CM Executive Director Delivers Keynote Address at Bullying Prevention Conference in BostonJun 15 2010by Jennifer O’Donnell, Senior Program and Media Coordinator In the wake of the suicide of Phoebe Prince and the new anti-bullying legislation it sparked, the Massachusetts Coalition of School-based Health Centers sponsored a conference focused on presenting solutions to the problem of bullying. The conference, held June 8, included nearly 400 community-based organizations, educators, health professional, parents, and policy makers. As the Keynote Speaker, Community Matters Executive Director, Rick Phillips, shared with the audience that building a safer school climate is a complex process that requires a balance between attending to security as well as relationships. Too often schools have disproportionately focused on school safety from the “outside-in,” which focuses on security, is adult-driven and relies on rules and policies. Rick instead presented a complementary “inside-out” approach, which harnesses the power that students have to change things from within and puts them at the center of the solution. Following Rick’s presentation and the various bullying and violence prevention conference workshops and panels, audience members were asked to write down one personal and professional action that they would take to be the change that they wish to see in the world. Click here if you would like to download a power point from the Keynote presentation. 
Recent PostsRick Phillips Speaks On Bullying at the Clinton School of Public ServiceThe Clinton School of Public Service invited Rick Phillips, Executive Director of Community Matters as one of their Distinguished Speakers for their series of public lectures in Little Rock, Arkansas. Safe School Ambassadors school nationally recognized for its tolerance effortsMesa Linda Middle School in Victorville, CA was recognized as a “Mix It Up” Model School by the Teaching Tolerance Project. Straight Talk TNT - Teens ‘n Twenties Publishes Article Praising Safe School Ambassadors ProgramLauren Forcella, founder and editor of the website Straight Talk TNT: Teens ‘n Twenties, has written and published an article on her site praising the effectiveness of the Safe School Ambassadors program. Rick Phillips - Keynote Speaker at the National School Board Association ConferenceRick Phillips presented a two-hour keynote at the National School Board Association’s 71st Annual Conference on Saturday, April 8, held at the San Francisco Moscone Convention Center. SSA program Evaluation Report shows positive resultsA multi-year evaluation of the Safe School Ambassadors (SSA) program has been completed, with some very exciting and gratifying results. |