by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
Bullying is often the first step to violence and schools nationwide are seeking ways of changing such behavior.
At Ritter Elementary School in Allentown, PA, children on the playground will accuse a bully of “exercising power without authority.”
That’s because the kids at Ritter, K-6, learn early on the meaning of authority, privacy, responsibility and justice through a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on these words, and behaviors that foster mutual respect and civic virtue.
First lady judge Midge Rendell and her citizenship education initiative--PennCord-- recently awarded the Allentown school district the Compass Award in recognition of the proven success of its school violence prevention project.
It has not only instilled ideals of good citizenship in the youngsters, but has proven effective in creating a positive school environment and improving students' skills and test scores in writing and math.
To learn more about the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Project, email bstecker@state.pa.us.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
