Dear Colleagues:
For the fifth time at this stage of the school year, I write to seek your initial or continued involvement in a critically important and growing effort throughout the state to work together to improve the emotional climate of schools and community based youth service organizations. Since June 2000 when the Commissioner of Education issued a Call to Action to improve school climate, Connecticut has experienced many developments which seek to respond to this imperative. Over four years since that plea, the urgency has not waned and the importance of our collective attention and involvement seems only to grow. We are all still grappling with a number of related legal mandates that cannot be ignored (NCLB, Anti-Bullying law, and our own state directives.) The most current research continues to demonstrate that creating safe and respectful emotional climates in schools and other youth serving organizations is a necessary prerequisite if we expect all children and youth to learn and succeed academically in schools and communities today. In fact, every research based recommendation for ameliorating bullying behaviors and violence in schools and other learning environments points to creating “climates of respect” as the ultimate antidote for “mean” behaviors toward others which set the stage for healthy and productive learning environments. This collective work can no longer be seen as an option, but rather as essential to ethically solid, high quality and sustainable professional practice.
In order to assist schools and other youth serving organizations in achieving emotionally safe learning environments, I would like to invite all elementary, middle and high schools, community based youth organizations and early childhood settings in our state to participate in one or both of the following professional development opportunities. The “Don’t Laugh at Me” Initiative (DLAM) brings together teams of adults from throughout the state to learn the principles, strategies and practices behind creating “climates of respect.” During the session, the DLAM curriculum (a non-proprietary curriculum based on Resolving Conflict Creatively, a scientifically based research pedagogy developed by Educators for Social Responsibility) will be introduced as one viable tool to help move theory into practice.
This year for the first time, we are also offering a one-day seminar titled “Friendships, Cliques and Bullying: Understanding Boys’ and Girls’ Aggression” (FCB) which provides much needed information and practical strategies often lacking in many of our schools and social service organizations. Now that Connecticut has an “anti-bullying” law in force, public schools have no choice but to understand the “bullying” arena and apply their policies with informed practice. FCB has been designed to do just that. Teams or individuals are encouraged to attend this new offering.
Connecticut has taken a leadership role nationally in its efforts to provide education and professional development in supporting schools and organizations to create “climates of respect” for all children and adults who work with them. The Connecticut State Department of Education and Operation Respect CT, Inc. have partnered with the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, People’s Bank, United Technologies, The Juliana Valentine McCourt Education Fund, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Connecticut Association of Schools to help address the problems of name calling, exclusion, teasing, bullying behaviors and harassment that occur so often in today’s schools.
This letter seeks to invite teams and/or individuals from schools and community organizations that have not yet participated, as well as additional teams from schools and organizations wishing to expand their involvement.All DLAM and FCB professional development sessions are provided at no cost for workshop registration to the school or organization. In 2004-2005, we are requesting that schools and organizations that are interested in working with us to develop “climates of respect” and/or gain more detailed information about “Bullying” consider participating in DLAM and/or FCB. If you are committed, we are inviting you to bring a team of adults to one of five scheduled 2-day DLAM professional development sessions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Farmington High School/Farmington Public Library, CT (October 5 & 6, November 17 & 18, and December 1 & 2 2004, March 16 & 17, and April 26 & 27, 2005). The team may consist of administrators, pupil personnel staff, teachers representing different grade levels, parents, and/or cafeteria, bus, secretarial and maintenance staff. Two sets of curricular materials (guide book, CD and video) will be given to each participating new school or organization free of charge. Additional sets of curricula will be offered for a nominal charge of $15. The two day long ( 9 AM – 3 PM ) FCB sessions are scheduled on December 6, 2004 , and April 14, 2005 . These seminars will be held at the Farmington Public Library.
If your school or organization is interested in participating in the DLAM initiative or FCB please either register online at www.OperationRespectCT.org or if you do not have online capabilities, complete the enclosed registration form and mail or fax it to the appropriate address identified on the form. Space is limited and registrations are processed on first come, first serve basis. Registrations are being accepted now and will be processed continually throughout the remainder of the summer and into the fall. Initial confirmation of your team’s registration will be forwarded to you as soon as we receive it. Four to six weeks prior to the session for which you have registered, you will receive detailed information including directions to the Farmington session locations.
If you have questions about any of these Professional development opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact Operation Respect CT, Inc., at (860) 721-7770 or by email to info@OperationRespectCT.org. Have a wonderful beginning of the school year and we hope to include you in this ongoing and vitally important effort of creating “climates of respect” for all. Shared respect is everyone’s responsibility!
Sincerely,
Jo Ann Freiberg, Ph.D.,
Dir. of Education & Programs
Operation Respect CT, Inc.
Cc: Superintendents of Schools