The soledad unified school district (susd) aims to prevent and reduce school violence in its secondary schools: soledad high school, main street middle school, and pinnacles high school

The Soledad Unified School District (SUSD) was awarded a $1,000,000 Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) under the STOP School Violence Program (CFDA 16.839). The funding will support SUSD's efforts to prevent and reduce school violence in its secondary schools, including Soledad High School, Main Street Middle School, and Pinnacles High School. The project aims to address challenges related to violence, bullying, cyberbullying, and social-emotional health through a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach involving community partners, students, parents, and school staff. Key activities include developing and expanding the Soledad Youth Safety Network, providing individualized student support through a co-responder model with social workers and police officers, introducing bullying and cyberbullying prevention curricula, and offering parent empowerment and leadership development programs. The award has a performance period of October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2027, and seeks to create a safer, more supportive educational environment for all students in this rural California community.

Located in rural soledad, california, these schools face challenges related to violence, bullying, cyberbullying, and social-emotional health. The soledad youth safety network (network) addresses these issues through a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach involving community partners, students, parents, and school staff, but more targeted activities are needed. This work will be done primarily by developing and expanding the network, strengthening current partners and recruiting new partners. In addition, the project will provide individualized support for students through a CO-responder model with social workers and police officers, introduce bullying and cyberbullying preventing curricula with a youth advisory council, and provide parent empowerment and leadership development programs. By leveraging and expanding the strengths of the soledad youth safety network, the project aims to create a safer, more supportive educational environment for all students, foster resilience, and reduce school violence in this rural community.