94-07-13 Area Teachers to Gain Help in Reducing School Violence

       Notice to the media:  Educators from Albemarle, Augusta,
Amherst, Nelson, Page, Prince Edward and Richmond county schools
and Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Lynchburg city schools will
spend July 18-22 learning how to reduce the threat of violence in
their schools. 
       Senator Edgar S. Robb (R-25th District) will welcome the
participants on July 18 and talk about the need to reduce youth
aggression.  For more information on the participants or the daily
sessions, contact Roseann Parks in U.Va.'s continuing education
division at (804) 982-5313.

AREA TEACHERS TO GAIN HELP IN REDUCING SCHOOL VIOLENCE 

       CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., July 13 -- Police officers,
psychologists and educators will help Central Virginia teachers
reduce youth violence and enhance school safety during an
institute July 18-22 at the University of Virginia's Zehmer Hall.
       Nationally recognized faculty from numerous disciplines--
including specialists in juvenile violence and gangs--will give
participants a theoretical understanding of the factors
contributing to youth aggression and provide practical strategies
for reducing the behavior 
during the "Institute on Youth
Aggression:  Promoting a Safe School Environment" sponsored by
U.Va.'s continuing education division.
       Participants will learn about the psychology of youth
aggression, the cultural and social factors that can incite
violence and patterns of family and community life that fuel
aggressive behavior.  They will also gain strategies for
preventing suicides and dealing with attacks and drug activity in
the schools.
       "Participants will not only gain tools for coping with the
threat of violence, they will acquire the means to spur a
collaborative effort uniting schools, communities, parents and
government and law enforcement agencies to reduce youth
violence," said Dyanne Bostain, director of the Virginia Youth
Aggression and Youth Violence Project.
       Started last fall by U.Va.'s continuing education division,
the project offers Virginia educators a series of courses
addressing factors related to youth violence.
       Because project faculty are convinced that the long-term
solution to reducing youth violence is through new collaborative
efforts, they have combined their skills and expertise to develop
guidelines for helping teachers and community representatives,
Bostain said.        
       "The project represents unusual and newly forged
relationships between U.Va. and other universities, law
enforcement and community agency officials and the Federal Bureau
of Investigation," she said.
       Virginia Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-3rd District) and the
American Psychological Association cited the project during a May
17 hearing on Capitol Hill as being an innovative community-based
approach for reducing juvenile violence.
       "We know of no other project in the nation that provides the
depth of training or breadth of collaboration for educators
facing the threat of violence," Bostain said.
       As a follow-up to the institutes being held at several sites
throughout Virginia this summer, the University will offer
televised courses during the 1994-95 school year.
                                             ###
                                                                             
  July 12, 1994
       FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Dyanne Bostain at (804) 552-
1890 or the faculty listed on the enclosed.  The institute's
schedule is also enclosed.

Karen A. Castle
University News Office
kac@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu
(804) 924-7116


[Submitted by: Karen A. Castle  (kac@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu)
               Wed, 13 Jul 94 12:38:10 EDT]