Valley Stream schools promoting tolerance for all

When the Dignity for All Students Act was passed by New York state lawmakers in 2010, it was designed to protect students from bullying, harassment and other forms of discrimination.

Two years later, school officials are working to implement the act, which must be in place by July 1 in all districts. Locally, Valley Stream educators say they already have many programs in place which address these problems.

“We’re very proud that we have been addressing the components of the Dignity for All Students Act for years,” said District 24 Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale.

He cited the district’s nationally recognized conflict resolution and anti-bullying programs, which have been presented at state and national conferences. Fale said that beginning in kindergarten students learn about diversity, how to respect others and why they shouldn’t be bullies.

District 24’s emotional literacy program, Fale said, teaches students how to use their emotions for positive outcomes. And emotional literacy charters posted in each school state the desired behaviors of students.

Districts 13 and 30 both use the nationally known Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program, commonly known as PBIS. Amy Pernick, the assistant principal at Shaw Avenue School in District 30, said that students learn how they are expected to treat each other through this program.

Pernick said that District 30 also uses a national program called Second Step, which teaches student respect and empathy through role-playing activities. These lessons take place right in the classroom. “It’s definitely something that every school should be doing,” she said.

District 13 has a Health, Wellness and Character Education committee. Members of that group are reviewing all of the district’s character education programs to make sure they meet the requirements of the new legislation.

Darren Gruen, principal of the James A. Dever School, said that District 13 has numerous programs in addition to PBIS. The Town of Hempstead has provided Internet safety workshops for students, which deals with cyber bullying, among other issues. Child Abuse Prevention Services has provided anti-bullying programs. And students from North High School’s New Kids on the Block program have done disability awareness and anti-bullying programs, using puppets, at the district’s elementary schools.

District 13 observes national No Name Calling Week, and every school has a tolerance library, filled with books donated by former Board of Education member Harris Dinkoff. “We do a lot,” Gruen said. “We won’t have to change that much to meet the intent of the law.”

The Central High School District also has had numerous programs in place for many years, said Director of Guidance Jill Vogel. The BRAVE program, Bully Reduction Anti-Violence Education, has been around since 2005. Vogel said it started from a grant from State Sen. Dean Skelos after some concerns about students being bullied in the district.

Each school implements BRAVE in its own way, Vogel explained. North High School has a core values curriculum, dealing with topics such as acceptance, integrity, kindness and respect, that is addressed in all of the major subject areas.

At all schools, there is at least one assembly each year for students dealing with bullying and harassment. This year, seventh- and eighth-grade students will hear from John Halligan, father of a Ryan Halligan who committed suicide at 13 after being bullied in school. In past years, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office has presented its Choices and Consequences program. “There’s a lot of awareness,” Vogel said.

The four districts are in the process of updating policy books to include the new Dignity for All Students Act requirements. Many programs already in place in Valley Stream schools will become part of these policies. Each district must also select a person to handle “human rights” issues.

Fale noted that the new legislation more clearly defines harassment and discrimination. He said that while District 24, and the other Valley Stream districts have done a lot in terms of character education, he can’t speak for the rest of the state and believes Dignity for All Students is good legislation.

“School districts reflect the values of the community,” Fale said. “I know what the values of our district are. I believe we have already met most of the provisions of the law.”

Vogel said she believes the Central High School District is well-positioned to implement the new act, and likely will have to make few changes to its existing practices. “It’s almost giving us a structure for everything we’ve been doing,” she said. “We’ve had vision on this. We’ve tried to create cultures in each of the schools that promotes a safe environment for students.”