Grants for school gardens

CFF School Garden Grant Program
This program administered by the California Fertilizer Foundation (CFF) offers a $1,200 unrestricted grant, a $50 gift card to Home Depot, and age-appropriate educational materials to California schools for gardening projects. At the end of each year, winning schools can re-apply for a progress grant of $1,500 and a free agricultural field trip.
http://www.calfertilizer.org/grant.htm
Deadline Date:
06/15/2008

Captain Planet Grant
Schools and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding to involve children ages 6-18 in hands-on involvement projects to promote the understanding of environmental issues, including up to $500.00 for organic gardens. Application deadlines are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31, 2008
For more information:
http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org/default.aspx?pid=3&tab=apply
Deadline Date:
06/30/2008

Healthy Sprouts Awards
Schools or organizations planning to garden with 15 or more children and youth between the ages of 3 and 18 with a focus on nutrition and/or hunger are eligible to apply for materials gift certificates, seeds, curriculum, and support from the National Gardening Association.

To learn more go to http://www.kidsgardening.com/healthysprouts.asp
Deadline Date:
10/18/2008

2009 Youth Garden Grants
Schools or community organizations that have child centered garden with an educational, nutritional, environmental, and/or social focus are eligible to apply for the 2009 Youth Garden Grant Awards sponsored by Home Depot and the National Gardening Association.

For more information go to http://www.kidsgardening.com/YGG.asp
Deadline Date:
11/01/2008

Bullying: Schools Should Take Decisive Action

Marian Wright Edelman wrote a great article for the Huffington Post on Bullying called "Let's Take it Seriously." She makes some compelling points in the post. Here's a few: "Bullying is the aggressive, intentional, physical, verbal or psychological abuse of a chosen victim carried out through a pattern of behavior that is repeated over time. It can take the form of violence, threats, name-calling or cyber attacks. Children and adolescents who bully thrive on controlling or dominating others and often do it to feel more important, popular or in control. Research shows that male bullies are more likely to use physical intimidation or threats and might direct their behavior toward boys or girls. Girl bullying is usually verbal with another girl as the victim. Research also shows that bullies often target children who are passive, easily intimidated, or have few friends. Victims are likely to be smaller or younger than their tormentors."

"Bullying at school can be significantly reduced through comprehensive, school-wide programs designed to change behavior norms. Most bullying occurs on playgrounds, in school lunchrooms and restrooms, in unsupervised halls or on school buses. Local school boards and principals can help create safe school environments that respond immediately and appropriately to incidents of bullying, attending to the needs of both victims and those who bully them. Complaints from students and parents must receive the attention they deserve and should be dealt with in a timely manner. Tested and successful strategies that address the causes of bullying must be put in place. And teachers, school administrators, counselors and parents must be trained on how to best prevent bullying and to effectively intervene when bullying occurs."




Prior posts on bullying......
Bullying Programs :Why they succeed or fail

Florida Passes Nation's Toughest Bullying Legislation

Caring is Contagious

Tracy Bale, a new principal at Spencer County High School in Kentucky set out to make some changes to school culture. But unlike what most principals resort to in "getting schools back in control" (by adding new rules) he focused on building new relationships.

Bale's advice for other educators who want to build a school environment that supports learning: show you care. "A high-achieving school is a school where adults care about the kids, so the goal here is to build a culture where everyone genuinely cares about everyone else," Bale said.

It seems to be working......read on

Previous Posts on Improving School Climate
Peaceful Playgrounds leads to 42% reduction in misbehaviors

Playground Helps to Resolve Conflict

School Discipline Success Stories

Verdict still out on artificial turf

When the Town of Riverhead was deciding what type of field to install at a new park in Calverton, officials first leaned toward synthetic turf, which would allow heavier use with lower maintenance costs than natural grass.

But questions about potential health risks from the ground-up tires that cushion the artificial turf led the board to select real grass instead. Some cities, parks and recreation departments and schools appear to choose the "better safe than sorry" philosophy of decision making when it comes to artificial turf citing the lack of available research outside those manufacturing the turf.

"There has never been a single case reported of anyone ever becoming injured or sick as a result of ingestion, inhalation or skin contact with artificial turf materials," Darren Gill, director of marketing for the brand's manufacturer, FieldTurf Tarkett, said in an e-mail.

More on artificial turf......

Running : Miracle-Gro for the Brain

On many elementary school campuses in San Diego, California children run for 15 or 20 minutes each morning to fight childhood obesity with before-school running clubs. An additional bonus that has received much attention in the last few months is the theory that running also boosts brain development.

The importance of physical activity was also documented by the California Department of Education study that showed a correlation between the number of state physical fitness standards children meet and how well they scored on reading and math tests.

Classroom teachers insist there is an instant payoff to a few laps. Children who get off to a running start take the momentum into their first class where they seemed to arrive without the usually wiggles that can interfere with learning.

John Ratey of Harvard Medical School and author of “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain,” said exercise increases the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor that helps the brain do its job better.

“That is what I call Miracle-Gro for the brain,” Ratey said.

The protein encourages brain cells to sprout synapses, which contribute to learning.

Rene, a fifth-grade student in San Diego has already learned an important life lesson.
“I'm trying to live a better life by running,” Rene said. “The more you run, the healthier you can be.”

Pedometers are another way to motivate kids to run. The We Count Program includes step charts and stickers for getting kids moving.

A Peaceful Playground. Isn't that the dream.......

An updated playground is more than play space
Boeckman - Fitness and creative play are emphasized with the school's improvements
Thursday, February 21, 2008
CATHIE ERICSON
Special to The Oregonian

A peaceful playground -- isn't that the dream of all students, parents and educators? Where recess is a time of socialization, fresh air and physical activity, rather than a period marked by conflict and bullying.

That's the concept behind the new playground at Wilsonville's Boeckman Creek Primary School.

The improvement project began in November 2006 when several parents indicated an interest in updating the playground. Ten parents and four staff members volunteered to form a committee and established the goal of a space with activities that would develop fitness and allow for cooperative, imaginative play.

As they researched physical and social education and development, they were drawn to Peaceful Playgrounds, a program developed by a former teacher and elementary school principal in 1992 to address discipline problems and advance social and motor skills.

Peaceful Playgrounds takes a resource most playgrounds already have -- space -- and transforms blacktops and fields into play areas with activities and games. With more choices, children are more likely to engage in physical activity.

More than 8,000 schools nationwide use Peaceful Playgrounds. It has been recognized by groups including the National School Safety Center for increasing physical activity and decreasing bullying and injuries.

Boeckman Creek's new playground is being phased in as funds become available. A PTA auction last year raised $14,000, and at last fall's PTA-sponsored Fun Run, students helped raise $24,000.

Over the summer, games such as four square, hopscotch and alphabet leapfrog were stenciled onto the blacktop. New equipment, including 10 swings, two tire swings, a wall ball area and a remodeled fitness area, arrived during winter break.

More games and activities will be introduced this spring when painting weather arrives and the school can round up parent and community volunteers.

Morris said the new playground offers the students many more choices for activity. As a result "they are spending time in play and learning to cooperate with others," she said. "Each day is another opportunity to develop not only physically, but also as the person they want to be with a strong moral character."

Deets said the staff saw fewer "behavior discipline referrals" during recess last month, the first month the new playground has really been up and running.

He also said instructional assistants have noticed fewer students wandering around with "nothing to do."

"Many students who were frequently engaged in loosely structured chase games have found new activities to participate in," Deets said. "All in all, we see the kids being happier, with more smiles, as they enjoy the new playground."

"Golden Rule Act" Anti Bullying Bill Passes

It's not often that legislators in both parties agree. Even more rare is a bill with a unanimous outcome. But that is exactly what happen this week when Kentucky legislators voted on anti-bullying legislation.

The bill would prohibit bullying and harassment among students in Kentucky's public schools and require school districts to put procedures in place to handle reports of such behavior. The bill passed the House today by a vote of 96-0.

House Bill 91 or "The Golden Rule Act", sponsored by Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, now goes to the Senate for its consideration. It is the fourth anti-bullying measure that Cherry has tried to pass into law in recent years.

The prohibition against bullying, harassment and other forms of intimidation--including cyberbullying via the Internet--required by HB 91 would be included in a "code of acceptable behavior" formulated by each district that would be based on the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Each code would include procedures for handling complaints of bullying and protecting those who make reports from retaliation.

Students who break the code by harassing, bullying, cyberbullying or intimidating other students could face suspension, expulsion or other disciplinary action under the proposal.

Peaceful Playground Instructional Games DVD's

Now it is easier than ever to spread the power of the Peaceful Playgrounds Program!
A ground-breaking set of three DVD's and three accompanying Rules Guides is now available, that can be used by teachers and students alike, to easily learn how many exciting and constructive playground games are played!

Navigate the easy-to-use menus to select any of over 25 games actually filmed being played by real students, games for Pre-school and Kindergarten, Primary Grades 1-3 & Upper Elementary Grades 4-6.

These are all the games students will love, like Frog in the Sea, Scramble, Freezeout, Number & Alphabet Grids, Four Square, and many more!

Introductory offer: $399

Judge Slashes Jury's $4 Million Payout To Boy In Bullying Case

A Florida judge over turned a jury's $4 million award to a elementary school age boy that was bullied at recess. The judge cut the award to $600,000.

Hillsborough County Circuit Judge William Levens wrote in his order that the boy's attorney delivered an "improper and unfairly prejudicial" closing argument. The attorney's words, Levens wrote, were inflammatory and focused on punishment rather than the facts of the case.

On Jan. 29, 2004, then-12-year-old Danny Heidenberg was at recess when he was tackled by another boy. Heidenberg's left arm was broken in two places, causing long-term injuries, his attorneys argued at trial.

The lawsuit, filed by the boy's parents, said there was no supervision and teachers at Hillel School of Tampa knew the other child was a bully. Hillel is a private school.

Bullying UK Resources

Check out the Bullying UK website for bullying resources for schools, parents, students . Sign up for their online newsletter or create and print a bullying poster.

Bullying UK is sponsoring Teachers TV in Anti-Bullying Week. These videos are playing as part of every web video we produce and can be seen on Teachers.TV Check out Nick Hall's inspirational song Sticks & Stones.

Smile at the Bully Button

High-tech "bully buttons" are being installed in some Australian schools so students can alert educators and trigger video cameras to record such incidents. "If students are confronted with footage then there can be very little denial, but it also gives us a clearer perspective of what happened because kids often remember their part but don't have an overall perspective," said Thomas Carr College deputy principal Vera Treloar.

More on Bully Buttons....

The Bully and the Bystander

People who study bullying often focus on the bullies and the children they target. But now attention is turning to a long-neglected actor in this drama: the bystander. Empowering the bystander to speak up and act may be the key to stopping bullies, some experts say.

When children who see bullying speak up against it, seek help from an adult and offer support to the bullied child, they raise the overall emotional health of their school. And when children move from feeling afraid and disturbed by what they're seeing to feeling safe and respected, they will be better learners.

Learn how empowering bystanders can help stop bullying.

Schools give heelys the boot.

Students zooming to class on shoes with wheels aren’t a rarity in Red River Valley schools.

But “Heelys” – the must-have sneaker of the moment for many elementary-age students – are becoming a headache for school administrators.

Safety concerns posed by the fashionable foot apparel have prompted some school districts to put a foot down, developing policies about when children can use the wheels on the shoes.

Ellen Hopkins Elementary School in Moorhead asked students not to use the shoes until classes are dismissed and buses have left for the day, said Principal Mary Jo Schmid.

The shoes, sneakers that contain wheel sockets allowing children to roll down hallways and the playground, are a growing commodity on the tween scene, Schmid said.

She said the school instituted the “no Heelys” rule after complaints of injuries stemming from children rolling over other students in hallways.

The school’s Web site states, “Heelys, the shoes with wheels, are not to be used at school as they are hard on the floor and create safety concerns. The shoes can be worn but the wheels are not to be used, recess included.”

Ellen Hopkins isn’t the only school to give Heelys the boot.

Reinventing recess: Schools try to play it safe

By KARIN SHAW ANDERSON / The Dallas Morning News
ksanderson@dallasnews.com

School recess isn't what it used to be. But it may be safer.

The playground games and equipment that many parents fondly remember are disappearing. Some schools have shortened recess in the name of academics and banned activities such as tag, Red Rover and king of the mountain as too dangerous.

Teeter-totters and merry-go-rounds are a thing of the past, too. School officials say they're acting in the interest of safety. But critics say the concerns are overblown – and even damaging to children.

Jonathan Purcell, a first-grader at Vaughan Elementary School in Allen, isn't thinking about grown-up stuff. All he wants to do is get a new life out on the playground.

More on The new recess: Properly protective or cautious to a fault?

Playground program aims to boost activity, prevent bullying

By Cheri Carlson (Contact)
Friday, October 5, 2007
Ventura County Star Newspaper

Kaity Webster had a list of new rules to learn at her Camarillo school this year, but she didn't complain when she saw what she got in return.

The fifth-grader returned to University Preparation School to find the asphalt painted with tricycle tracks, maps, and alphabet and number games — and the equipment racks stocked full of new balls, jump ropes, bean bags and other equipment.

"Nobody has to fight for a ball anymore," said Emily Esquivel, a fourth-grader at the charter school, which serves students from across Ventura County.

The elementary school has purchased "Peaceful Playgrounds," an educational program designed by a private company to increase students' physical activity and decrease bullying and injuries.

In the past, if there wasn't anything to do on the playground, kids would stand around and do nothing, or worse, get into trouble, 8-year-old Sophia Lubka said. Last year, she participated in a student leadership club, which held fundraisers to help raise the $4,000 or so needed to purchase the new program and the equipment.

Peaceful Playgrounds has several parts, including new games and a consistent set of rules for all of them.

"You can't say that you can't play," recited second-grader Riley Grizzard. And if someone has a problem, they have to "walk it, talk it or rock it."

Riley explained that to resolve disagreements on the playground, students can walk away, try to talk to the other players, or play rock-paper-scissors to reach an agreement.

Whichever strategy they use, children can resolve conflicts quickly and by themselves, then get back to playing, said Michelle Cregor, a teacher who's leading the school's new efforts.

More than 8,000 U.S. schools now use Peaceful Playgrounds. Its company, which goes by the same name, says the program provides a practical, research-based plan to promote constructive play.

Nearly a quarter of all public schools report student bullying happening daily or at least once a week, according to the National Center of Education Statistics. The behavior typically starts in elementary school and often is found on playgrounds.

University Prep didn't have a big bullying problem on campus when it signed up for the new program, but administrators said they liked its approach to settling conflicts and reducing confrontations on the playground.

"We were motivated by trying to make our school meet as many needs for kids as possible," Cregor said.

Dozens of volunteers, including two Eagle Scouts, spent about 500 hours this summer painting age-appropriate games onto each of University Prep's three playgrounds. The school also stocked up on new equipment and devised a checkout system to keep students accountable for the items they use, which is expected to cut down on losses.

The school also held training sessions for the staff and hired a playground coach to make sure everyone was familiar with the games, rules and strategies.

Students are learning to make choices independently. They're in a safe environment and they have access to constructive activities, Cregor said.

A Plan for Playground Games

by Emily Graham PTO Today Magazine

Recess is meant to be a break from the classroom, a time for making friends and make-believe. But in reality, recess often involves intense competition, playground bullying, and conflicts that carry over into the classroom. As enrollments have risen at elementary schools across the country, playgrounds have become crowded, increasing the risk of accidents and hot tempers sending children to the principal’s office.

Former teacher and elementary school principal Melinda Bossenmeyer launched Peaceful Playgrounds 15 years ago to address discipline problems and advance social and motor skills development. The Peaceful Playgrounds concept takes a resource most playgrounds already have—open space—and transforms blacktops and fields into play areas for different age groups with activities such as tetherball, wall ball, and Frisbee golf.

With more choices during recess, children are more likely to engage in physical activity. But the program is about more than playing hopscotch. Peaceful Playgrounds includes a component to teach children conflict resolution skills to reduce discipline problems. School staff members receive training and then teach students the new schoolwide rules.

PTO Article on A Plan for Playground Games

Bystanders Stand up to Bullies

By Robinson Duffy
rduffy@newsminer.com
Published July 24, 2007

Often when people picture bullying, the image that comes to mind, is a bully or group of bullies backed by a cadre of supporters. Who are picking on a child with no visible support.

Margie Kurzbard would like to see the opposite of that situation. She wants to see that the victims of bullies have a strong support network of peers and adults.A support network stronger than the bullies.

“The idea is to switch that crowd of people,” says Kurzbard, the director of the school district’s Safe Schools, Healthy Students program. “That way the bully feels less supported by peers.” The Bullying program teaches children to stand up to bullies with the support of bystanders.

Bullying is a problem across the country. According to data collected by the World Health Organization, 30 percent of school children in the United States are either bullies or the victim of a bully.

“We’re no different then the rest of the country,” Kurzbard said. “It doesn’t matter where you live. Every school’s got kids who feel like behaving meanly is fun to do.”

Planning for next fall: putting an end to bullying

As the school year draws to a close it is the perfect opportunity for schools to begin to access bullying and harrassment within the school setting. Identifying when, where and how often bullying is occurring is the first step in extinquishing these behaviors. Mr. Donovan is a Vice-President with School Perceptions LLC, suggests that an anonymous survey that provides honest feedback is a great starting point. Once the bullying data is collected then schools should target problems and identify solutions to come to a common consensus about a plan of action.

So why should we look at school level bullying data? National studies suggest that bullying is widespread. Fourty seven percent of middle and high school students and 42 percent of elementary students reported bullying as a problem. Additionally, bullied students express fear of going to and being in school.
Complete article on Using data to combat bullying.

Need help with creating a survey? Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/bullying
They have an online bullying questionnaire. The survey was designed to find out how much bullying is happening and what kind of bullying it is. Visit the survey site.

Original source: Mr. Donovan is a Vice-President with School Perceptions LLC. This release is also available at www.schoolperceptions.com/news.

Don't forget to check the Peaceful Playgrounds Newsletters for the following bullying resources: Reducing Bullying - March 2003, Designing Out the Bully - June 2003, and School Policy on Bullying - July 2003.

School Violence-Fears vs Facts

The shootings yesterday at Virginia Tech bring to the forefront the issue of school violence. One might jump to conclusions and assume that school violence is on the rise. However, University of Virginia psychologist Dewey Cornell the director of the Virginia Youth Violence Project, suggests otherwise in an interview in October 2006.

Dewey Cornell: The recent school shootings have aroused a lot of fear and concern. There have been news reports that school violence is increasing. Parents are worried that their children will not be safe. What I want to emphasize is that 2-3 cases do not make a trend. We have 119,000 public schools in the U.S. The larger national trends are down, not up. Whenever we hear about a terrible crime, it creates the perception that it is increasing. Studies show that school homicides and violence in general has been declining for ten years. This is the good news that you never hear about. For more information on school violence and Cornell's book on Fears vs Facts visit the Virginia Youth Violence Project. http://youthviolence.edschool.virginia.edu/

Cornell points out two important facts:

• There is more danger driving to school than being in school
• Schools are safer than homes, statistically.

Statistically, if you take the ten worst years of violence in schools, there were about 9.3 student killings per year. If you divide that by 119,000 schools, the odds of it happening are remote. The average school can expect a student to kill someone at school every 12,000 years.

A transcript of the entire interview can be found at: http://www.courttv.com/chat/transcripts/2006/1004schoolshootings-cornell.html

Post your comments:
Are schools safer today?
What role can schools play in keeping children safe?
What actions have you taken to reassure parents that their children are safe?