News Media Contact:
Melinda Kitchell Malico (202) 401-1008
Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program Office (202) 260-3954
RILEY ANNOUNCES $34.6 MILLION IN GRANTS TO TRAIN DRUG AND SAFETY COORDINATORS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Ninety-seven school districts in 34 states will be able to recruit, hire and train middle school drug prevention and school safety coordinators under nearly $35 million in grants announced today by U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.
The three-year grants were awarded to school districts and consortia of smaller districts with significant drug, discipline and violence problems in middle schools.
"Research shows that in order to make an impact on students, prevention programs must include in-school prevention coordinators - preferably on-the-job full-time," said Riley. "This $35 million will support intervention efforts in middle schools that can make a long-term impact on reducing youth drug use and creating safer schools."
"Our nation's young people are the most vulnerable to drug use during middle school," said Barry R. McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control and Policy (ONDCP). "We are confident that each school and community in America recognizes the dangerous nature of drug use and violence among youth. This new program is a catalyst for schools to implement prevention programs that are science-based. Teachers, coaches, administrators and families want to know that their school's drug and violence prevention programs are effective. As we reduce drug use we increase school performance."
McCaffrey and ONDCP were instrumental in generating support and funding for the new program and made it a key part of the White House's National Drug Strategy.
Middle schools and students will benefit by using coordinators to:
Research suggests that the presence of a full-time coordinator can enhance prevention programs and reduce drug use, discipline problems and violent incidents. Well-trained staff members who are familiar with the research on effective prevention programming can help design and implement prevention programs to meet the unique needs of students in the schools they serve. A 1997 U.S. Department of Education longitudinal study found that coordinators are especially effective when they devote a significant amount of time to prevention programs. For this reason, the program requires that coordinators work full-time on prevention.
Districts with significant drug, discipline and violence problems in middle schools were eligible for the competitive grants. The department identified schools with "significant problems" as those in which at least one student was, within the previous year, suspended, expelled or transferred to an alternative school or program for possession, distribution or use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs, or for the possession or use of a weapon. Also eligible were schools that referred at least five students for substance abuse treatment or suspended, expelled or transferred for physical attacks or fights five students to alternative schools.
Coordinators must also serve between one and seven middle schools (serving students in two or more grades, grades five through nine); work solely on coordination of drug prevention or school safety programs; and have a degree from an accredited four-year institution of higher education and an academic background or equivalent work experience in a field related to youth development.
| MIDDLE SCHOOLS COORDINATORS GRANTS FISCAL YEAR 1999 |
||
|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA | ||
| Fort Payne | DeKalb County Board of Education Contact: Donna Taheri (256) 638-8880 |
$193,946 |
| Moulton | Lawrence County Board of Education Contact: Ricky Nichols (256) 905-2400 |
156,050 |
| ALASKA | ||
| Anchorage | Anchorage School District Contact: Michael Kerosky (907) 269-2466 |
394,349 |
| Fairbanks | Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Contact: Doug Crevensten (907) 452-2000 x 464 |
479,134 |
| Palmer | Matanuska-Susitna Borough School Contact: Coya Sweet (907) 746-9221 |
192,914 |
| ARIZONA | ||
| Tucson | Amphitheater Unified School District (USD) Contact: Dr. John Gibson (520) 696-6230 |
114,604 |
| Tucson | Tucson USD Contact: Linda Augenstein (520) 617-7174 |
550,000 |
| CALIFORNIA | ||
| Benicia | Benicia USD Contact: Brian Kelly (707) 747-8300 |
141,076 |
| Lancaster | Lancaster School District Contact: Jean Varden (661) 948-4661 |
513,307 |
| Laytonville | Laytonville USD Contact: Binet Payne (707) 984-6414 |
221,630 |
| Los Angeles | Los Angeles USD Contact: Francine Eisenrod (213) 625-6411 |
472,018 |
| Richmond | West Contra Costa USD Contact: Diana DeGracia (510) 307-5353 |
211,210 |
| San Diego | San Diego County Office of Education Contact: Sharon Snyder (619) 292-3551 |
5,451,402 |
| San Diego | San Diego USD Contact: Jack Campana (619) 627-7598 |
417,246 |
| San Luis Obispo | San Luis Coastal USD Contact: Jill Heuer (805) 543-2010 |
240,689 |
| Vallejo | Vallejo City USD Contact: Jewel Fink (707) 556-8783 |
387,852 |
| COLORADO | ||
| Aurora | Adams/Arapahoe 28J Aurora Public Schools Contact: Sharon E. Moore (303) 340-0864 |
489,980 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs School District #11 Contact: Dr. Paul Johnson (719) 477-6001 |
253,935 |
| Grand Junction | Mesa County Valley School District #51 Contact: Marilyn Conner (970) 257-0287 |
456,685 |
| CONNECTICUT | ||
| Hartford | Hartford Public Schools Contact: Leah O'Neill-Fichtner |
196,306 |
| New Haven | New Haven City School District Contact: Dee Speese-Lineham (203) 946-7443 |
421,175 |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | ||
| Washington | Village Learning Center Public Charter School Contact: Imani Abdullah (202) 398-3514 |
167,000 |
| FLORIDA | ||
| Madison | Madison County School Board Contact: Monteze Walker (850) 973-5022 |
169,047 |
| Orlando | Orange County Public Schools Contact: Ronald L. Atwood (407) 317-3303 |
433,067 |
| Panama City | Bay District Schools Contact: Judi Moore (850) 872-4362 |
152,368 |
| Tavares | Lake County Schools Contact: Lee Bailey (352) 343-3531 |
306,514 |
| Viera | School Board of Brevard County Educational Service Facility Contact: Carolyn Ellis (407) 633-1000 |
517,787 |
| Winter Haven | School Board of Polk County Contact: Linda Troupe (941) 291-5355 |
397,500 |
| GEORGIA | ||
| Thomson | McDuffie County Board of Education Contact: Dr. Kathryn Collins (706) 595-1918 |
166,911 |
| ILLINOIS | ||
| Elgin | School District U-46 Contact: Steven Klein (847) 888-5000 x5357 |
83,900 |
| Paxton | Paxton-Buckley-Loda C.U.S.D. #10 Contact: Marla Dewhirst (217) 893-3219 |
110,204 |
| Sycamore | Sycamore Community Unit School District #427 Contact: James Klink (815) 899-8170 |
162,825 |
| KENTUCKY | ||
| Pineville | Bell County Board of Education Contact: Bertha Partin (606) 337-2332 |
66,104 |
| LOUISIANA | ||
| New Orleans | New Orleans Public Schools Contact: Linda J. Stelly (504) 365-5640 |
543,740 |
| MARYLAND | ||
| Baltimore | Baltimore City School System Contact: April Lewis (410) 396-8718 |
275,000 |
| MASSACHUSETS | ||
| Boston | Boston Public Schools Development Office Contact: Charlotte Harris (617) 635-9685 |
539,457 |
| Brookline | Brookline Public Schools Contact: Mary Minott (617) 713-5155 |
147,100 |
| Cambridge | Cambridge Public Schools Contact: Barbara Black (617) 349-6455 |
334,359 |
| New Bedford | New Bedford Public Schools Contact: Denise M. Gaudette (508) 997-4511 |
499,098 |
| Springfield | Springfield Public Schools Contact: Mary Diotalevi Ryczek (413) 787-7020 |
512,500 |
| MICHIGAN | ||
| Allen Park | Allen Park Public Schools Contact: Paul Brohl (313) 388-3068 |
73,312 |
| Byron | Byron Area Schools Contact: Mark Miller (810) 266-4881 |
84,888 |
| Flint | Flint Community Schools Contact: Rudy Collins (810) 760-1378 |
518,008 |
| Ithaca | Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District Contact: Pamela Sook (517) 875-5101 |
301,103 |
| MINNESOTA | ||
| Minneapolis | Minneapolis Public Schools Contact: Sara Mullett (612) 588-8262 |
544,399 |
| MISSISSIPPI | ||
| Jackson | Jackson Public School District Contact: Ida McCants (601) 960-8707 |
402,434 |
| MONTANA | ||
| Box Elder | School District 87 J-L Contact: Sandra Murie (406) 395-4291 |
168,866 |
| NEBRASKA | ||
| Crete | Crete Public Schools Contact: Kim Sheppard (402) 826-5811 |
113,200 |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | ||
| Portsmouth | Portsmouth School District Contact: Debra Schnappauf (603) 427-6871 |
83,709 |
| NEW JERSEY | ||
| Bordentown | Bordentown Regional School District Contact: John Polomano (609) 298-3041 |
72,000 |
| NEW MEXICO | ||
| Albuquerque | Albuquerque Public Schools Contact: Dr. Catherine Cross Maple (505) 342-7201 |
535,000 |
| Penasco | Penasco Independent Schools Contact: Rudy Aragon (505) 587-2230 |
131,654 |
| Santa Fe | Santa Fe Public Schools Contact: Marcie Davis (505) 982-2631 |
103,934 |
| NEW YORK | ||
| Brooklyn | Community School District #18 Contact: Rosalind Rogers (718) 927-5233 |
216,569 |
| Brooklyn | Community School District #13 Contact: Peter Dabbs (718) 636-3222 |
275,000 |
| Brooklyn | Community School District #23 Contact: Rebecca Skinner (718) 270-8659 |
426,618 |
| Freeport | Freeport Public Schools Contact: Fern Eisgrub (516) 867-5227 |
549,710 |
| Glendale | Community School District #24 Contact: Jeffrey Hollander (718) 205-4402 |
321,647 |
| Livonia | Livonia Central School Contact: Cynthia Knowles (716) 346-4191 |
103,971 |
| New York | New York City Board of Education Contact: Margo L. Levy, CSW (212) 689-8313 |
457,029 |
| Patchogue | Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services Contact: Barry Rosen (516) 289-0078 |
478,552 |
| NORTH CAROLINA | ||
| Asheville | Buncombe County Schools Contact: Doug Jones (828) 255-5960 |
450,437 |
| Fayetteville | Cumberland County Schools Contact: Carol Hudson (910) 678-2495 |
259,383 |
| Halifax | Halifax County Schools Contact: Valerie Knight (252) 583-5111 |
243,360 |
| Louisburg | Franklin County Schools Contact: Elizabeth S. Keith (919) 496-4159 |
180,426 |
| OHIO | ||
| Columbus | Columbus City School District Contact: Maurice Blake (614) 365-5737 |
208,377 |
| OKLAHOMA | ||
| McAlester | Contact: Terry M. James (918) 423-4771> | 147,491 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City Public Schools District I-89 Contact: Dr. F. LeRoy Walser (405) 297-6868 |
261,077 |
| OREGON | ||
| Prineville |
Crook County School District Contact: Dennis Kostelecky (541) 477-3907 |
108,069 |
| Eugene | Eugene School District 4J Contact: Nancy Johnson (541) 687-3354 |
314,228 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | ||
| North Warren | Warren County School District Contact: John Sechriest (814) 723-6900 |
112,094 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | ||
| Pierre | Pierre Indian Learning Center Contact: Darrell Jeanotte (605) 224-8661 |
45,161 |
| Wanblee | Crazy Horse School Contact: Mark Bordeaux (605) 462-6511 |
101,732 |
| TENNESSEE | ||
| Dickson | Dickson County Board of Education Contact: Gala Roundtree (615) 446-2273 |
110,767 |
| Gallatin | Sumner County Board of Education Contact: Pat Conner (615) 451-6500 | 391,506 |
| Memphis | Memphis City Schools Contact: Fleetis Hannah (901) 385-4240 |
533,957 |
| TEXAS | ||
| Amarillo | Amarillo Independent School District (ISD) Contact: David Cargill (806) 354-4265 |
511,274 |
| Austin | Austin ISD Contact: Dr. Yolanda Rocha (512) 414-1708 |
534,782 |
| Canutillo | Canutillo ISD Contact: Marge Gianelli (915) 877-7456 |
132,421 |
| Dallas | Dallas ISD Contact: Suzie Fagg (214) 932-5315 |
540,492 |
| Dalhart | Dalhart ISD Contact: Caroline Methvin (806) 244-7374 |
132,527 |
| Houston | ||
| Alief ISD Contact: Sandra Lovelace (281) 498-8110 |
278,696 | |
| Houston | Houston ISD Contact: Ann Clark (713) 892-6670 |
675,195 |
| Mission | Mission Consolidated ISD Contact: J.D. Villarreal (956) 580-8465 |
279,643 |
| San Angelo | San Angelo ISD Contact: Robbin Gesch (915) 947-3749 |
151,668 |
| San Marcos | San Marcos Consolidated ISD Contact: Ana Maria Hernandez |
256,897 |
| Sugar Land | Fort Bend ISD Contact: Robert E. Conlon (281) 634-1130 |
223,340 |
| UTAH | ||
| North Logan | Cache County School District Contact: Steve Zsiray (435) 752-3925 |
418,407 |
| WASHINGTON | ||
| Burien | Puget Sound Educational Service District Contact: Kimberly Noel (206) 439-6921 |
249,500 |
| Lynnwood | Edmonds School District #15 Contact: Jane Beglau (425) 670-7141 |
530,186 |
| Pasco | Education Service District #123 Contact: Marilyn Baker (509) 547-8441 |
504,702 |
| Spokane | Educational Service District 101 Center For Prevention Programs (509) 458-3625 |
474,317 |
| Wenatchee | North Central Educational Service District Contact: Shawn Regan (509) 665-2631 |
195,059 |
| WISCONSIN | ||
| Kimberly | Kimberly Area School District Contact: Carol Slowiak-Zabel (920) 788-7910 |
138,137 |
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee Public Schools Contact: Derek Brewer (414) 345-6635 |
437,845 |
| Oshkosh | Oshkosh Area School District Contact: Donna Palmeri (920) 424-0170 |
167,485 |
| Turtle Lake | Cooperative Educational Service Agency Regional Educational Service Contact: Bonnie Cook (715) 986-2020 |
322,534 |
| Total | $34.6 million |
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