Ohio Registry of Effective Practices
Winton Hills Academy
Contents
- OMHNSS Interview/Site Visit Team
- Program and Contact Information
- General Program Overview
- Evidence of Effectiveness
- Capacity and Resources
- Family Partnerships
- Community Partnerships
- Sustainability Plan
OMHNSS Interview/Site Visit Team: Rebecca Wade-Mdivanian, Kathy Oberlin, Sandi Regula, & Liz Kryszak
Program Name: Winton Hills Academy Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
School Name: Winton Hills Academy
School Districts: Cincinnati Public Schools
Partnering Agencies: The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati
Contact Persons and Contact Information:
Lenore Tripp
Behavior Specialist
5300 Winneste Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45232
(513) 363-6300
ltripp@yahoo.com
General Program Overview
Winton Hills Academy (WHA) is located in the largest subsidized housing neighborhood in the Greater Cincinnati area where 90% of students live in poverty and roughly 75% are from single parent homes. Additionally 92% of WHA students are minorities. In 2006, WHA received a planning grant from the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati’s Evidence-Based Practices for School-Wide Prevention Programs. Following this initial planning grant, WHA also received from the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati an implementation grant that has allowed the OBPP to be implemented for the past two school years. Due to the support of the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, OBPP will continue through the 2008-2009 academic year and on into the 2009-2010 academic year. Specifically, OBPP has been implemented to all students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade at WHA (approximately 537 students, ages 5-14).
OBPP is a multi-level, multi-component program that aims to reduce bulling in elementary, middle, and junior high schools. OBPP aims at addressing the effect that bullying has on the victim, the bully, and bystanders. Core components of the program are implemented at the school, classroom, individual, and community levels. Additionally, OBPP aims to promote a school climate that discourages bullying and other forms of youth violence. By establishing a positive school climate and environment, students’ level of satisfaction with school increases as well as creates an environment that is conducive to learning and fosters school connectedness. In the school setting, OBPP is implemented at the school, classroom, and individual levels. The following is a brief description of core program components relative to their implementation level. (Please note that these components are an excerpt from: http://www.clemson.edu/olweus/)
School-level components:
- Formation of a Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee
- Distribution of an anonymous student questionnaire assessing the nature and prevalence of bullying
- Training for committee members and staff
- Development of a coordinated system of supervision
- Adoption of school-wide rules against bullying
- Development of appropriate positive and negative consequences for students' behavior
- Holding staff discussion groups related to the program
- Involvement of parents in planning efforts
Classroom-level components:
- Reinforcement of school-wide rules against bullying
- Holding regular classroom meetings with students to increase knowledge and empathy
- Informational meetings with parents
Individual-level components:
- Interventions with children who bully
- Interventions with children who are bullied
- Discussions with parents of students involved in OBPP
For more information on this evidence-based practice, please visit: www.olweus.org.
Specifically at WHA, each teacher keeps a daily chart of every child’s behavior in the classroom. One of the behaviors that is monitored daily is bullying behavior. On a monthly basis, students’ positive behaviors are recognized in an awards assembly. School wide contests are held, including bully rap contests, anti-bullying poster contests, and poetry about bullying contests. Every student is given the opportunity to be creative in how they express their anti-bullying message. Signs are posted throughout the school stating that it is a bully-free community.
Evidence of Effectiveness:
Now in its second full year of implementation, the team at WHA has been able to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of OBPP; these results indicate the success of this program at Winton Hills Academy. Nationally, OBPP has been named: a Blueprints Model Program by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, a model program by the University of Colorado at Boulder, an effective program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and a Level 2 Program by the U.S. Department of Justice. (Please note that additional evidence of effectiveness for OBPP nationally can be found at: www.clemson.edu/olweus/evidence.html)
To monitor program effectiveness, the staff at WHA has utilized standardized bullying questionnaires provided by OBPP. These questionnaires were initially given in May of 2007 before program implementation began. This questionnaire was given to all third through eighth grade students (206 children in total). Following the initial year of implementation in 2007-2008, students in grades third through eighth (171 children in total) were once again asked to complete the questionnaire in May of 2008. The following is a brief overview of key findings based on these questionnaires.
Student Outcomes:
- 23% of the students reported that they had been bullied (at the pre-test). After one year of program implementation, that number was 44%. It is not uncommon for schools to expect an increase in bullying during the first year of implementation based on enhanced awareness. The 11% increase is attributed to an enhanced awareness of what bullying is by students. Therefore most likely this number reflects that understanding and therefore is a more accurate account of whether bullying occurred or not.
- The length of time that the bullying lasts has dropped since the start of the program. Nearly half of the bullying lasts only 1 or 2 weeks following the first year of program implementation. At pre-test, 83% of students reported bullying that lasted for one month or more. After one year of implementation, that number dropped to 57% (for a decrease of 26%).
There have been some changes in locations where bullying was most likely to occur since the start of the program. Bullying has decreased by 16% on the playground and athletic field, by 2% in the hallways and stairwells, by 12%-14% in class (with and without the teacher being present), by 8% in the lunchroom, by 11% to and from school, and by 5% on the school bus. Bullying has, however, increased in the areas of the school with less supervision, including increasing by 3% in the bathrooms, by 4% in gym class and the locker rooms, and by 6% at the school bus stop.
- Most students told us they feel bad when another student is being bullied with approximately 75.6% (pre-test) and 81.4% (post-test) of students of the students reporting that they feel a bit sorry or feel bad and want to help.
- Of students who reported bullying other students, there have been reductions between 2%-13% in each of the types of bullying that are reported.
- 23% of students reported that they would join in bullying others at pre-test. After one year of implementation, only 16% of students reported that they would join in bullying others (for a decrease of 7%).
- Following the first year of program implementation, students’ perceptions of their classroom social climate, general school climate, and feelings of safety all improved.
- Students reported engaging in more prosocial behaviors. Students reporting experiencing less hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and peer problems.
- Students also reported feeling more satisfied with friendships, school, themselves, and their life.
Teacher/Staff Outcomes:
- There was a 12% increase in teachers and other staff intervening in bullying situations often or almost always when a bullying incidence occurred. However, there are still 40% of teachers and staff who almost never, once in a while, or sometimes intervene when witnessing bullying behaviors. .
- 70% of the students feel that their teacher tries to counteract bullying somewhat, a good deal, or much of the time.
- From 2007 to 2008 there was a 6% increase in student's perceptions of their teacher's active involvement in counteracting bullying.
Parent/Family Outcomes:
- Overall, there was a 38% increase in adults at school and a 6% increase in adults at home talking once with students who bully.
The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati requires a post-test at the end of each of the first three years of implementation. After that, WHA can choose to continue to monitor the bullying situation independently. The research shows that bullying tends to decrease between years two to five of the program implementation (following an increase in the first year due to an awareness of bullying). WHA expects to see a decrease in bullying over the next few years.
In addition to this evaluation, OBPP also provides an implementation fidelity checklist. The WHA team completes this checklist at the end of each year. The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati expects at least 80% fidelity to the selected program (based on fidelity research). Currently, WHA is meeting this requirement.
Capacity and Resources:
The initial assessment and planning was supported by a Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati Evidence-Based Practices for School-Wide Prevention Programs planning grant. This planning grant provided WHA with one year of funding to conduct a needs assessment, identify a prominent area of need, select an evidence-based prevention program based on that need, garner buy-in from teachers, staff, students, and parents, and receive technical assistance and support from Miami University’s Center for School Based Mental Health Programs. During this planning year, WHA was able to collect quantitative data that suggested that bulling was a primary concern in the building. Based on this need the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) was selected as the evidence-based program to be implemented to address bullying at WHA. WHA has also received a three-year implementation grant from the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati to support the implementation of OBPP, including staff training (provided by national OBPP certified trainers).
Resources required for the initial implementation of the OBPP include the purchase of school-wide and teacher implementation guides and bullying questionnaires. These resources can be purchased at: http://www.clemson.edu/olweus/program.html. In addition, training is recommended for all teachers, support staff, and school administrators. Typically, all teachers receive a copy of the Teacher Implementation Guide and all OBPP Coordinating Committee members receive a copy of the School-Wide Implementation Guide. It is estimated that start-up costs for a school will range from $1,500- 3,200 for materials. Additionally, during the first year $1,500 of consultation costs can be expected for staff trainings provided by national OBPP trainers. Following these start-up costs, ongoing costs are minimal. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.olweus.org/public/faqs.page regarding costs.
To implement OBPP, WHA utilized an existing school committee, the Positive Behavior Correlate Committee. The Positive Behavior Correlate Committee was chosen for implementation because it is comprised of one teacher from each grade level, one specialist teacher, the principal, and the school psychologist. This diverse group of school staff members has allowed for OBPP to be implemented school-wide. In addition to this committee, WHA has also assigned their behavior specialist to serve as program coordinator with the responsibility of overseeing the program and making sure that the details of OBPP are performed throughout the school. It is estimated that during the first year, this coordination role takes 5-10 hours per week. In the following years, 5-10 per month is estimated for the coordination role. Finally, teachers are currently maintaining a twenty-minute bullying meeting each week where articles or discussions are prompted. The meetings have a teacher team leader that supports the content of the discussion or provides the articles students can read.
Family Partnerships:
WHA theory is to encourage change within the school and carry this message of change home to the parents and families. WHA routinely sends information about OBPP home to parents and invited parents to the initial Bullying Program Kick-Off where kids received “no bully” t-shirts. Additionally, there is a monthly Positive Behavior Assembly in which rewards are given to students who do not bully or improve their bullying behaviors. Parents are invited to attend these assemblies.
Community Partnerships:
WHA has collaborated with their community through education events that include local community partners such as Winton Hills Recreational Center, WHA’s Community Learning Center, and local religious affiliates in their school neighborhood. Both the Community Learning Center and the St. Aloysius Orphanage school-based therapists participate in the Positive Behavior Assemblies. Staff from the Winton Hills Recreation Center participated in OBPP staff training. Additionally, staff members from St. Aloysius Orphanage helped to write the planning and implementation grants and the behavior coordinator in charge of program oversight is from St. Aloysius as well.
Sustainability Plan:
Initial start-up and implementation costs were provided to WHA by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. Fortunately, after these initial costs, ongoing costs for OBPP are minimal. The sustainability of OBPP lies in the ongoing incentives, resources, and trainings of staff to maintain OBPP as a cultural change. Common student incentives include gift certificates to local restaurants, behavior charts for student who earn re-enforcers for good behavior, award ceremonies, rap contests, etc. Accountability also maintains the sustainability of OBPP. Teachers are currently maintaining a twenty-minute bullying meeting each week where articles or discussions are prompted. The meetings have a teacher team leader that supports the content of the discussion or provides the articles students can read. By making OBPP a part of the school climate, it is expected to be sustainable for years to come.
For more information on OBPP, please visit: www.olweus.org