Capital Idea!Addressing
Sexual Health Needs of Middle School Students in the District of Columbia
Kurt Conklin, MPH, CHESSchool Health Project Coordinator,
SIECUS
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 [email protected]
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 [email protected]
Risk Reduction Coordinator - Office of Youth Engagement
District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
Washington DC Phone: 202-442-5040