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Bullying and teen suicide: How do we adjust school climate? This recent article in the Christian Science Monitor discusses the growing problem of "bullycide" focusing particularly on the case of Tyler Long in Georgia. Jack Barnes, Superintendent of Schools in Sullivan County, TN, where they have been implementing SafeMeasures for the last six years is quoted on their approach to the issue. Also quoted is Stan Davis, a national expert on anti-bullying and presenter at MSA's Conference for New England Educators on Bullying, School Climate and Learning. Educational Leadership features article by MSA’s Bill Preble and Larry Taylor The December 2008/January 2009 issue of Educational Leadership, published by ASCD, focused on using data in education and featured an article by Bill Preble and Larry Taylor of Main Street Academix. This article highlights MSA’s work in Sullivan County, TN. Title: School Climate Through Students' Eyes Abstract: When school district leaders in Sullivan County, Tennessee, were placed under a court order to address issues of bullying and harassment in the district's schools, they saw it as an opportunity to do what was right and to ensure that every student was safe. They asked the authors and their colleagues to develop a plan to collect school climate data and use these data to guide school improvement. This article describes the student-led, collaborative action research process that Sullivan County implemented. The authors have implemented this process successfully to assess and improve school climate in hundreds of schools throughout the United States. Click here to order this article or read more about this issue of Educational Leadership *Why Differentiating Instruction Should Be at the Top of Your School Improvement Plan* This article, published in Diverse Learning Communities Today from the National Association of Elementary School Principals, was written by Scott J. Nozik, principal of Dr. Thomas S. O’Connell Elementary School in East Hartford, Connecticut. Throughout the 2008-2009 school year, MSA conducted a research study of a Benchmark Education Literacy Program in East Hartford elementary schools. O’Connell was one of three experimental schools where the program, which is focused on differentiated instruction, was implemented.
SafeMeasures in the News Since 2003, Main Street Academix has been working with all elementary, middle and high schools in Sullivan County, Tennessee. Click on the links below to read newspaper articles about some of this school climate improvement work. Preliminary Data Shows Link Between Climate, Test Scores in Sullivan County Schools United They Stand: East Students, Teachers Joining Forces to Combat Harassment Sullivan schools may become model for 'climate improvement' MSA has collaborated with the New Hampshire APEX Drop-out Prevention Program to help New Hampshire High Schools understand why students drop out and how they can encourage those students to remain in school. We have helped these schools develop Student Leadership Teams and have worked with them at their schools as well as at our Annual Teen Leadership Summit at New England College. Click on the link below to learn about the work being done at some of these schools. Student Leadership Going Strong at Raymond High School Raymond High says anti-bullying program is showing results (new) MSA’s anti-bullying work featured in the latest edition of New Hampshire RAP Sheet The Winter 2009 edition of New Hampshire RAP Sheet, a newsletter collaboratively published by the Disabilities Rights Center, Institute on Disability, and NH Council on Developmental Disabilities, features MSA’s work with New Hampshire schools. In this article, Bill Preble talks about the significance of student leadership for combating bullying and harassment in schools. Publications The Respectful School: How Educators and Students Can Conquer Hate and Harassment This book, written by Stephen L. Wessler with contributing author William Preble, encourages its readers to have faith in the courage and leadership of our students and belief in the ability of educators to serve as powerful role models to stand up for students experiencing harassment and hate.		large view