SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM

Alaska’s Educational Resource Center (SERRC) and the Center for Civic Education provides professional development for teachers and facilitates student use of the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program (SVPDP) in schools throughout Alaska. Since 2001, about 3,500 students have participated in this program in the Anchorage School District, which is Alaska’s largest school district.

Unlike Alaska’s urban areas, the state’s rural and rural-remote areas are only accessible by air and boat and not by road. Many communities travel by dogsled and snowmobile in the winter and use four-wheel-drive vehicles during the rest of the year. Some school districts cover areas the size of West Virginia.

This year’s rural program includes ten teachers who work in seven different school districts. These participating teachers are currently joining teachers from the Fairbanks North Star Borough for all their SVPDP training sessions.

To date, teachers from the following rural and rural-remote communities have participated in SVPDP’s Rural Alaska program: Craig, Hollis, Hydaburg, Naukati, Kotzebue, Bethel, Kwethluk, Chugiak, Coffman Cove, Thorne Bay, Tuntutuliak, Kilbuck, Kongiganak, Kaigluk, Tununak, Fort Yukon, Allakaket, Atqasuk, Circle, Nulato, Tok, Venetie, Tok, Healy, and Tuluksak.

Program Highlights and Anecdotes

• SVPDP materials strongly support Alaska State Performance Standards for reading and writing
• Local members of the Alaska legal system volunteer to be showcase judges
• Students have developed plans to affect positive change in their communities through action projects that influence public policy
• Students go beyond knowledge and develop understanding related to civic education
• Parents are involved by attending the culminating showcase

Quotes

One thing that works well in the SVPDP program is the opportunity to learn the materials with other district teachers while being trained by an experienced teacher already implementing the program. The materials are user-friendly, grade-level appropriate, and enjoyable for the students.
Alexandra Hagler, Teacher
Chugiak Elementary School, Chugiak

The School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program has provided my students with engaging, interactive lessons and grade-level materials to learn about government, law, and democracy and participation in the public policymaking process.  The climate change that has taken place in my classroom is phenomenal thanks to the cooperative activities in this program.  Personally, I enjoyed the weekend classes and cooperatively learning the materials with other teachers from different districts while being trained by two experienced teachers who are also implementing the program at their schools.
Judy Madros, Middle school teacher
Andrew K. Demoski School, Nulato

For further information contact:
Center for Civic Education, 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, CA 91302
Tel: 818-591-9321
Website: www.civiced.org
Joan Pardes, Site Coordinator joanp@serrc.org
Maria Gallo, Director, School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program gallo@civiced.org