NCJ Number
45936
Journal
American Education Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1977) Pages: 17-22
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES A CRISIS COUNSELING PROGRAM IN A SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, HIGH SCHOOL WHICH HAS ELIMINATED VIOLENCE IN THE SCHOOL AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED INCIDENTS OF VANDALISM.
Abstract
ONE-THIRD OF THE FAMILIES SERVED BY SAN JOSE'S YERBA BUENA HIGH SCHOOL ARE ON WELFARE. OF THE SCHOOL'S 1,900 STUDENTS, HALF ARE MEXICAN-AMERICAN, ONE-SEVENTH ARE BLACK, AND THE REMAINDER ARE WHITE WITH A SMALL NUMBER OF ASIAN-AMERICANS AND AMERICAN INDIANS. THE AREA'S POPULATION IS HIGHLY TRANSIENT; HALF OF THE SCHOOL'S STUDENTS REMAIN FOR ONE TERM OR LESS. YET YERBA BUENA HAS EXPERIENCED NO STUDENT VIOLENCE IN 3 YEARS AND FEW CASES OF VANDALISM. ACCORDING TO A RECENT NATIONAL SURVEY, MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS SPEND FROM $1 TO $13 PER STUDENT PER YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY VANDALS. YERBA BUENA SPENDS LESS THAN $1,000 A YEAR. CRISIS COUNSELING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SUCCESS IN REDUCING SCHOOL VIOLENCE. DEVELOPED JUST AFTER THE SCHOOL OPENED IN 1971, THIS COUNSELING PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER TITLE III OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT AND RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $30,000 A YEAR IN FUNDING. THE PROGRAM IS CENTERED ON A CRISIS TEAM TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE AND AID YOUTHS WHO CANNOT RELATE TO SCHOOL. HARDCORE CRISIS STUDENTS, THE MOST DIFFICULT GROUP TO DEAL WITH, OFTEN ARE BEYOND CONTROL BOTH AT HOME AND AT SCHOOL. THEY FREQUENTLY DISPLAY HOSTILITY OR PASSIVE RESISTANCE, AND ARE PRONE TO DRUG ADDICTION. CRISIS TEAM MEMBERS FREQUENTLY SPOT POTENTIAL CRISIS STUDENTS AND SITUATIONS IN THEIR BEGINNING STAGES, AND QUICKLY STEP IN TO HELP STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ON A SHORT AND LONG TERM BASIS. PARENTS ARE AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THE CRISIS COUNSELING SYSTEM, AND THE SCHOOL OFFERS SPECIAL DAY AND EVENING CRISIS CLASSES FOR PARENTS OF PROBLEM CHILDREN. THE COUNSELING TEAM CONSISTS OF ALL NINE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL'S REGULAR COUNSELING DEPARTMENT, A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, AND A SCHOOL LIAISON CONSULTANT. OFTEN MORE THAN ONE TEAM MEMBER WILL WORK WITH A SINGLE STUDENT THROUGH A COMBINATION OF COUNSELING AND A LEARNING CENTER THAT PROVIDES REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION IN READING AND MATHEMATICS. STUDENTS ARE ALSO OFFERED INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION IN SPECIAL CLASSES WHEN THEY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE NORMAL CLASSROOM. ALSO AVAILABLE TO CRISIS STUDENTS ARE COUNSELING AND TUTORING BY THEIR CLASSMATES, AND IN-HOME ASSISTANCE ON A TEMPORARY BASIS. COUNSELING PROGRAMS FOR PARENTS OF CRISIS STUDENTS ARE DESCRIBED, AS ARE GUIDELINES FOR OBTAINING THE COOPERATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, THE POLICE, AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY. EXTENSION OF COUNSELING AND REMEDIAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS AT THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL IS ALSO DISCUSSED.