Improving School Safety by Re-Engaging Youth Initiative

North Rose-Wolcott Central School District will serve as the LEA for the Improving School Safety by Re-Engaging Youth Initiative, a program serving the North Rose-Wolcott High School building. This project focuses on 9th – 12th graders.

The mission of the Improving School Safety by Re-Engaging Youth Initiative Program is to improve overall student safety by increasing attachment, self-regulation, competencies and physical and mental health through a targeted alternative high school school-within-a-school model that is hands-on and career-based, and the training of district staff, local agencies and SROs in yMHFA, TCIS and tMHFA. In addition to North Rose-Wolcott High School, the North Rose-Wolcott School Violence Prevention Program will partner with the Wayne County Sherriff’s Department, Wayne County Partnership for Strengthening Families, Wayne County Action Program, and the Wayne County Department of Mental Health. These partners will have continual input in planning, implementation and continuous improvement.

We will target approximately 40 at-risk 9th-12th grade at-risk high school students (10% of the HS population) for the alternative high school program based on academic, behavioral, attendance, socioeconomic data, and other risk factors. The program will provide students who have not found success in “traditional” high school models with the opportunity to engage in career-focused, individualized instruction meant to increase attachment to school and develop skills that will provide a pathway to success upon exiting high school. Social-emotional learning will be embedded in the academic programming, with partner agencies providing Tier II and Tier III services based on the level of need for each student. The building SRO will actively participate in the alternative high school program to build trust and develop relationships before issues begin or advance outside of the school. Our approach includes best practices and evidence-based programming and curricula to best meet the needs of our students and families.