The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

the HERALD News Feature Wednesday September School violence on the increase in Ontario By LISA BOONSTOPPELPOT The Herald School violence is increasing in Halton say regional principals teachers and education ad ministrators following the release of an Ontario Teachers Federation survey which reveal ed physical and verbal assaults in Ontarios schools is rising at an alarming rate I think the increase of violence in our schools is the key issue that faces teachers and teachers organizations said the president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Association Halton District Sally I hope our schools wont turn into some American schools where police guard the halls and there are chainlinked fences she said But Im not confident well be able to escape that even in Halton talking with teachers Ms Rewbotham believes violence is on the increase in schools as does school trustee Bruce Ive heard about incidences of violence all the way down the line from principals teachers youth care workers and guidance counsellors she said Although they dont have the statistics to prove violence is in creasing in the schools they were not surprised by the findings of the OTF survey which was released at OTFs annual general meeting in August Of the 881 schools responding to the survey about one in five On tario schools major in cidents of assault and minor incidents were reported stated an OTF press release Types of major abuse reported ranged from biting kicking and punching to the use of knives and firearms read the press release The OTF stated major assault incidences have increased by 150 per cent and minor by per cent over theperiod to 1990 The Federation is deeply con cerned that its members are be ing threatened and in some cases their property damaged said Guill Archambault president of OTF We are also dismayed that we can no longer assume that the school environment is a safe place for our children Special task group will help students By LISA BOONSTOPPELPOT The Herald To help protect Haltons students from violence Halton Board of Education Director Bob Williams has announced a special task group on violence will be developed Our Halton community was saddened and shocked by the violent deaths of Leslie and Nina Villiers this sum mer said Mr Williams I have personally talked to a number of women in Burlington who now say they wont go out for a walk during the day theyre too afraid of what might happen We have to view this kind of violence as simply unacceptable in a society that should have a tremendous reverence for the valueof life Mr Williams said hes asked the boards new Project Consul tant for Race and Ethnocultural Equity Bryce to coor dinate the work of a special task group to develop longrange strategies to ensure the safety of Haltons students He said the group will go beyond streetproofing they will go deeper to the curriculum in schools We have to help our students develop an essential understan ding of the sanctity of human life he said He admits hes given Mr Leg- gat no small order We live in a violent society But people have to realize violence begets violence People have to examine the conse quences of their action he said The new task group is still in the process of being formed said Mr Williams who added the group will involve interested and relevant members of the com munity to contribute their feel ings and ideas on the issue of violence OFj wants the Ministry to pro duce a manual to help teachers in identifying and dealing with ag gressive behavior as well as pro vide funding for appropriate training stated the press release In Halton steps have already been taken by the Halton Board of Education to deal with school violence Following an incident at General Brock High School in Burlington in February or last year where three teenagers were wounded by a gunman Halton director of education Bob Williams formed a fivemember committee of principals and board administrators to gather information about violence in schools Mr Williams executive assis tant Peter chaired the committee and said the commit tee has concluded their findings with an internal report to the director recommending he establish a Safe Schools Com mute to develop a crisis com munication plan and safety prac tices teachers can utilize when faced with a violent situation Were seeing more incidences of violence against students and teachers and we need to put prac tices into place to deal with these incidences he said The school staff should be taught operating procedures so they know what steps to take in case a violent crisis emerges he said From the principals he surveyed about school violence he learned one area of concern for school staff is the number of students carrying weapons to school mostly knives The prin cipals indicated the knives werent being used but were be ing taken to school said Mr Gnish Ms Rewbotham said education may be the key to preventing fur ther violence We need to educate students and teachers about the value of human beings in respect to race age color and sex she said We have to teach them that other people have value we live in a world where that is far too often forgotten Trustee Bruce suggested school boards go right to the source parents The only way to approach the problem is to look at the source she said There are many sources such as violence in socie ty in general peer pressure and lack of parental authority I personally think parents should be involved in parenting groups right from when the woman first becomes pregnant she said Id like to see someone say to a parent if their childs go ing to attend school they should take a parenting course She said the school board does occasionally offer parenting courses for interested parents The Minister of Education Marion Boyd has also recently indicated a desire to eliminate the threat of violence in schools Im deeply concerned about violence in our schools and socie ty in general stated Ms Boyd in a press release The Ontario Federation of Teachers can count on my Ministry to help eliminate the threat of violence against teachers The press release stated the Ministry of Education intends to meet with the OTF to discuss its survey and recommendations Mental health program available for students By LISA BOONSTOPPELPOT the Herald This summer was a season of student tragedies in Halton Region and North Haltons Men tal Health Nurse Debbie Bang wants students to know shes available for crisis counselling at all of the North Halton high schools For the past years the Halton Regional Health Depart ment has offered a Mental Health program to provide students with an opportunity to express their feelings and learn how to identify their strengths in order to develop strategies to manage their stress said Ms Bang who provides counselling for all five secondary schools in Georgetown Acton and Milton We really want to demystify mental health she said There are times in our lives when our in ternal resources cant deal with outside stressors like when there is a tragedy or problems at home We try to help people look towards their internal resources to cope with what is happening Ms Bang also provides mental health assessments counselling mental health promotion acts as a liason with health and psychiatric services and provides referrals to community services and consultation to school person nel and community agencies Last year the mental health program approximately 250 students who can be referred to the mental health nurse by parents family physicians psychiatrists community agen cies and the students themselves If you see someone who is depressed down not able to shake a iousy feeling or is even suicidal we would like you to refer that person said Ms Bang But if the student doesnt wish to see Ms Bang he or she doesnt have to We dont do anything behind anybodys back she said The program has been successful because the meetings are one-on- one with the students and they are confidential meetings Its up to the students what we do If they want us to talk to their teachers to explain the problems theyre having so they can have a few more minutes to write a test or be left alone in class we will but otherwise we wont Appointments with Ms Bang are made in advance and Ms Bang travels to Georgetown District High School Acton High School and the high schools in Milton based on need Flexible appointments are made and students are seen at school through home visits or in other appropriate settings said Ms Bang To contact Ms Bang call lELLS DRIVING SCHOOL NEXT CO Ocl Until 161h Mon Wed Evenings 30930 ONTARIO SAFETY LEAGUE For Information About Courses or Private Lessons phone 8772671 tillage A DAY CARE CENTRE FOR CHILDREN ON THE GROW REGISTER NOW FOR SCHOOL AGE PROGRAM Also Available Full Part Day Programmes For Children 29 Years Hours 7 am to 6 pm Qualified Staff Subsidy Available Hot Nutritious Lunch And Snacks Transportation To And From Schools