Graduate Program in School Psychology to Host an Important Conference on School Violence

Professor Laura Barbanel, head of the Brooklyn College School Psychology Program, will chair the conference.

May 7, 2002    The Graduate Program in School Psychology at Brooklyn College, in conjunction with the Division of Independent Practice of the New York State Psychological Association, will host a conference entitled "From School Violence to Safe Schools" on May 10, 8:15 a.m. —3:00 p.m. in the Brooklyn College Student Center (SUBO).

    This conference will gather experts on the subject from throughout the metropolitan region and will highlight the history, dynamics, and types of school violence endemic to the educational system. The exemplary work of the New York State Program on Safe Schools, as well as a number of alternative programs for violence prevention, will be featured in discussion sessions. The American Psychological Association's Program on "Warning Signs" of violence in adolescents, developed in conjunction with MTV, will be one of the highlighted programs studied in the workshops, as will be the APA's ACT Program, an anti-violence strategy for early childhood. There will also be individual workshops on crisis-response teams and Safe Horizons, a relationship-abuse prevention program currently used in Brooklyn's Thomas Jefferson High School. The organizers have designed the conference for psychologists, educators, social workers, administrators, and paraprofessionals as well as anyone with an interest in ending school violence.

    Faculty members and students are invited to attend the conference, which will be hosted by Brooklyn College President Christoph M. Kimmich; Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies Paul Sheldon; and Deborah A. Shanley, dean of the School of Education. Laura Barbanel, professor and program head of the School Psychology program at Brooklyn College, will serve as conference chairperson.

Sharon Brennan, senior staff psychologist at Maimonides Medical Center, will report on bullying.

     The fee for the conference is $95, $40 for students with valid ID, payable to the Brooklyn College Non-Tax Operating Account. For more information, call (718) 951-5876 or visit the Graduate Program in School Psychology, 1105 James Hall.

"School Violence, Character Education as a Mediator" will be the focus of Dr. David Ciampi's presentation.

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