Back ST. LOUIS (Friday, October 25, 2002) – The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter today announced the progress of its Safe Schools pilot program with the Hazelwood School District. Since 2000, the Red Cross Safe Schools Pilot Program has trained nearly 10,000 students, teachers and administrators in the Hazelwood School District for emergency preparedness and violence prevention. To kick-off the third year of the program, 50 Hazelwood students packed and placed 120 “First Aid Backpacks” in the classrooms of participating schools on Friday. Other third-year goals include: •Improving Post-Test Scores: While the first two years of the pilot program showed significant skill improvement in CPR and First Aid pre- and post-test scores, the Red Cross Health and Safety experts will continue to administer pre- and post-tests and monitor the success of the program. •Develop Outreach to Parents:ents will be offered educational sessions on school safety and behavioral issues. Parents will receive ongoing communication through direct mail and an online newsletter. •Inrease the number of “Capturing Kids Hearts” participants: The “Capturing Kids Hearts” program is designed to help school personnel create an environment that is conducive to learning and focused on managing behavior, creating respect, and building productive relationships. This workshop will be more widely available to faculty during the third year. •Provide In-Service Training for NOVA Trained Counselors: The National Organization for Victims Assistance (NOVA) will provide continual in-service training, combining counselors with other trained groups to provide opportunities for teachers and school officials to refresh and improve their skills. •Improve Program Evaluation: Philliber Research Associates (PRA) will develop additional tracking mechanisms to measure the impact of Safe Schools on school climate, including behaviors and attitudes which impact school violence. Teacher surveys will also be given to determine how students are using the skills taught through the Safe Schools program in conflict situations. Pilot Program Accomplishments The following figures reflect Hazelwood School District accomplishments during the first two years of the Safe Schools Program: • Hazelwood’s disaster plan was refined and communicated, ensuring that all partners are now fully prepared to respond to a disaster or emergency. • Teachers offered life-saving instruction to 9,000 students as a result of Red Cross training and the implementation of the Safe Schools Program. • 400 administrators, teachers, and counselors received training in a program called “Capturing Kids Hearts,” which focused on creating a school environment that is safer, friendlier, and more conducive to learning. • Over 100 bus drivers were trained in First Aid, becoming prepared to respond to injuries before the arrival of EMS. • 60 counselors and staff participated in NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) training, 30 of them from other districts. • Over 50 teachers were trained to offer CPR/First Aid as part of the curriculum in health classes for grades 7 – 12. • 35 parents attended sessions provided by the National Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, including anger-management, conflict resolution and how to recognize warning signs and guide their children’s behavior. Due to success in the Hazelwood School District and increased funding for the Safe Schools program, the St. Louis Area Chapter is now expanding its Safe Schools program to Belleville Public Schools, District 118 and Belleville Township High School, District 201 this fall. Safe Schools is funded by Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, AT&T Wireless, and Target Stores, with additional funding provided by The Tilles Fund, The Baer Foundation, and the Roblee Foundation. About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter provides emergency and preparedness assistance to more than 354,000 St. Louis-area residents each year. The Red Cross depends on the efforts of 14,700 volunteers and 150 staff to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, adult daytime professional care, services to military personnel, assistance to homeless families, and support for blood services. The Chapter provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair and part of Madison County in Illinois.

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