School Violence Prevention Program

Since 2002, SERRC - Alaska’s Educational Resource Center, in partnership with the Center for Civic Education, has provided professional development for teachers and facilitated student use of the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program in Anchorage Alaska.

Each year between 17 and 25 teachers have received extensive training in Anchorage School District Schools. Those teachers have impacted thousands of students with the strong message of violence prevention.

Program Highlights

• Most students like using the printed materials from the Center for Civic Education. Materials are age appropriate and visually stimulating. The “Cooperative Learning” style lessons encourage students to work together. Because many of the learning activities are scenario based, there are often opportunities for parents to participate, either with a role or as the audience.

• Students go beyond knowledge, and develop understandings related to civic education. Students have developed plans to positively change their communities through action projects that influence public policies. Students in at Homestead Elementary School identified a safety issue to address. Students noticed that unclear sidewalks caused many students to choose to walk on the road in the daily walk to and from school. Students researched policies regarding snow removal and under the direction of the teacher Patricia Lacey, students challenged the city of Anchorage to enforce existing statutes regarding snow removal from city sidewalks.

• Local members of the Alaska legal system have volunteered with this program. Judges and lawyers have visited classrooms upon request when teachers are using the Justice and Authority books from Foundations of Democracy.