Area 1: Goals:

The mission of the Montclair Health and Wellness Initiative is to enhance student achievement through curriculum and support services aimed at improving student health, social-emotional development, and social problem-solving skills. It is aligned with the Comprehensive Health & Physical Education Standards and the Programs to Support Student Development Code.

Area 2: Activities:

The Montclair Health & Wellness Initiative identifies gaps in policies, procedures, programs, & curriculum, in family life; social problem-solving, conflict resolution, bullying, character education, and violence prevention; substance abuse prevention and early intervention; intervention and referral for students with academic, behavior, or health concerns; and health, safety, and physical education, through evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of existing curricula and programs; identifies effective policies, programs, & curricula in the areas in which gaps have been identified; works collaboratively with the district, parents, and community partners to implement effective policies, programs, & curricula; provides ongoing support to maintain implementation and measure effectiveness.

Unique features include an Executive Committee of 8 major partners (Public Schools, Council of PTAs, Education Association, Fund for Educational Excellence, Health Department, Mountainside Hospital, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network-SPAN, and Mental Health Association of Essex County); two volunteer co-chairs and coordinator; 11 volunteer PTA liaisons (1 per school); subcommittees on bullying prevention & intervention, social problem-solving, gang prevention, physical health, nutrition & exercise, family life, and intervention & referral services; involvement of over 20 community organizations, school staff (including Student Assistance Counselors, physical education teachers, school and district administrators), parents, private practitioners, clergy, municipal support, and community activists, and over 250 members.

The Initiative has a Youth Advisory Board of middle and high school students, and linkages with existing peer leadership and community service student groups.

Area 3: Outside Resources:

Partners offer services to students &/or their families. Examples include Mountainside Hospital Family Practice med/bio lectures to the Medical/Biology Small Learning Community at Montclair High School, and Mountainside Hospital Family Practice medical interns facilitating lunchtime and after-school conversations with youth on sex, sexuality, etc.; student mentoring programs; a middle school Friday afterschool "drop in" center; Mega Skills - training parents; Montclair Counseling Center, Mental Health Association of Essex County, and COPE Counseling Center facilitating groups and providing direct counseling to youth in crisis or engaged in substance abuse or violence; articles on student health and wellness issues in the Montclair Times; police & fire officers, parents, and Student Assistance Counselors trained to provide Strengthening Families program to at risk adolescents and their families.

Partners participate on district committees aimed at evaluating and improving curriculum and programs, including committees to implement Programs to Support Student Development Code and Intervention & Referral Services teams; develop a bullying curriculum; more deeply implement social problem-solving throughout the district and gauge its effectiveness in a uniform, measurable way; review and revise the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education curriculum.

Partners also provide staff development and TA to implement effective programs such as "advisories" for students in the middle and high schools; bullying curriculum and policies; gang prevention; and anger management for adolescents. Financial resources have been provided by MPS; Healthy Adolescent Partnership grant from the NJ Department of Health; Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, which provided funding for the development of our Resources Guide, available to all parents and school staff; Mountainside Hospital, which provided financial support for our parent, teacher, and student surveys; United Way of North Essex (health resource materials/bullying); Junior League of Montclair-Newark for student and educator stress reduction program; and distribution of Helmets by Mountainside Hospital (120 youth), among others.

Area 4: Evaluation:

A major impact of this collaboration has been the acknowledgement that health is crucial to a student's success. Parent (1700 returned surveys), educator (600 returned surveys), and youth surveys have been conducted throughout the Initiative and demonstrate that students are feeling more connected to their schools and to adults in their community and more willing to ask for help when they need it, and that the school environment is improving. There has been a significant decrease in suspensions and violent crime as a result of middle and high school advisories and teacher participation in anger management professional development.

Parent involvement has increased. Over 40 parents are directly involved as volunteer parent liaisons, serving as a link between parents and the Initiative; over 500 parents and their children participated in "From Girls/Boys to Women/Men" nights for 5th graders transitioning to middle school and adolescence, over 300 parents and teenagers have participated in forums on dating, relationships, and communication; and over 400 families have participated in "Y Nights" aimed at encouraging parents to exercise with their children.

A bullying curriculum has been developed and is being implemented; the health and physical education curriculum is being updated and enhanced; the Intervention & Referral Services teams have been organized and provided with intensive training and a Resource Guide to help them assist students.

Area 5: Stability:

Major organizational components include Measurable Goals and Objectives; monthly initiative meetings; PTA liaisons and H&W Committees in each school; Communications Committee; Fundraising Committee; an Executive Committee; and one FT and 3 PT coordinators. Current funding includes the NJ Department of Health's Healthy Adolescent Partnership grant ($109,000/year for 3 years); Montclair Public Schools ($33,000/year for 2 part-time Coordinators, and for school mini-grants); SPAN and the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence ($5,000 for a part-time Social Problem-Solving implementation coordinator). Junior League and United Way funds to purchase resources for families on critical issues, housed at the public library.

Area 6: Endorsements:

By recognizing the importance of health to overall student success, the Health & Wellness Initiative has utilized both a collaborative and comprehensive approach to provide a variety of support services for students in the public schools. The positive impact that this initiative has had for students, staff, parents and community is far reaching and includes but is not limited to improvement of student attitude; decrease in suspension and violent crime; improved parent involvement; comprehensive staff development programs; update/enhancement of health and bullying curriculum; and improvement of overall school climate. The Health and Wellness/Healthy Adolescent Partnership is the embodiment of a comprehensive collaboration which works together successfully for the betterment of the entire school community.

Dr. Frank Alvarez, Superintendent

The MPS Health and Wellness Initiative and its Healthy Adolescent Partnership have been significant catalysts for positive outcomes in the delivery of health services for Montclair students and their families. The Initiative's message that students' health is integral to their academic success has struck a deep chord with parents and the community at large. The Initiative has energized hundreds of parents and concerned citizens to volunteer their time in many productive and noteworthy ways… The Initiative's proven ability to bring together school personnel, parents, and community health and law enforcement professionals to educate students and their families about health issues makes it most deserving of the Exemplary Partnership Award.

Eileen Sweeney, Parent & volunteer

The Montclair Public Schools' Health & Wellness Initiative has enabled us to better achieve our mission of serving youth and families in Essex County. As a founding member of the Initiative, the Mental Health Association has been involved for over four years in successfully working with Montclair middle and elementary schools to promote mental health, especially among those students and families who may be in need of services but not able to afford them.

Marvin Gorsky, Director of Family Services