Students in New York City's public schools have spoken up, bringing bullying and vaping into the spotlight as top concerns. Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos acknowledged during her recent city-wide listening tour. Recognizing the need for action, Aviles-Ramos introduced a new initiative, the "family connectors" program, intended to combat these issues head-on, as per CBS News.
Mayor Eric Adams, who appointed Aviles-Ramos in September following David Banks' retirement, is now seeing the new chancellor actively push to turn around the fraught patterns of behavior. "Our parents, our family connectors, are working with families to get them the resources they need and our young people are actually talking to other young people about the reasons for bullying. What happens when you're bullied? Why do you bully? What are the triggers? And then how can, using their own language, through social media and PSAs, how can they spread the message on why you shouldn't be bullying and what to do if you are bullied," Aviles-Ramos told CBS News.
In a related bid to address persistent issues, Aviles-Ramos launched "NYCPS Cares", a multi-tiered plan sketched out in a 24-page report that emerged from feedback sessions held across the city. According to the Daily News, underprivileged students and their families are at the heart of the program, with an emphasis on understanding and removing barriers to regular school attendance.
The fight to eliminate distractions and problematic behaviors extends to the contentious cellphone issue in schools. With Governor Kathy Hochul aiming to see a "bell-to-bell" ban on the devices, Aviles-Ramos suggested that financial support from the state is critical to effectively manage such a ban. "We are absolutely hoping to get money from the state to do it," she revealed, drawing from her own experience as a principal to champion a structured approach using magnetic pouches to safely stow away phones during school hours, as detailed by CBS News.
As a piece of this broader effort, Aviles-Ramos is rallying public school parents to join "family connectors". These volunteers will undergo five weeks of training collaboratively offered by city agencies. Their role will mainly involve linking families with public benefits and services, without requiring additional city funding. "This was a promise I made — that I wasn't going to bring in a bunch of new stuff and turn tables over," Aviles-Ramos told the Daily News.
Additionally, Aviles-Ramos is banking on student creativity to guide the anti-vaping campaign already making its presence felt in schools. With 40 teens enlisted so far, this initiative is part of the larger strategy embodied by "NYCPS Cares". The program, setting its sights on addressing chronic absenteeism intensified by housing instability, looks to empower students through engagement, with artwork like posters, PSAs, spoken-word, and theater performances set for next school year's launch.
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