Improving School Safety through Targeted Youth Re-Engagement

North Rose-Wolcott Central School District will serve as the LEA for the Improving School Safety through Early Intervention Initiative, a program serving the North Rose-Wolcott High School building. This project focuses on 9th and 10th grade students at risk of not graduating on time or dropping out of high school.

The mission of the Improving School Safety through Early Intervention Initiative 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 STOP Program will partner with the Wayne County Sherriff’s Department, Wayne County Department of Mental Health, Wayne Pre-Trial, and Wayne County Action Program. These partners will have continual input in planning, implementation and the continuous improvement of our project to best meet the needs of our highest-risk students.

We will target approximately 40 at-risk 9th and 10th grade at-risk high school students (10% of the HS population) each year for the alternative high school program based on academic, behavioral, attendance, socioeconomic data, and other risk factors. The program will provide early intervention to students who are struggling with the transition to high school, and not finding success in “traditional” 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. The program will provide preventative interventions during the particularly challenging 9th and 10th grade years with the goal to increase attachment and engagement to the school community, leading to a decrease in violent incidents or other safety issues before they can occur. 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. The expanded alternative high school program will set high expectations for the participating students and commit to help each student actualize their pathway to success. Our approach includes best practices, evidence-based programming, and curricula to best meet the needs of our students and families to reduce school violence.