Child Advocacy Center outlines Safe Touches program, asks Scranton SD to remain in grant

Michelle Smith, lead educator for the Children’s Advocacy Center in Scranton, told the board the district participated in Project Safe and Smart and that the Safe Touches curriculum has been delivered to second-graders under the grant. "Our goal is to reduce the number of victimization among children," Smith said, describing the curriculum’s puppets and age-appropriate lessons.

Smith said last year’s rollout reached about 800 students and the program aims to reach roughly 2,000 students over two years. She said the program’s evaluation is now being done in partnership with New York University and that the program team received word the contract would be extended "yesterday," so they hope the Scranton School District will remain a partner.

Board members asked practical questions about implementation. One director raised a concern about permission slips after a hiccup at one school; Smith said staff had "taken every effort to help that does not happen again" and that permission slips would be sent and tracked. Directors also asked whether materials were available in other languages; Smith said there is a Spanish version of the parent booklet and that teachers can distribute it when appropriate.

Smith outlined the parent sessions in the Smarter Parents, Safer Kids program (healthy development, communication, child safety) and said organizers hope to reach at least 200 parents during the grant’s second year. She provided printed packets to the board and said teacher evaluations and revised student surveys were used to refine material for age appropriateness.

The presentation concluded with board members thanking Smith for the overview and requesting follow-up materials and any interim evaluation results once NYU completes its analysis. The board did not take a vote at the meeting; next steps were limited to the administration retaining the district’s involvement and providing requested documentation to the board.