Clintonville schools receive $10,000 grant
Students in 89 school districts throughout the state will learn information and develop skills to prevent alcohol and illegal drug use through state-funded Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Program grants.
The $729,393 in competitive grant funding will support activities such as peer education, Student Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapters, and student assistance programs. Grant activities are to be part of comprehensive AODA programs that use a tiered approach - universal, selected, and targeted interventions - to meet student needs. School districts throughout the state have policies that address alcohol and illegal drug use.
Grant awards help districts communicate those policies to students; reinforce student skill development to avoid risky behaviors; provide parent education and teacher training; reach out and provide referral to community resources; and pursue other aspects of a comprehensive AODA program.
"Too many students engage in alcohol, drug, or tobacco use. They think they are invincible. These grants
support programs that send a strong message that smoking, underage and binge drinking, and using drugs illegally do have consequences on student health and educational success," said State Superintendent Tony Evers. "However, the fact that funding for AODA prevention and intervention programs was slashed in the current budget will make it more difficult for our students to succeed."
Funding for these state AODA grants comes from the penalty surcharge for traffic fines and forfeitures.
The Clintonville Public School District (CPSD) will receive $10,000, thanks to efforts by instructor Suzette Fountain, who applied for the grant with help from Chris Van Hoof (CPSD) and Jackie Schoening (CESA 6). The CESA 8 consortium of 19 schools including Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine, Bonduel, Bowler, Clintonville, Coleman, Crandon, Crivitz, Florence County, Laona, Lena, Marion, Oconto Falls Public, Oconto Unified, Peshtigo, Shawano, Suring Public, Tigerton, Wausaukee, and Wittenberg-Birnamwood also received $19,999 in grant funding.
"The CPSD will use this funding to conduct various prevention programs and to help support students by giving staff members more education on topics that students may be dealing with at home," Fountain said. "The main goals are prevention and wellness."
Fountain said a Peer Drama Program is one method that will be used to educate students on a variety of topics including bullying, drug prevention, teamwork, and being a good sport.
"We are training about 20 middle school students, who will then go to the middle school and elementary school and teach the younger kids by performing skits," stated Fountain. "Grant monies will also be used for family education nights like 'Love and Logic', as well as events for parent and teacher education in addition to student education."
The idea of grouping students into "tribes" will also be used. This method will teach students to work together and support each other in the classroom. The goal of the tribes is to increase communication among students and encourage active decision making.
A Student Assistance Program (SAP) is another venue that will be funded by the grant money. The SAP will help educate staff members on struggles students may be facing at home, while showing them ways to support students who are in difficult situations. Additional programming will encourage teachers to increase their connection with students in order to better serve them.
"We feel very fortunate to have received this grant," concluded Fountain.
The allocation for grants was cut 10 percent in the 2011-13 state budget. Another pool of AODA prevention grants, valued at more than $4 million and recommended to become part of the department's Every Child a Graduate initiative, was eliminated in the current state budget. The proposed Every Child a Graduate grants to increase student learning also were not adopted in the 2011-13 state budget.
School districts and consortia wrote grants to address identified needs. Successful grants may be renewed for one additional year of funding through the 2012-13 school year. The competitive grant applications were reviewed by a panel made up of representatives from school districts, community agencies, and the State Superintendent's AODA Advisory Council. Projects include an evaluation component and plan for continuation beyond the grant funding cycle.
The $729,393 in competitive grant funding will support activities such as peer education, Student Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapters, and student assistance programs. Grant activities are to be part of comprehensive AODA programs that use a tiered approach - universal, selected, and targeted interventions - to meet student needs. School districts throughout the state have policies that address alcohol and illegal drug use.
Grant awards help districts communicate those policies to students; reinforce student skill development to avoid risky behaviors; provide parent education and teacher training; reach out and provide referral to community resources; and pursue other aspects of a comprehensive AODA program.
"Too many students engage in alcohol, drug, or tobacco use. They think they are invincible. These grants
support programs that send a strong message that smoking, underage and binge drinking, and using drugs illegally do have consequences on student health and educational success," said State Superintendent Tony Evers. "However, the fact that funding for AODA prevention and intervention programs was slashed in the current budget will make it more difficult for our students to succeed."
Funding for these state AODA grants comes from the penalty surcharge for traffic fines and forfeitures.
The Clintonville Public School District (CPSD) will receive $10,000, thanks to efforts by instructor Suzette Fountain, who applied for the grant with help from Chris Van Hoof (CPSD) and Jackie Schoening (CESA 6). The CESA 8 consortium of 19 schools including Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine, Bonduel, Bowler, Clintonville, Coleman, Crandon, Crivitz, Florence County, Laona, Lena, Marion, Oconto Falls Public, Oconto Unified, Peshtigo, Shawano, Suring Public, Tigerton, Wausaukee, and Wittenberg-Birnamwood also received $19,999 in grant funding.
"The CPSD will use this funding to conduct various prevention programs and to help support students by giving staff members more education on topics that students may be dealing with at home," Fountain said. "The main goals are prevention and wellness."
Fountain said a Peer Drama Program is one method that will be used to educate students on a variety of topics including bullying, drug prevention, teamwork, and being a good sport.
"We are training about 20 middle school students, who will then go to the middle school and elementary school and teach the younger kids by performing skits," stated Fountain. "Grant monies will also be used for family education nights like 'Love and Logic', as well as events for parent and teacher education in addition to student education."
The idea of grouping students into "tribes" will also be used. This method will teach students to work together and support each other in the classroom. The goal of the tribes is to increase communication among students and encourage active decision making.
A Student Assistance Program (SAP) is another venue that will be funded by the grant money. The SAP will help educate staff members on struggles students may be facing at home, while showing them ways to support students who are in difficult situations. Additional programming will encourage teachers to increase their connection with students in order to better serve them.
"We feel very fortunate to have received this grant," concluded Fountain.
The allocation for grants was cut 10 percent in the 2011-13 state budget. Another pool of AODA prevention grants, valued at more than $4 million and recommended to become part of the department's Every Child a Graduate initiative, was eliminated in the current state budget. The proposed Every Child a Graduate grants to increase student learning also were not adopted in the 2011-13 state budget.
School districts and consortia wrote grants to address identified needs. Successful grants may be renewed for one additional year of funding through the 2012-13 school year. The competitive grant applications were reviewed by a panel made up of representatives from school districts, community agencies, and the State Superintendent's AODA Advisory Council. Projects include an evaluation component and plan for continuation beyond the grant funding cycle.
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