Training School Personnel Research Articles

Implementation and Performance of a Point-of-Care COVID-19 Test Program in 4,000 California Schools

To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of an unprecedented COVID-19 antigen testing program in schools, which required a healthcare provider order, laboratory director, a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certificate of waiver, as well as training of school personnel. Descriptive report of a point-of-care, school-based antigen testing program in California from August 1st, 2021 through May 30, 2022, in which participants grades K-12 self-swabbed and school personnel performed testing. Participants included 944 009 students, personnel, and community members from 4022 California kindergarten through high schools. Outcomes measured include sensitivity and specificity (with polymerase chain reaction [PCR] as comparator) of the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen test, number of tests performed, and active infections identified. Of 102 022 paired PCR/antigen tests, the overall sensitivity and specificity for the antigen test was 81.2% (95% CI: 80.5%-81.8%) and 99.6% (95% CI: 99.5%-99.6%), respectively, using cycle threshold values<30. During January through March 2022, the highest prevalence period, the positive predictive value of antigen testing was 94.7% and the negative predictive value was 94.2%. Overall, 4022 school sites were enrolled and 3 987 840 million antigen tests were performed on 944 009 individuals. A total of 162 927 positive antigen tests were reported in 135 163 individuals (14.3% of persons tested). Rapidly implementing a school-based testing program in thousands of schools is feasible. Self-swabbing and testing by school personnel can yield accurate results. On-site COVID-19 testing is no longer necessary in schools, but this model provides a framework for future infectious disease threats.

Father involvement in a comprehensive elementary school: building capacity and understanding

PurposeAs part of a larger grant-funded project, a professional development (PD) series was conducted within the framework of a school–university partnership to improve teachers’ capacity to meaningfully include fathers and father figures in the school environment, with a particular focus on fathers of children with disabilities. The authors sought to understand the extent to which a school-wide PD framed through the lens of a father of a child with a disability might inform practice with sustainable implementation. Due to the pandemic, the original format of the PD was redesigned for virtual delivery.Design/methodology/approachA three-phase data collection and analysis approach included a pre-PD survey, a post-PD survey and a one-year follow-up survey. All surveys included both quantitative and qualitative self-report data components.FindingsResults suggest school personnel found the virtual PD valuable, gleaning several useful strategies for reflecting on their own practices, working to improve communication with families of children with disabilities and more meaningfully including fathers and father figures in future school-related activities and programing.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, the sample size of the present study was small, and participation was variable across PD sessions. In addition, participants self-selected into the series, and therefore, they may be more likely to value father-figure involvement with or without participation in the PD series. The small sample size may minimize the generalizability of these results across other replicable settings and participants. Second, the results of the pre-PD survey could be positively skewed since the university partner’s initial delivery of PD related to this topic began in 2018. In the pre-PD survey, the majority of respondents indicated, as an example, that they believed father involvement was correlated with higher academic achievement. It is not clear if respondents held these beliefs independently at the inception of the partnership or if they perhaps learned of these connections during an earlier PD offered by the authors.Practical implicationsThe current study offers a small glimpse into the world of a school–university partnership and its ability to actualize meaningful reflection on family engagement practices. Results also indicate a greater awareness of significant male figures/fathers and their needs. Content delivered during each PD supports capacity building in terms of teachers’ ability to see fathers and father figures as meaningful contributors within the context of the school environment. Participants mentioned that the PD taught them ways to recognize and remediate some of the insidious communication barriers that exist.Social implicationsParticipants stated that they grew in their understanding of intentional connections with significant male figures, noting a concerted effort to ensure communication of information pertaining to school events, conferences and, in some cases, individualized educational programs (IEPs). Staff members also felt as though the pandemic fostered greater connections with fathers who were working at home and who were simultaneously helping their children access online learning platforms. However, it is noteworthy that the latter benefit was likely a positive side effect of mandatory home-based learning as opposed to a direct result of the present study. Socially, the authors all find ourselves embarking on a bit of social uncertainty, where perhaps it is no longer appropriate or significant to mention one's gender. Nonetheless, the research highlights the unique contributions that fathers and father figures can make to children's positive trajectory, and the authors espouse that the current study suggests that virtual PD sessions can help train school personnel to recognize and foster such relationships.Originality/valueThe past few decades have ushered in an awareness of significant male involvement and its importance in the development of young children. Despite this surge of interest, the research on father/significant male involvement in the school context remains limited. Additionally, the implementation of virtual PD and its potential positive impacts remain largely unexplored, especially when the intersection with father engagement practices is considered. As such, the authors espouse that the present study reflects a unique combination of content and pedagogy.

Exploring changes in family functioning when a child participates in a School‐Based Filial Therapy program

AbstractChild focus is a central construct within Bowen family systems theory (Bowen theory). A clinical implication is that mental health treatment focusing on a child may unwittingly reinforce the operation of child‐focused processes, which undermine rather than enhance child well‐being. The concept of child focus in Bowen theory presents significant implications for professionals working in school settings and in fields such as children's mental health, which are inherently child‐focused. Bowen theory is the guiding theoretical framework for School‐Based Filial Therapy (SBFT). SBFT is a play therapy intervention that was initially established in remote and outer‐regional New South Wales, Australia in response to the low availability of children's mental health services and the significant barriers associated with caregiver engagement in children's mental health treatment. It involves trained school personnel facilitating therapeutic play sessions with children experiencing emotional–behavioural problems. The intervention occurs on school grounds, during school hours, and children's family members do not participate in the intervention. This mixed‐methods study examines the impact of children's participation in SBFT upon family functioning. Interviews with caregivers (n = 10) of children who participated in 10 SBFT sessions were analysed using content analysis. Quantitative data were collected using the Differentiation of Self Inventory – Short Form and Visual Analogue Scale – Family Functioning. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyse the pre‐ and post‐data. Qualitative outcomes indicated changes in the categories of child functioning, caregiver functioning, and extended family functioning, whilst child‐focused processes remained dominant but changed in intensity and valence following SBFT.

Eager yet unprepared: Greek secondary education teachers facing homophobic violence in schools

The current study aims to investigate aspects of homophobic school-based violence from a teachers’ perspective. A sample of 453 secondary education teachers across Greece participated and reported their intention for reactions against four hypothetical scenarios of homophobic violence (psychological, verbal, cyberbullying, physical). When expressing high intention to intervene, teachers were more likely to inform other school staff. The majority of the respondents (86.1%) had not received training on homophobic violence during their university studies, while those who had received such postgraduate training manifested stronger intention to act. Female and middle school teachers reported a stronger intention to act compared to male and high school teachers, respectively. Only 11% of the participants stated that their school had an action plan against homophobic violence. These results call for the development of school personnel training on homophobic violence and for the implementation of LGBTQIA + inclusive anti-harassment policies.

Развитие института наставничества в рамках внутрикорпоративного повышения квалификации персонала в общеобразовательной школе

The purpose of the study is to describe the conditions for the development of the institution of mentoring within the framework of internal corporate training of personnel in a secondary school. The scientific novelty consists in identifying the opportunities for internal corporate training for the development of the institution of mentoring, substantiating the focus of non-formal training of school personnel on ensuring the quality of education. The result of the study is a description of the conditions for the development of the institution of mentoring within the framework of internal corporate training at school: the organization of educational cooperation between teachers; voluntary participation of personnel in internal corporate training; ensuring the unity of the development of a general educational organization and the professional growth of its staff; continuous training of school staff according to the 60/20/20 principle.

A study on the new mode of three-all-round education based on the four platforms of ideological and Political Education

Curriculum Civics is an important way to promote the "three-all-round education ", and it is the guarantee of the achievement of educational, moral and cultivation goals. Promoting the ideology and politics of the curriculum in the field of education means combining ideological and political knowledge with the diversity of knowledge in the curriculum, and organically unify them, play the role of each course in educating people, improve the quality of school personnel training, and realize students' world outlook and life in the process of knowledge imparting, Views and values. However, there are still many problems in the process of ideological and political construction. For example, in the course of curriculum development, it is difficult to develop a unified direction between professional and ideological and political theory courses, and it is difficult for teachers as a link to integrate curriculum ideological and political, difficulties in the organic integration of professional knowledge and ideological education, etc.Combined with the above problems, the article introduces the new model of four platforms and three education into the process of curriculum ideological and political construction, in order to achieve the goal of effectively promoting the ideological, political and moral education of the curriculum.

Addressing the Stigma: The Unvoiced Barriers to Muslim Arab Families’ Engagement in Their Children’s Education

The present phenomenological study examined the engagement experiences of five Muslim Arab parents in their children’s education and uncovered the current stigma against Muslim families, which negatively impacts their engagement in their children’s education. Identifying these needs and satisfying them will improve the educational experience for students of this minority and will ultimately lead to effective engagement with their families. Five emerging themes support this finding: neglecting to accommodate for religious sacraments, unmet hygienic jurisprudence needs, unsatisfied dietary needs, feeling unequal, and failed preparation for academic success. Based on these findings, this research calls for action agendas for reform and change by training school personnel to understand diverse students; adopting anti-bullying policies to counteract stereotyping; allowing students to perform their individual religious duties, which are well within their constitutional rights; and making dietary considerations and personal hygienic accommodations for Muslim children as a matter of social justice before we can even address their families’ engagement.

Practice and Exploration of Ideological and Political Teaching Mode of Track and Field Course in Colleges and Universities under the Background of Establishing Morality and Cultivating Students

Physical education curriculum ideological and political education is the new era of college physical education classroom, the ideological and political education throughout the school personnel training process. It is an important link for colleges and universities to implement the "three-wide education". In the context of the fundamental task of the Establishing Morality and Cultivating Students in schools. This paper, by using the methods of literature and logical analysis, focuses on the introduction of the teaching of basic theoretical knowledge, basic technology and skills of the course teachers of track and field in Colleges and universities. How to fully integrate the elements of Ideological and political education of track and field in the new era. To achieve the improvement of students' national feelings, humanistic quality and excellent skills. In order to cultivate excellent sports talents who are keen on China's physical education and realize the dream of sports power, this paper makes a comprehensive exploration and practice.

Professional Preparedness and Psychosocial Beliefs as Predictors of Quality Physical Education and Recreation Services to Students with Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine how professional preparedness and psychosocial beliefs affected behavioral intentions and quality service behaviors in providing physical education (PE) and recreation services to students with disabilities (SWD). Participants of an online survey included New Mexico adapted physical education (APE) teachers (N=42) and recreational therapists (RT; N=13) and a sample of PE teachers (N=63). Analyses revealed significant differences between PE teachers and personnel in specialty professional disciplines. APE and RT personnel reported greater positive attitudes, higher self-efficacy, greater behavioral intention, and more engagement in quality service behaviors than PE teachers. The results have implications for the selection and training of school personnel hired to provide PE and recreation services to SWD.

Key Drivers to Implement an Evidence-based Tobacco Control Programme in Schools of India: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background:Adolescence is an influential stage in students’ lives when lifelong behaviours such as tobacco use are formed. During these years, school teachers are important role models for tobacco control among students. A study was conducted among school personnel and administrators to understand the key drivers for implementing an evidence-based school tobacco control program. Methodology:A cross-sectional, mixed-method study was conducted in five districts of Assam, India. The quantitative study was conducted among 565 school personnel across 40 Government-aided schools. Data was collected by means of an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data was generated from 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) among 146 participants - District Program Officers, Block Education Officers, Cluster Coordinators, Headmasters and Teachers. Results:While the prevalence of smoked tobacco was low (3%), the use of smokeless tobacco was higher (40%), and the prevalence of use of areca nut without tobacco (65%) was still higher among school personnel. They were aware of the school policies prohibiting the use of tobacco among students within or outside school buildings or during school-sponsored activities (81%); they had rather limited knowledge about policy for themselves (58%). There was lack of access to training materials about prevention of tobacco use among youth. The FGDs amongst school personnel resulted in several constructive suggestions on tobacco control in schools mainly in training school teachers, monitoring the program and incentives for execution of the program. However, there was a reluctance to implement a smokeless tobacco control programme since many were current users of smokeless tobacco and areca nut. Conclusion:Tobacco control policies as well as training school personnel in schools need to improve and further measures must be taken to prohibit use of areca nut, which contains carcinogens. The existing system of the education department can be utilised to implement tobacco control programmes effectively.

Assisting Elementary School Personnel to Better Serve and Support Immigrant and Latine Heritage Children

Abstract A 2019 United Nations (UN) report declared the need for educational support by teachers for immigrant and refugee children across the world. These children directly or indirectly experience trauma throughout the migration process, which manifests in different aspects of their development. At the educational level, trauma can affect children’s ability to concentrate and learn. Trainings on trauma-informed teaching may not include the specific forms of trauma experienced by immigrant children during stages of migration or the impact of trauma caused by war, or the hatred that leads to genocide. This makes invisible the extreme, repeated, or varied traumatic events that may have been lived by children escaping from Central America’s Northern Triangle, which includes El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Teachers working with immigrant children need this information to be able to adapt their lessons and teaching style to meet children’s needs. The study discussed in this article attempts to address the reactions of trauma and fear on immigrant children by training and supporting teachers and staff in an elementary school who work with “Latine” children. This article presents a tested training module that responds to the call by the UN to assist immigrant children through the training of school personnel.

Management of food allergy in the school setting.

Food allergy is a growing health and safety concern that affects up to 8% of school-age children. Because children spend a significant part of their day in school, and the overall number of school-age children with food allergy has been increasing, management of food allergies relies on the collaboration of allergists, families, and schools to treat and prevent acute allergic reactions. For schools, this involves policies centered on food allergen avoidance, preparedness with epinephrine autoinjectors, adequate school personnel training, and accommodations for an equal opportunity learning environment. Partnerships with allergists, primary care providers, students, families, school nurses, and school staff are vital for creating individualized and effective care plans that will allow all children, including those with food allergies, a safe and nurturing learning environment.

School Refusal or Truancy? A Qualitative Study of Misconceptions Among School Personnel About Absenteeism of Children From Immigrant Families

BackgroundSchool refusal is a form of school attendance problem (SAP) distinct from truancy, school withdrawal, and school exclusion; it requires specific mental health care. Schools' identification and referral to care of school refusers depends on school personnel's interpretation of the reasons for absences. Because cultural factors can induce misunderstanding of the young people's behavior and of their parents' attitudes toward school attendance, school personnel can have difficulty understanding these reasons for children with transcultural backgrounds (migrants or children of migrants). The aim of this study was to explore the experiences and opinions of school personnel, mainly teachers, related to school refusal among these students.MethodsGrounded theory methodology was used to conduct 52 qualitative interviews of school personnel in two regions of France. Their daily practices with students presenting with school refusal were addressed in general (i.e., in response to absence of all youth) and in transcultural contexts (i.e., absence of migrant children or children of migrants). This study analyzed the interviews of the 30 participants who reported working with students from transcultural backgrounds.ResultsMany school personnel reported experiencing difficulties, ambivalence, and destabilizing feelings in situations involving immigrant families whose school culture differed from their own. Talking about culture appeared to be taboo for most participants. These situations challenged the participants' usual strategies and forced them to devise new ones to deal with these young people and their families. Although some personnel were at risk of developing exclusionary attitudes, others dealt with school refusal with both commitment and creativity.ConclusionThe tensions experienced by these participants reveal contradictions between the French universalist ideology and the reality of daily life in schools becoming increasingly multicultural. School personnel's attitudes toward children with transcultural backgrounds presenting with school refusal can affect children's access to care and shape social inequalities. Further research should develop, implement, and assess interventions including transcultural training of school personnel, improved use of interpreters at school for migrant families, and the addition of a transcultural dimension to SAP assessment scales, especially for school refusal.

22.1 PROJECT AWARE IN NEVADA: ADVANCING WELLNESS AND RESILIENCY IN EDUCATION

After the 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, President Obama allocated $55 million dollars to fund Project AWARE (“Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education”). Twenty states, including Nevada, were awarded this 5-year SAMHSA grant. Each Project AWARE state chose 3 pilot school districts to develop demonstration programs that: 1) increase awareness of mental health issues among school-age youth; 2) train school personnel to detect and respond to mental health issues in youth; and 3) connect youth with mental health issues to appropriate services. Nevada’s 3 rural demonstration school districts have developed unique models to address these goals.

Supporting transgender students: School counselors’ preparedness, training efforts, and necessary support

Negative school climate and oppressive policies and laws significantly impact the psychological and academic well-being of transgender students in the United States. LGBTQ students consistently identify school counselors as the most supportive school staff member. Although school counselors have the ethical obligation to advocate for transgender students in their schools, little is known about transgender-specific training for school counselors or efforts by school counselors to train school staff about the needs of transgender students. The current study explored: 1) school counselors’ readiness to work with transgender students; 2) counselors’ efforts to train school personnel on transgender issues; and 3) self-reported type of support school counselors need from school personnel to appropriately and effectively provide services to transgender students. Results show that school counselors lack transgender-specific training, both during training programs and on-the-job. Also, participants shared that their efforts to train other staff on transgender issues was overwhelmingly met with administrative resistance. Finally, participants described different types of support they need from school personnel in order to effectively provide services to transgender students. Recommendations for improving transgender-specific training and ways to support school counselors’ advocacy for transgender students are discussed.

Modern features of interaction between employers and universities: Arctic aspect

The mission of Russian universities is to train highly qualified specialists for the labor market, to expand the intellectual potential for the development of the country, to provide the society with a constant flow-in of modern-minded and socially responsible young citizens. For this purpose, the state is constantly developing and introducing new forms of training of highly-qualified personnel. It also cooperate with employers in universities. In general, the article aims to compare the processes of higher school personnel training and the provision of employers with employees at the present time. The challenges posed to modern universities and the restrictions which universities face when solving them, in view of the northern specifics of training, are considered. The current topical forms of training implementation and cooperation of universities, enterprises, science and government are presented. As a result, the conclusions were drawn both about the opportunities and the threats related to the elimination of the “distance” between the structure and content of university training and the prospective personnel needs of both the Russian economy as a whole and the economy of the Arctic regions.

Thoughts on the Reform of College Physics Experiment Teaching Under the Background of "Double First-Class"

Under the background of the new time, the central government has proposed a major strategy for the construction of world-class universities and world-class disciplines (referred to as "Double First-Class"), which is a milestone in the construction of universities in China. The overall goal is to promote a group of universities to enter the world's popular list, and to improve the level of personnel training, scientific research, social services and innovation in colleges and universities is the key to the Double First-Class constructions of universities. As a public basic course in universities, the physics experiment course directly reflects the school's educational philosophy and standards, affects the quality of school personnel training, and occupies an irreplaceable position in basic education. Therefore, we need to use this as an opportunity and benchmark to incorporate the university physics experiment teaching reform and curriculum construction into the whole of the Double First-Class constructions.

Problems and Countermeasures in Moral Education of Counselors in Southwest Petroleum University

With the deepening of higher education reform, the teaching staff of counselors in Southwest Petroleum University plays an increasingly important role in the moral education of College students, and the society and schools are increasingly demanding counselors. The effect of College counselors’ moral education will directly affect the quality of school personnel training. But through the research, we find that there are some problems in the moral education of College counselors. We try to analyze these problems and the reasons behind them, and actively explore the corresponding countermeasures, the fundamental path to promote the moral education of College counselors, and the proper choice to further enrich and develop the moral education theory of College counselors and broaden the vision of Cultivating College Students’ moral qualities, and conform to the necessity of professionalization of College counselors at the same time.

Cluster Randomized Trial of a School Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

There are currently no empirically supported, comprehensive school-based interventions (CSBIs) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without concomitant intellectual and language disability. This study compared outcomes for a CSBI (schoolMAX) to typical educational programming (services-as-usual [SAU]) for these children. A total of 103 children (6–12 years of age) with ASD (without intellectual and language disability) were randomly assigned by school buildings (clusters) to receive the CSBI (n = 52 completed) or SAU (n = 50 completed). The CSBI was implemented by trained school personnel and targeted social competence and ASD symptoms using social skills groups, emotion recognition instruction, therapeutic activities, behavioral reinforcement, and parent training. Outcome measures tested the effects of the CSBI on social competence and ASD symptoms, as well as potential collateral effects on academic achievement. Outcomes (baseline-to-follow-up) were assessed using tests of social cognition and academic skills and behavioral observations (by masked evaluators) and parent–teacher ratings of ASD symptoms and social/social-communication skills (nonmasked; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03338530, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/). The CSBI group improved significantly more than the SAU group on the test of emotion recognition skills and parent–teacher ratings of ASD symptoms (primary outcomes) and social/social-communication skills (secondary outcome). No differences between groups were detected for recess social interactions or academic skills. The CSBI improved several core areas of functioning for children with ASD compared to usual educational programming. Additional intervention elements may be needed to expand the efficacy of the CSBI so that the observed skills/symptom improvements generalize to recess social interactions and/or academic skills are enhanced.

Analysis of the effectiveness of training school personnel in the management of food allergy and anaphylaxis

BackgroundFood allergy is a very frequent and increasingly common disease in children and adolescents. It affects quality of life and can even be life-threatening. Given that 10–18% of allergic/anaphylactic food reactions take place in schools, it is essential to provide school personnel with training on the management of reactions. MethodsThe Allergy Unit of Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, Spain, organized a conference entitled “Management of Food Allergy in Children and Adolescents in School Centers” during which teachers, cooks, cafeteria monitors, and summer-camp leaders underwent a training course. Attendees filled out a questionnaire with eight questions before and after the course to assess their self-efficacy in management of food allergy and anaphylaxis. The results were compared. ResultsA total of 191 people participated (51% dining-room monitors, 24% teachers, 13% cooks, and 12% other professions). The areas in which the attendees presented the lowest confidence before receiving the course were recognition of symptoms and treatment of the reactions/anaphylaxis. The mean score for each of the eight concepts evaluated improved after the training course. This improvement was significant in the management of anaphylaxis. ConclusionsOur study demonstrates the usefulness of a self-efficacy scale in school personnel as a tool to assess the ability to manage food allergy and anaphylaxis. It can help to identify problem areas in which more specific training programs can be implemented.