Capital Idea!Addressing

Sexual Health Needs of Middle School Students in the District of Columbia

Kurt Conklin, MPH, CHESSchool Health Project Coordinator,

SIECUS

kconklin@siecus.org

or (212) 819-9770 x322

Society of State LeadersNational Conference:

Leadership Through Collaboration

March 24, 2011San Diego

Dedicated to…

Ellwood Cubberley– San Diego

Superintendent of Schools, 1896-98

– Author, Public Education in the U.S. (1919)

– Dean of Education, Stanford U. (1917-33)

And to…

Paulo Freire– Literacy educator,

Brazil (b.1921-d.1997)– Author, Pedagogy of

the Oppressed. (1970)– UNESCO Prize for

Education for Peace (1986)

What is ‘dialogical action’?

Freire:

Education (and training) that emphasizes two-way communication to promote understanding, cultural creation, and liberation

Contrasted with: non-dialogic actions, which deny dialogue, distort communication, and simply reproduce power.

A thousand words is worth a picture:

Structural Challenges to HIV Education

• 45,000 public school students– 20% in special ed– 66% reduced or free school lunch

• 125 traditional public schools

• Nearly 100 charter schools• 1 in 3 DC students is enrolled in a charter

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

What:

Capacity-building for District of Columbia Schools

When:

Summer 2009 -2011 and beyond

Why:• To address Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) disparities• To increase collaboration between schools and MCH providers and allies• To build capacity of school stakeholders to strengthen sexual health promotion,

services, and education

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

Who:

Up to 15 DC public middle schools and charter middle/high schools (4,000+ students)

OSSE: Office of State Superintendent of Education – Wellness & Nutrition Services

DCPS: District of Columbia Public Schools – Office of Youth Engagement

SIECUS: NGO founded in 1964 to support comprehensive sexuality education

CDC-DASH: Division of Adolescent and School Health (project funder)

How:

Step 1: Identify target group and schools

Step 2: Assemble ARSH stakeholder teams

Step 3: Administer needs assessment tool (quantitative data)

Step 4: Site visits with teams (qualitative data)

Step 5: Draft proposals for projects; teams review and select

Step 6: Draft work plans for selected projects; teams review and finalize

Step 7: Implement projects

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

Schools since Fall 2009 (and Ward):Oyster-Adams Bilingual School (DCPS) 3Alice Deal M.S. (DCPS) 3Young America Works (OSSE) 4Hamilton Academy (DCPS) 5Stuart-Hobson M.S. (DCPS) 6Kelly Miller M.S. (DCPS) 7Maya Angelou (OSSE) 7Sousa M.S. (DCPS) 7Kramer M.S. (DCPS) 8Hart M.S. (DCPS) 8Thurgood Marshall Academy (OSSE) 8

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

School Teams

Typically 4-6 staff and parent representative

Teams vary widely, reflecting each school’s unique existing capacities

The ideal:

Health/PE Teacher

Other subject teacher

Principal or Assistant Principal

Parent Representative

School counselor/social worker

School Nurse

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

Assessing Needs: Areas of Inquiry

Sexual Health Instruction HIV/STD-Related Health Disparities Overall School Environment General Cultural Competency Engaging LGBQ Youth Engaging Transgender Youth

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

Themes from the data

Self-rated highly:

Cultural competence

Engaging at-risk youth

Referrals for ARSH services

Accessing HIV-related data

Areas for capacity-building:

Professional development on LGBQ & Trans issues

Parent outreach and engagement

Working more closely with colleagues

Additional ARSH informational resources

More ARSH community partners

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

Potential Projects:

PD on “hard-to-teach” topics

Publications for adolescents: Sex Etc. from Answer (Rutgers U.) Talk About Sex (SIECUS)

‘Positive Phone Calling’ to parents

Service learning projects with local partner CBOs and MCH programs

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

Evolving Steps:

Work Plans Budgets Timelines Roles and Responsibilities Impact Measures Additional Schools

Summer Newsletters

• Sustaining momentum during school break

• Raising awareness– Local resources– National news

Challenges

• Student altercation

• Charter revoked

• Death of principal

• School overwhelmed

• Spending/non-spending issues

Case Study: Browne E.C.

• Enrollment Fair

• PhotoVoice

• PartnerSmithsonian Institution

Case Study: Sousa M.S.

• Teacher PD

• Puberty

• PartnersDC Dept. of Health &

Metro Teen AIDS

Case Study: Alice Deal M.S.

• Teacher PD

• LGBQ and Trans

• PartnersSIECUS, GLSEN, APA

Partners Galore!

• Metro Teen AIDS• DC Health Dept.• Whitman-Walker Clinic• SMYAL (Sexual Minority

Youth Assistance League)

• Young Women’s Project• 100 Black Men of

Greater Washington DC

• Clínica del Pueblo • Boys & Girls Clubs of

Greater DC• Transgender Health &

Empowerment• Smithsonian Institution• Answer• GLSEN• APA

Sexual Health Promotion Through NGO/School Partnerships

For more information (and special thanks to):

Aisha Moore aisha.moore@dc.gov

Program Specialist, Youth Risk Behaviors - Wellness and Nutrition Services

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Washington DC Phone: 202-481-3939

Andrea DeSantis andrea.desantis@dc.gov

Risk Reduction Coordinator - Office of Youth Engagement

District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)

Washington DC Phone:  202-442-5040