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[CONGRATULATIONS ! YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED.](zanylow.eu/qs=r-aejhfaeidkkcdjbajijbfeaceihhdbajkhgabababadiacgaccadjeaccjhacdhbcacb) zanylow.eu/qs=ua-aejhfaeidkkcdjbajijbfeaceihhdbajkhgabababadiacgaccadjeaccjhacdhbcacb zanylow.eu/qs=op-aejhfaeidkkcdjbajijbfeaceihhdbajkhgabababadiacgaccadjeaccjhacdhbcacb Dear Superintendent, Thank you for your interest in the training and technical assistance grant to implement the LifeSkills Training (LST) middle school program. The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) would like to take this opportunity to describe the LST initiative in more detail, and what the school(s) in your district will be committing to if you move forward with the grant beginning in fall 2018. The following describes key components of the LST model that have helped make the program effective in reducing adolescents’ tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, violence, and other high-risk behaviors. Please carefully consider whether or not you believe the school(s) in your district will be able to fully comply with these specifications. If so, we ask that you sign this letter and make sure it is returned to CSPV. Please understand that by signing this letter, you pledge your support to adhere to the fidelity and integrity of the LST model. Participants The grant will provide curriculum materials, training, and technical assistance for four years of LST implementation, with funding contingent upon annual renewal of this grant by the state of Colorado. The three levels of the LST program can be implemented in grades 6-8 or 7-9. If you are implementing in grades 6- 8, in Year 1 of this grant, 6 th grade students receive 15 LST lessons. In Year 2, 6 th grade students receive 15 LST lessons and 7th grade students receive 10 booster sessions. In Years 3 and 4, 6 th grade students receive 15 lessons, 7th grade students receive 10 booster sessions, and 8th grade students receive 5 booster sessions. Additional, optional violence prevention lessons are included in each level. The program is designed to be implemented school-wide, so all students in participating grades receive the curriculum. Teachers A successful implementation of LST in your school(s) is predicated on active, enthusiastic teacher participation. Please help ensure that all teachers in the participating schools are informed about the project. Teachers should be made aware of the philosophy of the program and the extent to which it has been shown to reduce participants’ drug, tobacco, and alcohol use. In addition, teachers must realize that the success of the program is contingent on their following the LST model. Thus, they must be prepared to closely follow the curriculum and teach all lessons in their entirety. If your district would like to receive these four years of funding, all LST instructors must attend a 2-day training workshop provided by the grant prior to implementation. Level 1 teachers will be trained in Year 1, Level 2 and new Level 1 teachers in Year 2, and Level 3 and new Level 1 and 2 teachers in Year 3. All teachers will have received training by Year 4. Only instructors who have been trained will be eligible to teach the curriculum. We thank you for your cooperation in approving training workshops and ensuring that teachers do not have competing training to attend during this time. Teacher stipends will be paid for training workshops held during the summer, and pay/reimbursement for substitutes will be provided by the grant for training workshops conducted during the school year. Teacher feedback forms will be completed by LST instructors each year. These brief online evaluations will enhance CSPV’s ability to assess the quality of the implementation process at the site. Teachers will receive a $20 gift card for survey completion. Center for the Study & Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado 483 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 | 303-492-1032 Phone | 303-492-2151 Fax | blueprints@colorado.edu Classroom Observations CSPV will monitor the implementation process to ensure program delivery is occurring as planned. To help achieve this goal, we will hire on-site evaluators to observe LST classroom sessions and assess the degree to which sessions are being taught with fidelity and integrity to the program. Observers will be a neutral presence in the classroom, noting whether or not teachers make the main points of each session. They will not provide feedback to instructors about their performance, and their visits will be unannounced. Observers will make regular classroom visits during all four years of implementation. They will conduct four observations of each teacher implementing Level 1of the curriculum, three observations of each Level 2 teacher, and two observations of each Level 3 teacher. A total of four observations will be completed each year of teachers who provide more than one level of the curriculum. We appreciate your cooperation in allowing evaluators to attend these class sessions. Feasibility Visit A CSPV representative will conduct an on-site visit after implementation plans have been submitted to CSPV to describe the elements of LST, answer questions, and determine final program fit. It is important that this meeting be attended by all those with responsibility for the adoption of LST. Sending representatives from all levels is informative to those involved and helps to build an early platform of support for the program. It is respectfully requested that District Superintendents attend this meeting, schedule permitting. Site Visits A CSPV representative will visit each site annually during program implementation. Visits will be made to as many participating schools as possible each year. The representative will meet with school principals and LST teachers, as available, as well as attend LST classroom sessions to gain a better understanding of the site’s experiences with the program. CSPV hopes to identify obstacles faced during implementation and how sites overcome these problems, and to discover how students are responding to the program. The visit will allow teachers and administrators to express their opinions regarding the curriculum, assess needs for further training and technical assistance, and obtain feedback regarding their implementation of the program. Sustainability Training A partnering organization will offer two types of regional sustainability training workshops: (1) Training of Trainers (TOT), which certify instructors as district trainers, eliminating the expense of outside trainers following the grant; and (2) Sustainability Trainings, which provide customized sustainability information. This workshop will provide support for teams of participants in designing and completing planning work in connection with a larger sustainability building process. It is important that this training be attended by key individuals who are responsible for the long-term sustainability of LST. Thank you for considering these issues. If you have any questions about the requirements of the program or the grant, please contact: Diane Ballard | 303-735-4164 | diane.ballard@colorado.edu I understand the points outlined above and will help ensure that the participating schools in my district adhere to all defined protocols. _______________________________________ ________________________________________ (Name) (School District) _______________________________________ ______________________