Civic Virtue a K-12 social studies initiative

The Commitment to Character program, Bully Prevention office and The Principal’s Mul-ticultural Advisory Committee (PMAC) are working together to transform and integrate their programs into one unit or pro-gram currently being referred to

(by the team) as the Civic Vir-tue resource initiative. The program is an initiative of the K-12 social studies depart-ment.

In reality, this is a program of resources for students, teach-

ers, schools and the communi-ty to assist with safe learning environments (physically, emo-tionally, intellectually) so all students will achieve academic success.

We believe that civic virtue, or the cultivation of habits of personal living that are im-portant for the success of the community must be in place for students and teachers to learn, teach and live together.

Community Tampa Bay is con-sidered a major partner in the overall program as their vision, mission, goals, core values and service delivery strategies are aligned to these programs and based on the needs of students, teachers, schools and other stakeholders.

Civic Virtue initiative connects PCS resources

From teacher training pro-grams to youth leadership di-versity conferences, Civic Virtue offers an array of services, trainings, and programs for adults and stu-dents.

All programs connect to state and district laws, mandates and curriculum standards in order to assist our students in be-coming good citizens. As a

result, our schools are positive, safe school environments which promote 100% student success.

We invite you to learn more about our programs inside this newsletter and to contact pro-gram coordinators. Please visit the Pinellas County Schools web sites for additional infor-mation or assistance.

Our contact information can

be found on page 4 of the

newsletter.

Civic Virtue: Working together for our schools

Pinellas County Schools February 2012

Volume 1, Issue 1

Bullying Prevention 2

Character Education 2

Community Tampa Bay 3

PMAC 3

Contact Information 4

Inside this issue:

How Civic Virtue

Works

Civic Virtue is infused in the

curriculum and everyday life

of the classroom and school

in a focused, intentional way.

Everyone shares a common

language that promotes clear expectations for behavior

and models good character

in their words and actions.

It utilizes lessons from the

curriculum and literature that

help students reflect upon

standards for virtuous living.

Civic virtue provides oppor-

tunities for critical thinking and dialogue which expand

cognitive and emotional

competencies.

Civic Virtue promotes human

dignity.

James R. Sanderlin student become involved in a social action project..

Students attending a CTB youth confer-

ence identify areas of concern for which

they want to take action.

The cultivation of habits important for the success of the

community and society

The Pinellas County Schools

Policy against Bullying and

Harassment defines bullying

as: Systematically and chroni-

cally inflicting physical harm

or psychological distress on

one or more students or em-

ployees.

There are three key compo-

nents to all bullying situations.

1. Imbalance of Power

2. Intent to Harm 3. Repeated Behavior.

Research shows that without

intervention, students who bul-

ly are more likely to develop a

criminal record and engage in

antisocial behaviors while bul-

lying victims suffer long last-

ing psychological harm

(Olweus, 1993).

Types of Bullying Behavior:

Verbal– taunting, teasing,

name calling, extortion, and

threats.

Physical,- harm to a person or

property.

Relational Aggression– harm

to someone's self-esteem or

group acceptance.

Sexual Harassment– any

inappropriate comments, ges-

tures, pictures, or behaviors.

Cyber Bullying– using tech-

nology to intimidate or harass.

Teen Dating Violence and

Abuse

"Teen Dating Violence and

Abuse” is a pattern of emo-

tional, verbal, sexual, or phys-

ical violence and/or abuse by

one person in a current or past

relationship of a romantic

nature to exert power and

control over another when

one or both of the partners is a

teenager. Abuse may include

insults, coercion, social sabo-

tage, sexual harassment,

threats and/or acts of physical

or sexual abuse. The abusive

partner uses this pattern of

violent and coercive behavior

to gain power and maintain

control over the dating part-

ner.

Feb. TOLERANCE

March HONESTY

April SELF CONTROL

May CARING

June COURAGE

July PATRIOTISM

Aug. RESPECT

Sept. RESPONSIBILITY

Oct. COOPERATION

Nov. CITIZENSHIP

Dec. KINDNESS

Jan. SELF-MOTIVATION

Bullying and Harassment or Teen Dating Violence and Abuse Prevention protects everyone!

Character Education Calendar

mote highest student suc-

cess.

Rather than using a pre-

scribed curriculum, the

Commitment to Character

model provides a menu of

strategies that are infused

through the regular curricu-

lum with an intentional, con-

scious focus.

Commitment to Character

utilizes a common language,

teachable moments, litera-

ture, service learning, mod-

eling and ethical decision

making to teach character

education in all curriculum

areas.

Commitment to Character addresses the school culture Commitment to Character

is the district model for

character education.

The goal of the program is

to create a school culture

that is saturated with such

character qualities as re-

spect, responsibility, honesty

and self-motivation to pro-

11 Principles of Effective

Character Development

The 11 principles includes

updated language to reflect

current movements within

education and the best practices

being implemented in National

Schools of Character model

schools and districts. The new 11

principles also now includes key

indicators that outline what

constitutes an exemplary level of

implementation.

http://www.character.org

Page 2 C iv ic V irtue Volume 1, I ssue 1

The School Board strictly pro-hibits bullying and harassment (K-12 and Adults) or any act of Teen Dating Violence and Abuse (Secondary Students) committed by one student against another on school property, during a school sponsored activity, or during a school sponsored transportation.

3 Ways to Report

1. Tell the principal or

another trusted adult.

2. Use the Online Reporting

system

http://bullying.pcsb.org

http://harassment.pcsb.org

http://teendatingviolence.org

3. Call the Campus Crime Stop-

pers Hotline 1-800-873-8477 or

Text Key word TIP144 Plus your

message to crimes (274637).

Reporting can be done

anonymously.

Community Tampa Bay cultivates inclusive learning environments

5735 Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee School Board Mandate

PMAC Program promotes diversity initiatives

Each year Community Tampa

Bay reaches nearly 2,500 indi-

viduals, primarily students,

through Youth Conferences,

ANYTOWN™ and volunteer

training institutes.

Teens respond to the programs

because they find authentic

voices and the encouragement

to name the exclusionary issues

they experience at school. The

programs allow them to under-

stand their own social identity,

engage in cross-cultural inter-

actions and develop a positive

vision for change. They learn

to recognize the negative im-

pact of prejudice, stereotypes,

and discrimination, and as

leaders in their schools, work-

place, or community, they are

equipped with tools and tech-

niques that can positively im-

pact the situations.

Students are cultivating the

habits of personal living that

are claimed to be important for

the success of the community,

i.e. they are practicing civic

virtue.

Our vision of a community free from discrimination has never wavered and continues to align with the Pinellas Coun-ty Schools vision of 100% Stu-dent Success and a mission to educate and prepare each stu-dent for college, career and life. We seek to cultivate inclusive learning environments where diversity is embraced and cele-brated and every individual seeks meaningful positive en-gagement in their school and community.

dress the responsibilities of the

PMAC school board mandate

(5735).

The PMAC program, a curricu-

lum initiative under social stud-

ies, is coordinated by a multi-

cultural liaison, usually a full-

time teacher, who works with

the students to involve admin-

istration, staff members, par-

ents and community members

in the achievement of their

multicultural education goals

for their schools.

The PMAC program collabo-

rates closely with contracted

partner, Community Tampa

Bay, to build the leadership

capacity of students and liai-

sons to address pro-actively

bigotry, discrimination, and

bias in our schools and com-

munity.

Since its inception in the early

90’s, the Principal’s Multicul-

tural Advisory Committee pro-

gram has addressed equity and

diversity issues and concerns

for the district by empowering

our students.

Student leadership opportuni-

ties are provided through the

school based multicultural

committees. The students are

charged to meaningfully ad-

mittee must be composed of,

at least, ten (10) students and 3

(three) adult members.

Secondary Level Responsi-

bilities:

A. Act as an advisory group

to the principal

B. Engage in facilitated dia-

logue about diversity cen-

tered concerns and make

recommendations to the

principal

C. Promote multicultural

activities and programs

Students have the right to at-

tend a school where all ethnic

and cultural heritages are wel-

come and respected. To en-

sure this environment each

secondary school will create a

Principal’s Multicultural Advi-

sory Committee.

MEMBERSHIP: The commit-

tee should be balanced by gen-

der and grade level , and repre-

sent a cross section of the ra-

cial, religious, ethnic and cul-

tural backgrounds of the stu-

dents of the school. The com-

school-wide

D. Learn and implement con-

flict resolution and media-

tion skills

E. Provide service to school

and community

Elementary Level Responsi-

bilities

Each elementary school will

create a multicultural commit-

tee composed of a balance of

students by gender and grade

level, representing a cross-

Page 3 C iv ic V irtue Volume 1, I ssue 1

section of the racial, religious,

and cultural backgrounds of

the students of the school.

Members will learn about dif-

ferent cultures, participate in

multicultural activities and pro-

grams, and will initiate at least

1 (one school-wide activity per

year).

F.S. 1001.32(2). 1001.41,

1001.42 1001.43

Vision

A community free from dis-

crimination where every

individual is treated with

dignity and respect.

Mission

Promote dialogue and re-

spect among all cultures,

religions and races by culti-

vating leaders to change

communities.

Core Values

Diversity

Inclusion

Engagement

Fenech, Cathy

Instructional Staff Developer/Bullying

Prevention Specialist

(727) 588-6338

FAX: 588-6199

fenechc@pcsb.org

Flora, Cindy

Coordinator

Principal's Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC)

(727) 638-3074

florac@pcsb.org

Gallina, Val

Character Education

Prevention Office

(727) 588-6133

gallinav@pcsb.org

Gundle-Bradley, Gerri

Teacher on Special Assignment

Community Tampa Bay

(727) 568-9333

GBradley@communitytampabay.org

gundle-bradleyg@pcsb.org

Reubens, Joan

Bullying Prevention Specialist

(727) 588-6348

reubensj@pcsb.org

Pinellas County Schools

Largo Administration Bldg.

301 4th St. SW

Largo, FL

33770

The School Board of Pinellas County, Florida, prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, reli-

gion, national origin, marital status, age, sexual orientation or disability in any of its programs, services or activities.

Pinellas County Schools

We’re on the Web!

Bullying Prevention (under Parents and Students/Safety

and Wellness)

https://www.pcsb.org/index.php?option=com_content&vie

w=article&id=932:bullying-prevention&catid=130

Character Education (under Parents and Students/Safety

and Wellness)

https://www.pcsb.org/index.php?option=com_content&vie

w=article&id=368:commitment-to-character&catid=131

Community Tampa Bay

http://www.communitytampabay.org/

PMAC (Under Academics/Multicultural Committee)

https://www.pcsb.org/index.php?option=com_content&vie

w=article&id=1704&Itemid=1355

Pinellas County School Board

Robin L. Wikle

Carol J. Cook

Janet R. Clark

Glenton Gilzean, Jr.

Terry Krassner

Linda S. Lerner

Peggy L. O’Shea

John A. Stewart, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Newsletter Editor

Cindy Flora,

PMAC Coordinator,

Multicultural Staff Developer Civic Action Project

http://www.crfcap.org/