Industry Insider News: Your School or District Could Win a New Conflict Management Program through a February Cerebellum Grant

Every week this month, Cerebellum Corporation, the producer and distributor of the award-winning Standard Deviants videos, will offer one school in need a 4th Edition Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management Skills curriculum kit. The kit presents students with nine options to resolve minor conflicts and helps students to identify the difference between problems they can resolve individually and problems that require the assistance of an adult.

For a chance to win this program, submit your story about why your school needs Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management Skills or how your students could benefit from receiving this curriculum via email to: customerservice@kelsoschoice.com or make a post on the Kelso’s Choice Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelsos-Choice/154814201238590?sk=wall.

February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

According to the Presidential Proclamation last year, which names February as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, each year about one in four teens reports being the victim of verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence. It is critical that all educators be aware of the signs that teen dating violence may be occurring, as well as the long-term risks of teen dating violence. With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Teen Dating Violence Course staff will learn to identify signs of abuse such as:

• Unexplained bruises, scratches, and injuries
• Showing fear of boyfriend/girlfriend
• Apologizing to others for boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s behavior
• Loss of interest in things that were once important (Quitting hobbies, clubs, athletics)
• Sudden appearance changes (clothing and make-up styles)
• Avoidance of adults, friends, and family
• Sudden mood changes (anxious, depressed, crying)
• Academic decline
• Loss of confidence
• Struggles over making decisions

To learn more about PublicSchoolWORKS’ Teen Dating Violence Course, email sales@publicschoolworks.com

EmployeeSafe Suite: Teacher Saves Student’s Life

In Bismarck North Dakota, a reading specialist at Dorothy Moses Elementary School came to the aid of a student who was choking. Ciearra McMahen, a fifth grade student at the school, was waiting for an after school reading program when she began to choke on a piece of candy. Her mom noticed that she was losing oxygen and called for help. At that time Sandy Fuller came to McMahen’s aid dislodging the candy from her throat with the use of abdominal thrusts, something she previously learned in a first aid course.

Fullers first aid training helped her assist a student in need. It is important for all staff to receive training like this so they can come to the aid of students and other staff when it is needed. With PublicSchoolWORKS’ First Aid course, staff can learn what do when faced with life threatening injuries and situations in the workplace, as well as the OSHA First Aid requirements. Are your staff up to date on necessary training to help intervene in critical situations? Has a member of your staff reacted to help a student in need? Share your stories with us on Twitter @PSWORKS

Source: Bismarck Tribune

EmployeeSafe Suite: Chemical Safety

In Maple Grove, Minnesota, four students were taken to the hospital after their ninth grade science teacher Matt Anchor dropped a match into a jug of methanol. According to a recent article on CBS Minnesota online, the students were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center to be treated for burns, but it is not clear if the students suffered chemical burns or were burned by fire. Fifteen-year-old Dane Neuberger stated that his face was actually on fire. Neuberger was seated in front of the demonstration, along with three other students, when the incident occurred.

Incidents like those at Maple Grove can leave school staff, parents and students distressed and wondering, “How could this situation have been prevented?” When handling dangerous chemicals, it is important for staff to be aware of all potential hazards. PSW’s Chemical Safety Course focuses on the importance of classifying chemicals based on their hazards and to predict how they will react in any given situation in order to control potentially hazardous situations. Does your staff receive training on how to handle potentially harmful chemicals? Share your comments with us on Twitter @PSWORKS.

Source: CBS Local News

StudentWatch Suite:

In recent news, one Massachusetts school was honored by Northeastern University for its efforts in battling bullying. Robert Adams Middle School was one of five schools recognized at the Stand Up 2011 anti-bullying rally with a Stand Up Award for Outstanding Anti-Bullying Programs. The award was given to the Robert Adams students by former Boston Bruin Hockey player Bob Sweeney. Also in attendance at the event were more than 4,000 students from about 150 Massachusetts schools.

What positive steps has your district taken to combat bullying? Providing your staff with training on bullying prevention is a great first step in combatting bullying. With PublicSchoolWORKS Bullying Prevention - Basics for Educators course, school staff are provided with useful information and practical applications to recognize and respond to instances of bullying. The course covers what to do when you suspect bullying, what to do when you confirm that bullying has happened, intervention, monitoring, follow-up intervention and bullying prevention.


Source: Holliston News Online

Spotlight: School Safety

At Classen School of Advanced Studies in Oklahoma, three girls were almost crushed to death when they went into an elevator shaft to see if they could open the doors from the inside. According to the Huffington Post, when the girls tried to leave the elevator, they accidentally hit the elevator call button which brought the elevator down on top of them. Oklahoma City Public Schools has stated that they are taking the incident seriously, a local television station KFOR reported. According to the article, the district implied that inspections for this elevator were not taking place on a regular schedule.

It is important for schools to ensure that proper inspections are taking place on the schedule recommended by the elevator manufacturer and that they have the documentation of inspections in order to foster a safe school environment. In addition, it is important for districts to provide a mechanism for staff to report safety concerns and to track these concerns to ensure that they are addressed.

With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Staff Safety Reporting System and its Reporting a Safety Hazard course, districts can ensure that the systems are in place to quickly deal with safety issues. The Staff Safety Reporting System provides staff with the means to report any and all safety issues and helps administrators to track safety issues to resolution. The Reporting a Safety Hazard course helps staff recognize the value of reporting safety issues and encourages them to report quickly so issues can be resolved. Does your staff have an effective means to report safety concerns? Share your stories with us on Twitter @PSWORKS.

Source: The Huffington Post

StudentWatch Suite: Bullying

According to a news report on ABC, a 15-year old Ohio student was brutally attacked by his fellow classmate because of his sexual orientation. According to the news report, the attacker waited for the student to enter the classroom and then began to repeatedly punch the student in the head. The attack was caught on video and resulted in two broken teeth for the victim. The boy’s mother, Rebecca Collins of Chillicothe, OH, has filed charges. The victim later reported that previous incidences of bullying toward him had taken place at his school.


With increases in the number of bullying reports and the seriousness of bullying incidents taking place, it is important for districts to provide tool for students and for students to know that these tools are available. With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Bullying - Tell Someone video, districts drive home the message that bullying will not be tolerated and encourages students to report bullying concerns. With PublicSchoolWORKS’ Bullying Reporting System, districts provide students with a means to report issues before they escalate. What kind of tools does your district offer to encourage students to speak out against bullying? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @PSWORKS.

Source: ABC News