The school business official will be involved in many referenda over the course of a career. School budgets, capital projects, equipment acquisitions, school bus purchases, and emergency construction projects are among the most common situations requiring a referendum. A time frame is needed, and most states have guidelines spelling out procedures…

As staff, students, and parents at a Long Island high school discovered, resolving the complicated issues surrounding the death of a beloved teacher and coach is not easy. In this case, there was unwavering support for a basketball coach dying of cancer and for students and staff afterward. Crisis intervention worked because responsible adults…

Addresses the problem of students who want to do well but cannot manage the effects of failure or wrong actions. They have a conscience and experience guilt when they err, but rather than using mistakes as opportunities to rectify their behavior, they are overwhelmed by their inadequacy, which leads to self-defeating patterns of behavior.…

When rapid growth and major educational changes created turbulence in Verona, Wisconsin, educators and community members used six strategies to weather the storm and improve conditions. They moved from controversial to less emotional issues, stressed consensus in decision making, imported a neutral listener, developed a forum for dialog,…

States that a review of the literature on school violence yields two general issues that can guide administrators and faculty in promoting students' well-being: first, recognizing that most students have at least some experience with violence, and may need help dealing with its negative effects; and second, implementing violence prevention and…

Presents a model for conducting time-limited group therapy with adult survivors of severe childhood abuse who were diagnosed with complex post-traumatic and dissociative disorders. Group sessions are organized around verbal promises that encourage the client's active, attentive engagement. Gentle confrontation of dissociative defenses is integral…

Those who work with children of trauma need to nurture their own well-being. The factors that make individuals resilient and able to take positive action in the face of adversity can be categorized into three areas: support provided by others, strength from within, and skills in interpersonal relationships and problem-solving. In this article, the…

Yerba Buena High School in San Jose (California) has implemented a school-based, interagency team approach for delivery of a variety of social services to students, their families, and community members. In the early 1970s the school secured a grant, hired a "crisis counselor," and set up a 24-hour hotline staffed by professionals and volunteers.…

One of the most hazardous assignments police officers face is dealing with family quarrels and disturbances. In 1972, 13 percent of all policemen killed in the line of duty died while responding to disturbance complaints. Despite these dangers, techniques for dealing with such crises are rarely included in police recruit and inservice training…

Describes a peer counseling program for juvenile delinquents for which counselors were trained in basic listening skills and how and when to use problem solving, decision making, and referral procedures. Observes that counseling was most effective when counselors outnumbered the students. (SRT)

Describes a system of action counseling for adolescents in crisis, focusing on counselor, peer, parent, and teacher roles. (BL)

Describes therapist-structured marital separation for distressed couples during their critical period of deciding whether to divorce or remain married. Discusses characteristics of marital distress appropriate for structured marital separation, potential benefits, and design of the separation contract. Issues addressed include duration, frequency…

Describes a treatment program for couples who mishandle anger or are physically abusive. The treatment endorses the elimination of demonstrations of anger and elaborates upon ways to identify preliminary anger cues. Abusiveness is unacceptable. Methods to improve problem-solving skills and to enhance overall enjoyment of the relationship are also…

Describes a comprehensive program in New York City developed to coordinate efforts of several youth agencies and provide extensive social services to youth. (NRB)

Describes services provided by an atypical crisis care center for children (mostly preschoolers) in Madison, Wisconsin. The center, licensed both as a day-care and a foster-care facility, provides care for children on an emergency basis to enable parents to face their problems and to take steps to solve them. (RMH)