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The Independent, Canadian Statesman Weekender, Bowmanville, Saturday, December 4,1993 13 Strategies Aimed at Reducing Violence in Schools Education and Training Minister Dave Cooke today announced a number number of strategies designed to deal with violence in Ontario schools. "Students should not have to suffer suffer to get an education," said Mr. Cooke. "Those who are responsible for violent acts must accept the consequences." consequences." The strategies include: - School boards will be asked to develop violence prevention policies. Boards that already have such policies policies should ensure they include strategies strategies for both immediate and intervention intervention and long-term prevention. - The ministry will ensure that students students who are expelled or suspended for violent acts will have this noted in their records and that this information will be available .to any other school at which the student seeks admission. - The. Ministry of Education and Training will create a task force to develop special programs for students students who have jeopardized or lost their right to attend school in a particular particular jurisdiction. - A policy memorandum will be prepared outlining the process schools should follow for reporting violent incidents to the police and the Ministry. A wide range of views on this memorandum will be requested from school boards, teachers, and Students, Students, before it is. finalized. - On March 5, 1994, the Ministry of Education and Training will cosponsor cosponsor with other government ministries, ministries, the OPP, and the Safe School Task Force, a community summit about school violence. This working meeting will consolidate the partnerships partnerships necessary to address this problem. problem. This meeting will be an opportunity opportunity to share best practices and to discuss and bring final shape to the policy memorandum on reporting violent violent incidents. port for the solutions. "Excellent work is already being done by individual schools and boards of education. I am thinking of programs such as "School Watch" and "Parents Against Violence". The Safe School Task Force has also played an important leadership role," said Mr. Cooke. "We will strengthen our partnerships with these and other groups, because this problem needs a unified strategy that sets out clear consequences for anti-social behaviour, behaviour, while at the same time begins .to deal with the root causes of that behaviour." behaviour." - School boards will be asked to implement immediately the violence prevention and citizenship outcomes in the Common Curriculum. - Students will be encouraged to play a more active role in dealing with the problem at their schools. The Ministry of Education and Training Training will support the creation of safe school committees, so that students and others can become more- involved involved in finding solutions. - A communications campaign will be aimed at students and the community to increase public awareness awareness of the problem and create sup- 'Vyr i//h / -- •** U' ///'•* - » „ *v- 7 t' 77. r.T^Vy//^' Spread a little cheer this year.. PLAY A PART IN OUR For most of our children, Christmas is an exciting time filled with anticipation of shiny packages to come. But unfortunately, for some of our community's forgotten children, Santa Claus never comes. With your donation of a toy we can help make Christmas brighter for these deserving kids. Just bring us a NEW, UNWRAPPED toy by December 17th, and receive a Three Month Subscription to The Canadian Statesman as a special thanks to you. All gifts will be distributed locally by volunteers before Christmas Day. Thank you for caring! Slit Canadian §> ta ttsrnan 62 King Street West Telephone 623-3303 Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday Bowmanville it à ■W #'*) m i l X if III' V? -- I az-* intfiiii l/t l IC *