# Presentation: 230249

## Integrating GRAA intothe Core Curriculum

**Presented by:**
**Jeffrey S. Rain, PhD**
**Tracy A. Lewis, BSW, MA Elementary Ed**
**Brevard County School District**
**Brevard County, Florida**

- GRAA National Training and TA Meeting
- Atlanta, Georgia
- January 9 – 12, 2007

## Establishing Buy-In

- Overcoming teacher concerns/fears by using teachers who participated before to help in training new implementing teachers
- Correlation of Sunshine State Standards to lessons
- Clear identification of “what is in it for them” – Not more work, but a replacement to what is already in place
- Correlation to A++ requirements for health education under which SFDS falls and the District Superintendent’s goals for Brevard County
- Use of top-down recruiting approach – district-principals-curriculum coordinators-individual teachers
- Use of evaluation data

## Making the Connection Between Prevention and the Curriculum

- Identification of where Lions Quest fit within the existing curriculum
- Glencoe Health book was not a prevention curriculum, it held only one chapter of drug education ---  Now there is a substance abuse prevention lessons with a service learning component.

## Teacher Training/Professional Staff Development

- Used experienced teachers as a resource to help train new implementing teachers (Peer to peer training)
- Training provided teachers with inservice credits towards recertification (similar to CEUs)
- Teachers are trained 2x per year (Spring for benefits and core; Fall for re-iteration and logistics)

## Working with Program Developers on Fidelity Issues

- Program staff, evaluators and program developers worked together to adapt program, while maintaining fidelity, to the curriculum window
- Program adaptations to match target population (middle to high school students)
- Adaptations were made prior to program inception

## Evaluations

- Feedback Loop:  Use of evaluation data in recruiting and buy-in
- Preliminary results and learning points
- Planned adaptations, minimizing unplanned modifications
- Carefully balanced process between fidelity and reality to break into the high schools – students elect class schedule (core and elective), block scheduling, no prior comprehensive prevention program
- From process and prevention standpoint, our initial opinion of why this has been successful thus far (in health ed and fitness classes): teachers have health and fitness as part of their professional careers, and have prior exposure to health-related, risk-reduction theory. Less time is required to bring these teachers up to speed with prevention theory, risk and resiliency, healthy choices, etc.

## Reinforcing the Message in Other Activities

- Program components, service learning projects which exposed students school-wide
- Other grant elements:  SADD Clubs gained exposure as well and completed many projects school-wide
- Red Ribbon Week
- Prom Promise
- Speakers/Demonstrations
- Poster contests
- Holiday Safety Campaigns
- After completing initial grant requirements for implementation, all teachers have continued to teach the curriculum without Federal funding (sustainability)
- Some teachers have expanded the program to include all components of the curriculum and have increased the scope of service learning projects

## Measures Used

- Process Evaluation
- Focused on: (1) fidelity to the intervention, (2) time & resources, (3) readiness & qualifications of staff, and (4) fidelity to management plan.
- Tools used: Key Informant Interview, classroom observation, and Fidelity Assessment
- Outcome Evaluation
- Self-report surveys (19 scales, including GPRA measures: Binge drinking, Disapproval of use, and Perception of Harm)

## Supportive Data

- Results from 6-month Follow-up Posttest
- Trends for Binge Drinking and Disapproval of Use
- Significant change in Best Friends’ Use
- Comparison of program adaptations support fidelity
- Attrition as process cue for posttest

## Connection with Key Stakeholders Outside of the School Setting

- Local Lions Quest Involvement
- Continued contact with Lions Quest International
- Service Learning at some of our schools:  Students interviewed community members and also created community resource guides
- Building social capital:
- For students in the community through service learning projects
- For community members connecting with students through service learning projects
- For schools as a result of students making the connections with community members