An Update on the WV Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
In October 2022, thirteen professionals from West Virginia schools, community organizations, and mental health agencies completed the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) Trainer-Consultant Certification training. Since then, nine (9) of those Provisionally Certified OBPP Trainer-Consultants have provided training to at least one school each and are well on their way to obtaining National or Single-Site Certification. Because of their work, eighteen (18) school sites are in various stages of implementation. All have completed their Bullying Prevention Coordinating Committee training and obtained access to their print and online subscription materials. Some have held or are holding their Kickoff Events this fall and teachers will begin providing classroom interventions in the coming weeks.
WV Provisionally Certified OBPP Trainer-Consultants
- Anne Farmer – Tucker County Schools
- Crystal Criswell – Marshall University School Health Technical Assistance Center
- JoAnn Tweeddale – Fayette County Schools
- Kenneth Birchfield – Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center
- Moriah Felter – Westbrook Health Services
- Nathan Settle – Westbrook Health Services
- Peggy Stull – Youth Health Service
- Rhonda Chuyka – Fayette County Schools
- Tiffany Pittman – Marshall University School Health Technical Assistance Center
WV Schools Implementing OBPP
- Fayette County – Fayetteville PK-8, Meadow Bridge PK-12, Oak Hill Middle School, Valley PK-8
- Mercer County – Bluefield Intermediate, Mercer School
- Pleasants County – Belmont Elementary, Pleasants Middle, St. Mary’s Elementary, St. Mary’s High
- Pocahontas County – Greenbank Elementary-Middle, Hillsboro Elementary, Marlinton Elementary, Marlinton Middle, Pocahontas County High
- Randolph County – Elkins Middle
- Tucker County – Davis-Thomas Elementary-Middle
The Olweus Program (pronounced Ol-VAY-us) is a comprehensive approach that includes schoolwide, classroom, individual, and community components. The program is focused on long-term change that creates a safe and positive school climate. It is designed and evaluated for use in elementary, middle, junior high and high schools (K-12). The program’s goals are to reduce and prevent bullying problems among school children and to improve peer relations at school. The program has been found to reduce bullying among students, improve the social climate of classrooms, and reduce related antisocial behaviors, such as vandalism and truancy. The Olweus Program has been implemented in more than a dozen countries around the world, and in thousands of schools in the United States. (source: Clemson University)
The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) was brought to West Virginia by WV DHHR’s Bureau for Behavioral Health (BBH) using grant funds and is implemented in collaboration with Marshall University’s School Health Technical Assistance Center, Department of Family and Community Health, School of Medicine. If you are interested in bringing OBPP to your school or community organization, contact us.