A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

"Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative"
Green Bay, Wisconsin

In Green Bay, Wisconsin, located in the upper Midwest, 23% of households have incomes of less than $14,999. In 1998, 6,336 District students qualified for the free or reduced lunch program. Youth crime, truancy, and drug use have increased dramatically in Green Bay in recent years. The project will seek to address these problems by providing services to 18,416 K-12 students enrolled in the school district.

Project planning and coordination will involve the partners in this project and the Brown County Drug Unit, Brown County Sheriff, Juvenile Court, and contracted nonprofit agencies including Family Services, Boys and Girls Club, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. In addition, they will involve community planning bodies such as the Truancy Committee, United Way's Community Partners, the Green Bay Drug Alliance, and Family Preservation and Support. The Green Bay Drug Alliance, with over 100 community group members, has operated since 1989.

Families will be involved in long-term, carefully crafted social activities designed to build assets that are critical building blocks for healthy youth development. The project will coordinate with Head Start, Healthy Families, and B-3 to provide families with ongoing support in early childhood education throughout the school year. A prevention after-school program for low income youth in grades 5-8 will combine recreation with tutoring, mentoring, and other therapeutic interventions. Mentoring will also be extended in middle and high schools. Intensive and early in-home outreach, case management, and service coordination will be provided for truant and at risk youth in grades 4 ?8, emphasizing ethnic diversity. Alternative education options will be made available for middle school students who are truant or at risk. Mental health services will be integrated within the alternative education program. Teen Court will be expanded to serve first time offenders age 8-11. Youth reentering school will benefit from a system of support services. A Parent Resource Directory will be compiled to increase awareness of community resources. Student and parent task forces will review and develop school safety plans and policies for the District.

The Evaluation Plan will be designed and implemented by the Project Director. It will consist of process and outcome evaluation strategies.

Sustainability of the program will be undertaken with search for external funding and from program revenue.

Return to Press Release