Anti-bullying programs will be bolstered in two local school districts, and a third district plans to address Response to Intervention training, thanks to recently awarded Safe Schools money.

The competitive state grants were won by Bethel Park, Clairton and Upper St. Clair in the amounts of $34,180 apiece.

"They can be used on anything that enhances the safe learning environment of the school, whether that means hiring school resource officers or [enacting] security tools," said Mike Race, deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

"This can be used for student peer mediation, not just for physical resources but programs that teach kids how to respond to crisis."

"We applied for funding in order to do a couple of things: update our school safety plan districtwide, and also work on Positive Action, which is a K-12 program dealing with self-respect, respecting others and anti-bullying," said Lucille Abellonio, acting superintendent for Clairton schools.

"These [Positive Action] programs are specific to each grade level. After initial training, there will be more involvement with parents, social workers."

In Bethel Park, part of the focus will be on anti-bullying programs as well as staff training for crisis prevention and intervention at all levels, according to district spokeswoman Vicki Flotta.

The district, which already has cameras in some of its buses, also plans to supplement these security aids.

Upper St. Clair is one of seven districts in Allegheny County that learned in December it had won a Safe Schools grant. Its funding will be contingent on the success of districtwide professional development around behavior and classroom management.

An additional amount would follow this school year's $34,180, to be used in 2008-2009, according to Eloise Stoehr, USC supervisor of pupil personnel services.

"We have applied for a [second year] similar amount" but there is no guarantee it will be that much, she said.

Research-based programs involved in an RTI would include Project ACHIEVE, "an evidence-based national model prevention program."

Upper St. Clair would be assisted by Dr. Howard Knoff as a consultant; the Arkansas-based educator is the director of the national program.

Safety on all levels became of particular concern among the community last month, when it was reported that Upper St. Clair police charged a high school freshman with sexual assaults against several female classmates.

Police said some of the attacks took place on school property.

"We recognize that a safe school environment has to do with behavioral expectations, as well as proper discipline," Ms. Stoehr said. "And that's always been of great importance."

Although there is concentration on the middle-school level with Project ACHIEVE, there is also "a large elementary school component," she added.

"From the standpoint of teaching classroom expectations, at the high school, obviously, they know more [already]," Ms. Stoehr said.

"At the middle school, it's more of how do you make sure kids are aware of the expectations and how can you reward them, plus, what are the consistent consequences for those who don't?"

Ms. Stoehr also said that from a quarter to one-third of the district teaching staff has been there less than five years.

"This is an opportunity to train new staff [in RTI], plus serve as a refresher for those who are not new to the district."