BOCES representative Nancy Jones told Mohanasen school board members Monday, Feb. 9, that a survey administered to sixth-through-12th-graders in the fall showed significant decreases when it comes to those students partaking in risky behavior.
We feel like we are doing some of those things right, but I think part of that improve-ment needs to be continuing to educate some of the students about some of the risks and the dangers that are out there, said Chris Ruberti, academic administrator for counseling at Mohonasen Central School District.
The survey is designed to assess the factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors, such as underage drinking, substance abuse and getting into fights. Jones, a school improvement and systems analyst at Capital Region BOCES, said that the surveys provide a measurement of what the students are saying is happening in their environment.
Jones called the new results `actually quite exciting.`
She said the `risk protection factors` are indicators of how students will behave.
`If, for instance, you have high risk factors in your community and low protective factors, it’s more likely kids will be involved in antisocial activities like fights and crime,` said Jones.
Although the overall results seemed to indicate a positive trend of students moving away from destructive behaviors, some school officials indicated there is still work to be done.
Alcohol consumption and the use of tobacco and inhalants among eighth-graders over a 30-day period dropped significantly since the survey was taken in 2002 to this past fall, however, those behaviors have not stopped all together. While officials are pleased that there has been a drop, they still feel that there is room for improvement.
`As somebody who works with kids, to see some of the activities that are taking place You can’t help but be concerned even though you know it’s across the state and the country and not us specifically,` said Ruberti.
Ruberti said the school has several programs in place that begin in fourth grade teaching students about alcohol prevention and drug abuse.
`It’s called the OK Program, which is through BOCES. A person comes in and does a 10-unit lesson on drugs and alcohol,` said Ruberti. `Some people might think fourth grade is too young, but it’s obviously not when you look at the survey results.`
He said the most recent survey results showed that even some sixth-graders admitted to binge drinking.
He said that every two years students take health courses in which they are taught about the dangers of drug abuse and alcohol consumption. He said students are also involved with DARE, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, throughout their time in the Mohonasen Central School District.
The survey also examined how safe students felt in their schools and how supported they felt by teachers and administrators, for example, and school officials said they were pleased with the results that showed that students feel safe and supported in school. Results showed that students are partaking in `social behavior` more than before, such as participating in after-school activities and going to school dances.
`I feel like these have been on the rise and have really taken hold and changed the climate of the school,` said Ruberti.
Jones noted that positive improvements in Mohonasen Central School District took work.
`They changed a lot of their structures,` Jones said. `They enhanced their opportunities for kids and got them involved in more positive things.`
She said the school has also started addressing some of the behaviors directly so kids know there will be consequences or rewards depending on their behavior.
`Our goal is to have all those come out as zeros,` said Ruberti of the survey questions about `antisocial behavior.`
He added, `We want to continue to improve, and every two to four years, we’re going to continue to do the survey and see where we’re at and what other programs are working.`
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