Wake Education Partnership

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Wake Education Partnership

• Skills for Life
• An Initiative for Middle School Youth Development

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Wake Education Partnership

• Mission Uniting Community Resources for
  Excellence in Public Education
• Three Strategic Directives
• Provide Leadership Training and Professional
  Development for educators
• Foster Community Engagement to build public
  understanding
• Conduct Research and Advocacy on key education
  issues

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Wake Education PartnershipKey Programs

• Triangle Leadership Academy
• Wake Task Force for Teaching Excellence
• Assuring Student Success Through Empowering
  Teachers (ASSET)
• Wake Education Summit
• Quality Matters
• Research and Advocacy Committee
• Education Roundtables
• Food for Thought Teacher Grants
• Pieces of Gold/Gifts of Gold

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Wake County Public Schools2005-2006

• Student enrollment 120,504
• Middle School enrollment 27,686
• Number of Schools 139 Total (Elem 88, MS 28,
  High 17, Other 6)
• Teachers 7,776 Total, 160 MS Healthful Living
• Leadership Academy 240 training sessions, 9,000
  participants, 57,000 training hours

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Skills for Life The Need

• 430,000 annual deaths from smoking-related
  diseases 650,000 annual deaths from
  alcohol-related problems and illicit drug use
• WCPSS health education assessment at the middle
  school level indicates need for further substance
  abuse education
• Growing gang activity points to a need for
  further violence prevention education
• Situating the curriculum at the middle grades
  allows focus on prevention rather than treatment

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Skills for Life Project Definition Goals

• Three-year initiative focusing on substance
  abuse, violence prevention, positive youth
  development
• Goals
• 1) Reach 85 of middle school students
• 2) Provide professional development
• 3) Integrate curriculum in and out of school
• 4) Engage community for implementation and
  sustainability

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LifeSkills Curriculum Components

• Issues
• Smoking Myths and Realities
• Smoking and Biofeedback
• Alcohol Myths and Realities
• Marijuana Myths and Realities
• Violence and the Media

• Core Skills
• Self-image and Self-improvement
• Making Decisions
• Coping with Anxiety
• Coping with Anger
• Communication Skills
• Social Skills
• Assertiveness
• Resolving Conflicts

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LifeSkills Program Efficacy

• Reduces tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use
  by up to 75
• Reduces polydrug use by up to 66
• Effective across racial groups
• Effective when taught by teachers, peer leaders,
  or health professionals
• Prevention effects last

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Skills for LifeResults to Date

• Four LST certification classes completed
• 100 HL teachers and CIS presenters trained
• 11,000 MS students receiving LST
• Development of leadership training begun
• TOT and phase 2 LST training planned
• 31 matching funds secured
• Project Director to be hired mid-April

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Skills for LifeCommunity Partners

• Wake County Public School System
• Communities in Schools Wake County
• Wake County Human Services
• Wake Med
• Alice Aycock Poe Health Center
• Wake County 4H
• Loaves and Fishes

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Skills for LifeNext Steps

• Organize Community Leadership Team
• Identify additional CBO partners
• Identify and train youth/peer trainers
• Secure 50 matching funds
• Organize TOT phase 2 LST training
• Develop deliver leadership training
• Conduct community meetings
• Develop media program materials