Spring is almost here!
With spring comes hope and growth. This time of year, many educators begin to analyze and evaluate the school year in order to make necessary changes to positively impact student growth while meeting their individual needs. Building relationships, establishing a safe learning environment, and implementing rules and procedures are just a few examples of effective classroom techniques often focused on. But it’s also essential to include prevention education in your efforts, both for student safety and well-being and for academic achievement. Implementation of MBF Prevention Education Programs and teaching the 5 Safety Rules means less interruptions to the academic day and better outcomes for students and your school. With the required reporting of the Child Trafficking Rule in the state of Florida, we know there are forty school districts implementing our evidence-based/evidence-informed MBF programs: MBF Child Safety Matters® (K-5) and/or MBF Teen Safety Matters® (6-12). That’s 40 districts helping to protect their students by implementing our proven programs.
If your school or district is still in need of a program to meet the Child Trafficking requirement, you can order program materials now – AT NO COST! MBF receives support from the Office of the Florida Attorney General to provide the MBF Child Safety Matters (CSM) and MBF Teen Safety Matters (TSM) programs at NO COST to Florida public schools, Kindergarten through 12th Grade. We often hear that springtime, after testing is complete, is a great time to facilitate lessons in preparation for summer and the transition to the next grade level. You can place your order for CSM (grades K-5) or TSM (grades 6-12) at www.mbfpreventioneducation.org and will have your materials within two weeks.
And if you are a school in need of assistance with implementing prevention education, many Florida districts are blessed to have Child Advocacy Centers in their communities who are ready, willing, and able to help. In the coming months, MBF will be reaching out to schools and CACs to help provide introductions and support for these beneficial partnerships. Can’t wait and need some help now? Reach out to us! |
Imagine a Florida where all children knew the 5 Safety Rules to help better protect them: big city, small town, urban or rural.
If you love them, protect them and teach them how to be safe! |
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If You Love Them…
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we want to help you be prepared. Leading up to April, watch our social media to be informed of the latest MBF happenings and discover ways you can help educate friends and family to protect children. We would love to have you be part of our “If You Love Me, You Will Teach Me How to Be Safe” campaign: https://www.mbfpreventioneducation.org/what-does-valentines-day-mean-to-you/.
And, watch your email for supplemental Child Abuse Prevention Month lesson plans to be emailed in late March.
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Also, watch your USPS mail in the coming weeks for a wonderful new resource we are making available to our Florida facilitators. We’ll be sending you a sample and information about how to order. Here’s a hint…it will show students you know the 5 Safety Rules and can use them to help them stay safe! |
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Spring Break Safety
The 5 Safety Rules can help keep children safe during spring break just as they do at school, during the holidays, and throughout the summer. It’s important that students are prepared when visiting new places, are around unfamiliar faces, and when they find themselves spending more time on digital devices. You can find more information and share helpful resources with parents by visiting https://www.mbfpreventioneducation.org/resource/summer-safety-matters/. |
MBF Athlete Safety Matters®
Spring training leads to the excitement of Opening Day, and many schools have sports programs in full swing or are getting ready for their season. It’s important that preparation includes prevention education because safety is more than just injury prevention. Did you know Florida Public Schools can access the MBF Athlete Safety Matters® program at NO COST along with our school-based programs? And it’s not just for baseball players, MBF Athlete Safety Matters is a comprehensive, evidence-informed curriculum that educates and empowers ALL youth athletes with information and strategies to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately to bullying, cyberbullying, all types of abuse, exploitation/trafficking, and digital dangers. It is designed specifically for youth athletes participating in any sport at any level. It is also developmentally appropriate, educates children, coaches, staff, volunteers, and parents, and it complements the classroom lessons of MBF Child Safety Matters and MBF Teen Safety Matters.
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MBF continues to GROW!
With the help of our Florida facilitators, MBF Prevention Education Programs have reached more than 686,000 students across the state during the 2019-2020 school year! MBF Programs are also now being used in 22 states, Washington D.C., the Cayman Islands, South Korea and Bermuda. We are grateful for each and every one of our partnerships and especially for our facilitators who are doing the work to protect kids! |
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REMINDERS
- Facilitators have online access to the password protected facilitator portal to print additional scripts, access Lesson PowerPoints, and resources for school staff and parents. You can also access our foreign language materials on the portal. In addition to English, all parent materials are available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Chinese, German and French.
- You can refer anyone at your school that is interested in facilitating MBF lessons to complete the MBF Online Certified Facilitator Training. Please have them complete the Facilitator Information and Agreement Form at https://app.mbfpreventioneducation.org/fiaf-florida/ to get started and we will be in touch.
- Sample School Communications can be found on the Online Facilitator Portal and are a great resource. A brief program description is provided so it can easily be shared on your school’s or organization’s website or in a newsletter. In addition, there are brief articles and announcements that can be used on your social media pages to help educate and empower staff and parents.
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FACILITATOR FEEDBACK
From a School Counselor in Volusia County:
“I truly believe in the MBF Program. I brag on it all the time and as a school we see and hear the results. Parents and students have quoted the program and the teachers beg me to do it again year after year. Students come to me and say, ‘When you taught us the 5 Safety Rules, you said we should talk things out to people we trust… well, can we talk?'”
From a School Counselor in Duval County:
“As a school counselor, my caseload can be as high as 700 students, so knowing each and every one of my students and what they are going through can be a real challenge. Developing a relationship takes time and trust. MBF Child Safety Matters lessons give students a venue to recognize abuse, steps to prevent it, and a sense of trust that they can tell a safe adult and get help. Prior to becoming a counselor, I was a third-grade teacher. I had a little girl in my class who was very bright, but often quiet and reserved. Fast forward two years, and I am a school counselor delivering the first lesson of the MBF CSM curriculum to her fifth-grade class. Afterwards, she came to my office in tears. She disclosed that she had been sexually abused by a family member in third grade and hadn’t told anyone. She would be seeing him again for the first time at a family function in a month. She said she finally realized when we got to Safety Rule #5, No Blame/No Shame, that it wasn’t her fault and she should not be embarrassed about what happened to her. She just had never told anyone because she was ashamed. This little girl was brave enough to come forward after two years of shame and fear because MBF Child Safety Matters spoke directly to her. She was able to prevent future abuse to herself and other family members because the Safety Rules gave her a framework and the confidence to get help.”
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