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"Safe Schools/Healthy Students"
Anderson, South Carolina
| Partners: | Anderson School District Five Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Mental Health Anderson County Sherif's Department | |
Anderson County is a fast growing rural county with a 1998 population of 179,862. Anderson School District Five serves 11,101 students, representing more than 40% of the county's school-age population, which is composed of 64% white and 36% minority students. The district has nine elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, one high school career-based extension campus, an early childhood center, an adult education center, and an alternative school. Risk factors include poverty, crime, domestic violence, and child abuse and neglect. In 1996, more than a third of the babies born in the county were born to single mothers. In 1990, more than 21% of all children in the county lived in single-parent families, up from 10% in 1970. The mean incomes of single-parent families in 1989 was $15,548. According to school principals, peer conflict, bullying, fighting, and other violent behaviors are of particular concern in the county.
In addition to the three primary partners, other agencies that will enhance services provided by the initiative include the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, South Carolina Department of Education, the Tenth Circuit Solicitor's Office, and the City of Anderson Police Department. The Communities in Schools program will provide technical assistance and staff and board training during the project.
The proposed initiative will provide increased security and will add and expand resources and services with long-term effects to ensure that children grow up in a safe, healthy atmosphere. Early childhood development will be addressed by working to refine and implement an early childhood initiative targeting children ages birth to six. Other strategies include establishing a home visiting program and expanding services provided by the district's early childhood center. Alcohol and other drugs and violence prevention and early intervention endeavors will also be enhanced. A Family Resource Center will provide assessment, referrals, and follow-up for students and parents experiencing drug related problems, emotional stress, behavior concerns, or adjustment problems. The school-based Student Assistance Program will be expanded through the services of two behavioral health counselors, and nine full-time school-based mental health therapists will be hired to serve all 15 schools. Safe school policies will be strengthened by expanding the elementary alternative behavior control classes from one site to nine sites, and publishing the behavior code in school handbooks provided to all students. Other reform efforts include increasing the positive social behavior and academic achievement of students by expanding an existing mentoring program, developing elementary after-school programs, and funding a Communities in Schools initiative. A safe school environment will be accomplished by training four community police officers and adding security cameras, electronic entry systems, two walk-through metal detectors, and a security assistant at each middle school.
The evaluation plan will be conducted by the National Dropout Prevention Center, College of Health, Education, and Human Development, at Clemson University.
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[Tazewell, Tennessee]