and parents can compare how students of every race, background and income level are performing.

States will be allowed to use an interim calculation on a transitional basis, but every high school in every state will be required to report new graduation rates for accountability purposes no later than 2013.  In the meantime, each state will be responsible for setting a graduation rate goal and for disaggregating data by subgroup to report and determine AYP.  Beginning in the 2008-2009 academic year, in order to make AYP, a school or district would have to meet the graduation goal or demonstrate their continuous and substantial improvement from the prior year.  

Additionally, the Secretary is proposing rules to ensure parents are notified in a clear and timely way about their public school choice and supplemental education service options.  The proposed regulations will ensure that states make more information available to the public about what tutoring providers are available, how these providers are approved and monitored, and most importantly, how effective they are in helping students improve.

“Research has shown that effective tutoring programs can reduce the achievement gap by 10 to 15 percent,” said Secretary Spellings.  “The problem is, these options will not make a difference if parents don’t know they’re available.  I hope these proposed regulations will assist parents in getting the extra help their children may need to succeed.” 

The regulations proposed by the Secretary are published online in today’s Federal Register for public comment.  Hard copies of the Federal Register will be available on Wednesday, April 23. 

For further information on how the regulations will strengthen NCLB, including a link to the Federal Register, please visit http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/reg/proposal/.

By Del Stover

If parents are relying on newspapers for information about your local schools, then watch out: Their opinions about school safety, teacher quality, and academic success will be less positive than those of parents who get their information from other sources.

That was one of the most intriguing -- if not entirely surprising -- finding of What We Think: Parental Perceptions of Urban School Climate, soon to be published by NSBA’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE). Brian Perkins, principal investigator of the study and president of the New Haven, Conn., school board, gave a preview of the findings during the Annual Conference.

Read more:

http://www.nsba.org/HPC/Features/SBN/CurrentIssue/Newspapersgiveparentsnegativeviewofschoolssurveyfinds.aspx

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  Press Office:  240-276-2130

April 18, 2008                                                www.samhsa.gov

SAMHSA Accepting Applications for Project LAUNCH – A New Grant Program Promoting the Mental and Physical Wellness of Young Children

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is soliciting applications for Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health), a new grant program designed to promote the physical, emotional, social, and behavioral health of young children, birth to 8 years of age.

A wide range of early childhood service programs can be provided through Project LAUNCH grants including mental health consultation to promote more effective child care and early education programs, parenting skills training and other family support services.  States receiving these grants will fund local providers of these services.

“Project LAUNCH will enhance and coordinate key child-serving systems to ensure that children grow and thrive in supportive environments,” said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D.  “This new SAMHSA grant program will help to provide young children with a solid foundation early in life that will launch them on the trajectory toward a healthy and productive lifetime.”

SAMHSA is accepting applications for fiscal year 2008 Project LAUNCH grants from state and territorial governments as well as federally recognized American Indian/Alaskan Native Tribes and tribal organizations.  

Project LAUNCH grantees will:

·         Enhance coordination between state, territorial, or tribal physical and behavioral health programs and service providers using a family-centered, public health approach.

·         Improve existing early childhood services using evidence-based practices.

·         Provide training and technical assistance to local programs and community networks in order to create a shared understanding of the many facets of healthy child development.

·         Improve information sharing and collaboration among agencies and providers that serve young children.

·         Review and update relevant state, territorial, tribal, and local policies related to young children’s wellness.

·         Develop a cross-agency fiscal strategy for state, territorial, tribal and local infrastructure to promote sustainability and reduce program redundancy.

SAMHSA expects that approximately $5.5 million in funding will be available to award six grants annually for up to five years. The estimated award amounts for grantees will be up to $916,000 a year. Actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability of funds. The cooperative agreement will be awarded by SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) in cooperation with the agency’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).

SAMHSA’s Project LAUNCH efforts will be done in consultation with other Department of Health and Human Services agencies including the Administration for Children and Families, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those interested in applying for Project LAUNCH grants download the Request for Application announcement (No. SM-08-011) and application forms at http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2008/sm_08_011.aspx  or call SAMHSA’s Information Line at 1-877-SAMHSA7 [TDD: 1 800-487-4889].  Applicants are encouraged to apply online using www.grants.gov.

Applications must be received by the June 12, 2008 to be considered for review -- hard copy applications are due by 5:00 PM (EST) and electronic applications are due by 11:59 PM (EST).  Please carefully review Section IV-3 of the application announcement for revised fiscal year 2008 submission requirements.

Applicants with questions about program issues should contact David deVoursney at (240) 276-1182 or david.devoursney@samhsa.hhs.gov. For questions on grants management issues contact Gwendolyn Simpson at (240) 276-1408 or gwendolyn.simpson@samhsa.hhs.gov.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health services delivery systems.

http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/pdi/academy.htm

Providing Florida School Counselors with relevant and practical professional development is an important part of FSCA's mission. The 2008 Summer Academy will provide participants with just that -- pre-academy workshops, content sessions, and keynotes by local and national speakers. Content includes APC, RTI, Legal and Ethical Issues, Counseling and Technology, the ASCA Model, Solution Focused Leadership, EPEP, and more.

Public release date: 21-Apr-2008

Contact: Maggie Francis
maggie.francis@heart.org
214-706-1396
American Heart Association

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should get careful cardiac evaluation and monitoring – including an electrocardiogram (ECG) – before treatment with stimulant drugs, a new American Heart Association statement recommends.

The scientific statement on Cardiovascular Monitoring of Children and Adolescents with Heart Disease Receiving Stimulant Drugs is published online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

In 1999, concerns over potential cardiovascular effects of psychotropic drugs, especially tricyclic antidepressants, but including stimulants, prompted an American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Cardiovascular Monitoring of Children and Adolescents Receiving Psychotropic Drugs. However, no specific cardiovascular monitoring was recommended for the use of stimulant medications. Warnings from the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about stimulant medications and public concern for the safety of using them have prompted the current statement.

Studies have shown that stimulant medications like those used to treat ADHD can increase heart rate and blood pressure. These side effects are insignificant for most children with ADHD; however, they’re an important consideration for children who have a heart condition. Certain heart conditions increase the risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD), which occurs when the heart rhythm becomes erratic and doesn’t pump blood through the body.

Doctors usually use a physical exam and the patient and family history to detect the risk for or presence of health problems before beginning new treatments, including prescribing medication. But some of the cardiac conditions associated with SCD may not be noticed in a routine physical exam. Many of these conditions are subtle and do not result in symptoms or have symptoms that are vague such as palpitations, fainting or chest pain.

That’s why the statement writing group recommends adding an ECG to pre-treatment evaluations for children with ADHD. An ECG measures the heart’s electrical activity and can often identify heart rhythm abnormalities such as those that can lead to sudden cardiac death.

“After ADHD is diagnosed, but before therapy with a stimulant or other medication is begun, we suggest that an ECG be added to the pre-treatment evaluation to increase the likelihood of identifying cardiac conditions that may place the child at risk for sudden death,” said Victoria L. Vetter, M.D., head of the statement writing committee and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

Vetter also said doctors should evaluate children and adolescents already taking these medications if they were not evaluated when they started the treatment.

If heart problems are suspected after the evaluation, children should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist. Once stimulant treatment begins, children should have their heart health monitored periodically, with a blood pressure check within one to three months, then again at routine follow-ups every six to 12 months.

“Children can have undiagnosed heart conditions without showing symptoms,” Vetter said. “Furthermore, a child’s body changes constantly, with some conditions not appearing until adolescence.”

If the initial ECG was taken before age 12 years, it may be useful to do a repeat ECG after the child is over age 12 years, the statement says.

Widespread use of ECGs to detect heart abnormalities, including screenings for competitive athletes, is not routinely recommended by the American Heart Association. However, the writing group found using ECG screening in this specific population of children prescribed ADHD medication is medically indicated and reasonably priced. That said, however, lack of an ECG shouldn’t mean that kids who need ADHD treatment can’t get it.

“While we feel that an ECG is reasonable and helpful as a tool to identify children with cardiac conditions that can lead to SCD, if, in the view of their physician, a child requires immediate treatment with stimulant medications, this recommendation is not meant to keep them from getting that treatment,” said Vetter, who added that some children may not have access to a pediatric cardiologist who can evaluate an ECG or perform a cardiology consultation.

In 2003, an estimated 2.5 million children took medication for ADHD. Surveys indicate that ADHD affects an estimated 4 percent to 12 percent of all school-aged children in the United States, and it appears more common in children with heart conditions. Studies report that, depending on the specific cardiac condition, 33 percent to 42 percent of pediatric cardiac patients have ADHD, Vetter said. The number of undiagnosed children with heart conditions is unknown as routine heart screening is not performed, but Vetter said that a recent pilot study she presented at the American Heart Association’s 2007 Scientific Session indicated that up to 2 percent of healthy school aged children had potentially serious undiagnosed cardiac conditions identified by an ECG.

Data from the FDA showed that between 1999 and 2004, 19 children taking ADHD medications died suddenly and 26 children experienced cardiovascular events such as strokes, cardiac arrests and heart palpitations. Since February 2007, the FDA has required all manufacturers of drug products approved for ADHD treatment to develop Medication Guidelines to alert patients to possible cardiovascular risks.

Future studies are necessary to assess the true risk of SCD in association with stimulant drugs in children and adolescents with and without heart disease, Vetter said. However, studying SCD associated with drugs is difficult because the government’s reporting system is voluntary, which means local data on these types of deaths isn’t always reported nationally.

A registry of SCD events is necessary for further investigating this issue, the writing committee said. Such a registry would allow for a more accurate understanding of SCD, including the true incidence of it and the potential effectiveness of universal ECG testing and pre-participation screening questionnaires.

The statement writing committee said its recommendations are not intended to limit the appropriate use of stimulants in children with ADHD.

“Our intention is to provide the physician with some tools to help identify heart conditions in children with ADHD, and help them make decisions about the use of stimulant medications and the follow-up of children who take them,” Vetter said. “The goal is to allow treatment of ADHD, while attempting to lower the cardiac risk of these products in susceptible children.”

###

The writing committee also includes: Josephine Elia, M.D.; Christopher Erickson, M.D.; Stuart Berger, M.D.; Nathan Blum, M.D.; Karen Uzark, R.N., Ph.D.; and Catherine L. Webb, M.D.

NR08-1058 (CIRC/Vetter)

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-04/aha-cwa041808.php

Program Number:   69726

Title:            Grants Program

Sponsor:          Children Affected by AIDS Foundation

SYNOPSIS:

 The sponsor provides funding for organizations providing direct care, support and assistance to children, age birth to thirteen years, who are HIV+ or otherwise affected by HIV/AIDS.  This includes children who are HIV-infected, those who are or may become orphaned as a result of losing parents to HIV disease, and those who have siblings, parents, or caregivers who are infected with HIV.

Deadline(s):      05/16/2008

Established Date: 09/09/2002

Follow-Up Date:   04/01/2009

Review Date:      04/16/2008

Contact:          Rolla Bedford, Program Manager

Address:          6033 W. Century Boulevard

                  Suite 280

                  Los Angeles, CA 90045

                  U.S.A.

E-mail:           rolla.bedford@caaf4kids.org

Program URL: http://www.caaf4kids.org/

Tel:              310-258-0850  x14

Fax:

Deadline Ind:     Receipt

Deadline Open:    No

Award Type(s):    General Operating Funds

                  General Project

                  Service Delivery

Citizenship/Country of Applying Institution:

                  Any/No Restrictions

Locations Tenable:    U.S.A. Institution (including U.S. Territories)

Appl Type(s):     Non-Profit

                  Tax-exempt

Target Group(s):  NONE

Funding Limit:    $0   SEEBELOW

Duration:         1 YEAR(s)

Indirect Costs:   Unspecified

Cost Sharing:     No

Sponsor Type:     Foundations

Geo. Restricted:  NO RESTRICTIONS

CFDA#:

OBJECTIVES:

 The sponsor funds in the following categories:

 BASIC NEEDS--category includes items such as clothing, formula, food, diapers, burial services, transportation (to and from medical visits, outpatient visits and other social services appointments), emergency childcare, and respite services.

 SOCIAL AND RECREATION--intended to benefit programs that involve children in social activities such as arts and crafts, sports, holiday parties, field expeditions, and other forms of recreation with the exception of camp programming.

 PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT--intended to benefit direct services related only to the provision of psychosocial services to children.  Services may include individual and family therapy/counseling, support groups and life skills classes.

 CAMP SERVICES--may be used to increased the number of children attending camp, for camp related expenses such as rental of campsite space, transportation, food, supplies, and other direct service expenses.

ELIGIBILITY

 Eligible applicants are non-profit, tax-exempt organizations.

Organizations may submit only one proposal, and request fund from only one category.

FUNDING

 Grants in the basic needs category range from $1,000 to $15,000.

Grants in the social and recreation category range from $1,000 to $10,000.  Grants in the psychosocial category range from $1,000 to $25,000.  Grants in the Camp Services category range from $1,000 to $15,000.  Grants are made on a one-year basis.  (edl)

KEYWORDS:         Child Welfare

                  Children/Youth

                  Social Services Delivery

                  Parent Education

                  AIDS

                  Emotional/Mental Health

                  Children (Patients)

                  Recreation and Leisure Studies

                  HIV Infection

                  Sports/Athletics

                  Psychosocial Therapy

                  Family/Marriage Counseling

Parents are used to hearing their teens speak in code - from the trendy catchphrase of the week to the popular acronyms used for text messaging and online chatting. But one term that might come up more frequently this time of year is "420" (pronounced "four-twenty").

Read more:

http://tinyurl.com/6nmwdw

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/04/14/bok.circus.of.the.kids.cnn?iref=videosearch

Body of Knowledge: Kids Circus

CNN's Rusty Dornin takes a look at an unusual school activity that builds trust and teamwork.

The IRIS Center, in collaboration with the PACER Center, is proud to present the latest addition to its growing family of online interactive modules: Collaborating with Families.

Claire Morgan, principal of M. T. Watkins Middle School, and her staff have noticed that, although they enjoy good parental involvement from some families, they usually see the same core group at every volunteer opportunity or school event. They wonder why this is the case and how they might go about increasing involvement, especially among the families of students with disabilities. Join Principal Morgan and her staff as they work through the process of learning more about such families and develop ideas to engage all of the families in their school.

To view Collaborating with Families, please go to http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/fam/chalcycle.htm.

Many more IRIS resources can be found at http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/index.html.

Please feel free to contact The Iris Center at 800-831-6134 or iris@vanderbilt.edu if you have any questions.

CAS086 - Applications of Second Life to Education and Counseling

THIS WEEK: Dr. James Lenze and Assistant Dean Lloyd Onyett, M.A of Indiana University of Pennsylvania speak with CAS Contributing Editor Kimberly J.

Desmond regarding the virtual world of Second Life and its application to education and counseling.  - Runtime 53:17

You can download this podcast directly through the link:

http://www.counseloraudiosource.net/feeds/cas086.mp3

Consider using a set of CAS podcasts as free class supplements for your counseling courses. For a complete list of podcasts available BY COURSE TOPIC see http://www.counseloraudiosource.net/courses.htm

You can download all of the CounselorAudioSource podcasts at http://www.counseloraudiosource.net/archives.htm for play on your desktop computer or use your iTunes or other MP3 podcast aggregator.

CounselorAudioSource is a free public audio production developed through a collective of counselor educators and practitioners acting as contributing editors. Counselor educators can use CounselorAudioSource.Net audio podcasts free of charge as class supplements under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. Direct your students and supervisees to the website to download and listen to topical podcasts for class/supervision discussions.

For further information about CounselorAudioSource.Net feel free to contact me.

Marty Jencius, PhD

Kent State University

mjencius@kent.edu

Editor - CounselorAudioSource.Net

http://www.stopbullyingworld.org/conferences_W367.cfm

2008 5TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

NEW HORIZONS:  THE LATEST IN BULLYING PREVENTION AND RESEARCH

IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA!

Save the Date!

November 6-8, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The International Bullying Prevention Association is pleased to present our 5th Annual Conference: NEW HORIZONS:  THE LATEST IN BULLYING PREVENTION AND RESEARCH.  The conference will be co-sponsored by the Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy with the Indiana Department of Education. The conference is designed for school guidance counselors, administrators, teachers, school health educators, school social workers, school psychologists, school safety specialists, Safe and Drug-Free Coordinators, school resource officers (SRO's), school attorneys, and law enforcement working with youth, student service directors, PTA/PTO members, children and family mental health counselors, school nurses, school board members, parents, extended day/after school staff, prevention specialists, etc. This conference also welcomes college students.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS DUE MAY 23RD

Consider nominating an excellent teacher with whom you work:

The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development is seeking nominations for its Outstanding Young Educator Award, which recognizes a teacher under the age of 40 who demonstrates excellence in his or her profession, a positive impact on students, creativity in the classroom, and leadership in his or her school or district. Maximum Award: $10,000. Eligibility: K-12 teachers under age 40; no self-nominations accepted. Deadline: August 1, 2008.
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem.749fb3b35fb740a98d7ea23161a001ca/template.article?articleMgmtId=e87c3f4062520010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD

The By Kids For Kids youth empowerment company and DoSomething.org announce the Advertise Your Cause Media Challenge, which encourages young people to discover what cause matters most to them and then "Do Something" to propel their cause into the public eye. The competition will reward the cleverest and powerful new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign idea that will also have the broadest impact. Maximum Award: $10,000 and national media exposure for the winning PSA. Eligibility: U.S. residents ages 5 to 19, not graduated from high school at the time of competition. Deadline: June 30, 2008.
http://www.bkfk.com/Modules/Competition/Competition.aspx?section=sayit

Target Local Store Grants fund programs that make arts and cultural experiences accessible to children and families, that foster a love of reading and encourage young children, ages birth through nine, to read together with their families and that strengthen families and communities and keep them safe. Maximum Award: $3,000. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, libraries, or public agencies in communities where Target does business. Deadline: May 31, 2008.
http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp;jsessionid=4CCISKK5MDPC3LARAAV5YAI?contentId=PRD03-001818

The Hillsborough Education Foundation in Hillsborough County Fla., a charitable organization that invests community resources to help students achieve, has found that even with effective programming and dedicated faculty and staff, more is required to ensure students succeed. In the foundation's eyes, "success" includes not only completing high school but making progress in post-secondary life. This formed the foundation for Project SUCCESS, in which the foundation promised to help financially students who wanted to obtain a career certificate or further their education. Before the program was implemented, only two graduates pursued post-secondary education. After the program's launch, 23 graduates took advantage of the scholarships. Not surprisingly, attendance, graduation and job placement rates all went up.
http://www.educationfoundation.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/Schools.INVEST_Success

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and local law enforcement partners recently unveiled a new addition to the state’s Sexual Offender / Predator Web site – the Florida Offender Alert System.

The system allows you to sign up to receive e-mail alert notifications when a registered sexual offender or predator moves to your neighborhood, or within a radius of any other designated address – all for free. FDLE encourages you to register your home address, as well as locations such as your child’s school, your workplace, and any locations that you and your family frequent. You can also opt to track address changes reported by specific registered offenders or predators. You can monitor an unlimited number of addresses or offenders/predators.

To sign up, go to www.flsexoffender.net.

Tom Butler
(850) 245-0413
Tom.Butler@fldoe.org

Florida Selected to Join Prestigious Schools to Watch Program
~ Nationally acclaimed program will highlight outstanding Florida middle schools ~

TALLAHASSEE - Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith today announced that Florida was selected to participate in the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform’s Schools to Watch® (STW) program. The program provides national recognition for exceptional middle schools throughout the nation that demonstrate superior academic performance, a strong focus on student development and a socially equal learning environment

"To be accepted into this nationally-recognized program is a tremendous honor and I’m looking forward to working with The National Forum to identify and promote our most outstanding middle schools," said Commissioner Smith. "By examining these schools' programs and practices, we can reproduce their successes across Florida and the nation."

Launched in 1999, STW began as a national program that initially identified four middle-grades schools. The program mobilizes state-level partners to identify effective schools that will serve as models for the rest of the country. To date, more than 50 percent of the nation's middle-schoolers are now in 16 STW states with over 160 schools designated STW. Florida’s selection makes it the 17th state to participate in the program.

Florida’s STW program is designed to encourage development of strong programs that lead to higher school and student achievement. The team responsible for implementing the program currently consists of representatives from the Florida League of Middle Schools, the Florida Association of School Administrators and other middle grade leaders throughout the state. These individuals will receive technical training and support from the National Forum to begin the process of identifying STW schools. The team expects to have Florida’s schools identified by the end of the year for formal recognition in December.

The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform is an alliance of educators, researchers, national associations, and officers of professional organizations and foundations, dedicated to improving education in the middle grades. The Forum seeks to improve student learning dramatically by advocating that schools provide strong academics, respond to students' needs and interests, and ensure equal access to high quality classes. To learn more, visit www.mgforum.org.

 http://www.fldoe.org/news/2008/2008_04_04.asp

The Florida Department of Education recently unveiled its new Web site at www.fldoe.org. The redesigned site offers portals for students, educators, administrators and staff, families and communities. The site features the same useful information but offers a fresh look and feel that is more relevant and focused for its users. Based on user input, the site also provides subject headings relating to public schools, colleges, workforce education and testing, to name a few. Other tools include an enhanced Google search and frequently asked questions for the many services offered by the Department. To view the site or to offer your comments and feedback, go to www.fldoe.org.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-03/gmu-pkd032808.php

Public release date: 28-Mar-2008

Contact: Tara Laskowski
tlaskows@gmu.edu
703-993-8815
George Mason University

Children with and without behavioral problems, as well as autistic children, should be encouraged to talk aloud in classrooms

FAIRFAX, Va., March 28, 2008—Parents should not worry when their pre-schoolers talk to themselves; in fact, they should encourage it, says Adam Winsler, an associate professor of psychology at George Mason University. His recent study published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly showed that 5-year-olds do better on motor tasks when they talk to themselves out loud (either spontaneously or when told to do so by an adult) than when they are silent.

“Young children often talk to themselves as they go about their daily activities, and parents and teachers shouldn’t think of this as weird or bad,” says Winsler. “On the contrary, they should listen to the private speech of kids. It’s a fantastic window into the minds of children.”

In the study, “’Should I let them talk"’: Private speech and task performance among preschool children with and without behavior problems,” 78 percent of the children performed either the same or better on the performance task when speaking to themselves than when they were silent.

The study also showed that children with behavioral problems (such as those diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD) tend to talk to themselves more often than children without signs of behavior problems.

“Given that kids with behavior concerns need more direction and control from adults, teachers may unnecessarily ask children to be quiet in classrooms out of fear that such speech coming from difficult-to-manage kids will lead to problem behavior,” says Winsler. “Yet non-disruptive private speech would actually help these children as they develop. Therefore, teacher training and professional development efforts should suggest that teachers increase their tolerance level for this kind of private speech.”

Winsler says that private speech is very common and perfectly normal among children between the ages of 2 and 5. As children begin talking to themselves, their communication skills with the outside world improve.

“This is when language comes inside,” says Winsler. “As these two communication processes merge, children use private speech in the transition period. It’s a critical period for children, and defines us as human beings.”

Winsler also conducted the first-ever study looking at private speech in children with autism. He found that high-functioning autistic children talk to themselves often and in the same ways that non-autistic children do. Talking aloud also improved their performance on tasks.

“Children with autism have problems with their external social speech, so psychologists assumed that their private speech would also be impaired,” says Winsler. “But this study shows that it is not the case—that autistic children use their private speech very effectively as a tool to help them with tasks.”

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