DEleteBullying.Org is a user-friendly, Delaware-specific online resource

 Wilmington, DE – Coinciding with October as National Bullying Prevention month, Governor Markell helped to officially launch DEleteBullying.org, a new online resource to highlight and support bullying prevention efforts in the First State. Created and funded by the Delaware Bar Foundation, this website provides information and helpful resources for children, parents and educators regarding how to address and prevent instances of bullying.

“Bullying is a significant and serious problem for far too many of our students,” said Governor Markell. “An online resource will give young people and adults the knowledge and tools they need to cope with situations that occur and help prevent bullying from taking place to begin with.”

In response to several incidents of suicide caused by bullying, a consortium was convened in 2010 by Family Court Chief Judge Chandlee Johnson Kuhn. It has since been led by Rep. Melanie George Smith. In their efforts to identify what was being done in Delaware to address bullying prevention, the group realized many organizations were doing excellent work, but resources were spread out and difficult for families to navigate. It was then that the idea of creating a statewide website focused on Delaware’s bullying prevention efforts was formed.

“The Delaware Bar Foundation has a broad mission to improve the administration of justice in Delaware, which includes educating the public about the rule of law,” said Jacqueline Paradee Mette of the Delaware Bar Foundation, who was part of the initial consortium. “Delaware has bullying statutes, so creating a website that pulls together all of these resources into one convenient, easy-to-use website that is user-friendly and Delaware focused fit within the Foundation’s mission.”

The website complements two bills signed into law earlier this year. A direct result of work done by the Lt. Governor and the Attorney General in cooperation with the strong sponsorship of House and Senate Education Chairs Sen. David Sokola and Rep. Terry Schooley, the laws focus on implementing Delaware’s first uniform policy to combat cyberbullying in public schools, as well as protecting students against bullying by requiring consistency in how bullying incidents are reported.

“As I have visited middle schools and high schools over the past two school years, cyberbullying has consistently been raised with me by principals and teachers as a real problem that stops them from focusing on educating kids,” Lt. Governor Denn said. 

“We know how devastating bullying can be, not only to a child who is targeted but to their families, communities and schools.  That’s why I am proud to be a part of the collaboration that has produced this website,” said Attorney General Beau Biden. “Along with Delaware’s enhanced bullying reporting requirements and cyberbullying policy, the site provides information and tools  that will help both kids and adults effect real change. Working together, we can make sure our schools and communities are safe environments where bullying is never tolerated and children can thrive.”

Users who visit the site will find pages specifically targeted to teens, parents and educators. For parents, the website discusses, among other things, how bullying is defined in Delaware, signs of bullying, how to know if your child is a target of bullying, and how to report it, both to school authorities and the Attorney General’s bullying reporting hotline. For teens, the website addresses what bullying looks and feels like and how teens might handle it. It reminds teens they are not alone, and that with the help of their peers and trusted adults, they can put an end to bullying. It includes helpful information specifically for our LGBTQ youth, and a number of resources, both state and national, on peer relationship building and other helpful resources. For educators, the website includes several classroom lesson plans and worksheets, created by Cape Henlopen High School and others. These resources are easily downloaded and printable for educators to use in their schools.

In addition, the homepage of the website shows a video produced by The Morris Project and featuring students from Howard High School of Technology. The film depicts what some incidents of bullying can look like, how it feels to be the target of bullying and how teens can respond to it. Howard High School has been named Delaware’s first bully-free school, with 100% of its students signing a no bully pledge for the past two years.

In addition to the funding provided by the Delaware Bar Foundation, several other individuals, organizations and agencies were a part of its development, including: Dr. Julie Hubbard, an expert on bullying and the Director of the Clinical Science Doctoral Program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Delaware; Bob Martz, of the United Way; Jan Dalle Pazze and the Delaware Bullying Prevention Association; and the Delaware Departments of Justice, Education and Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.

Photos from today’s event can be found in this Flickr album.

DOVER – Ten research and marketing projects supporting Delaware specialty crops will receive more than $240,000 in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill, Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee announced today.

The projects – operated by nonprofit organizations, academic researchers and local farms – will all enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops.

“These projects will all help Delaware growers and businesses by supporting and strengthening our local agricultural economy through expanding markets and developing new products,” Kee said. “The insights gained from the field research will lead to better yields and production methods, while the marketing initiatives will help make more Delawareans aware of the great local products that come from our farms.”

The 10 projects that will share in the $244,608 in federal funds include:

– A marketing initiative by the Delaware Christmas Tree Growers’ Association to educate the public on the benefits of growing Christmas trees.
– Expanding a Community Supported Agriculture program by the Food Bank of Delaware, working with the Cool Spring Farmers’ Market to reach targeted low-income communities in Wilmington.
– A collaborative advertising campaign by the Department of Agriculture to support locally-run on-farm markets.
– Four research projects by the University of Delaware’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences: Conducting larger-scale field trials on onion production; examining factors affecting seedless watermelons; studying yields of highbush blueberry variety trials; and studying potentially disease-resistant lima beans.
– Research by Zitvogel Farms to increase pole lima bean yields by testing water misters.
– Research by Williamsville Farms on early- and late-season blueberry production.
– Research by T.S. Smith and Sons and the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension examining production and season extension methods for dwarf sweet cherries, figs, and day neutral strawberries.

Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520

DOVER – Delaware authorities say that consumers who purchase winter heating oil should take precautions to protect their pocketbooks against faulty equipment or unscrupulous fuel retailers.

“Most problems with fuel measurements are honest mistakes, and most sellers are playing by the rules,” said Steve Connors, Weights and Measures Administrator with the Delaware Department of Agriculture. “But consumers still need to be vigilant to make certain they get what they pay for.”

The Department’s Weights and Measures Section tests all weighing and measuring devices, including fuel truck pumps and meters, used in sales made to the public.

Connors said consumers purchasing home heating oil should determine the size of their fuel tanks, ask the company for a conversion chart, measure how many inches of fuel are in the home tank before the purchase, determine how many inches of fuel are in the tank after delivery, convert to gallons and then compare the number with the amount listed on the sales ticket.

All fuel trucks must provide printed delivery tickets inserted into the metering device after the fuel truck arrives. The ticket must have a serial number, delivery date, names and addresses of the seller and purchaser, quantity delivered, price per gallon, grade of fuel and delivery person’s name. The quantity and a sequential sales number must be printed mechanically on the ticket, not handwritten.

The Department also inspects each fuel truck annually. Inspectors seal each device after testing with a lead wire or plastic security seal, which prevents a vendor from changing the calibration of the device. A two-inch square seal is then placed prominently on the device so consumers know when it was tested for accuracy.

Connors said most problems are caused by poor equipment maintenance, which can cause inaccuracies in measurements. But some dishonest sellers may try to take advantage of consumers by pumping some of the fuel back into the delivery truck, he said. “The ticket may say that 200 gallons were delivered, but only 150 gallons were pumped into the tank,” he said. “Consumers should report problems as soon as possible. We will investigate and take steps to correct the problem or order the company to stop selling fuel.”

The Weights and Measures Section can be contacted at (302) 698-4500 or (800) 282-8685 (Delaware only).

Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520

Every year OHS supports the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety’s yearly traffic safety campaign, Drive Safely to Work Week. This year, join us in getting Back to Basics. Simply put, it means focusing on driving the car instead of multi-tasking.  Remember when you were a young driver, and it took all of your senses to drive:  both hands on the wheel, both eyes on the road, mind completely on the task of driving? NETS would like us to remember experience does not necessarily make a better driver.

What you need to know

Many employees commute in the first state.  The average commute time for Delawareans is 24.3 minutes, which is nearly 50 minutes on the road each work day.  Here are some interesting facts that you should know:

• 900,000 people live in the state of Delaware; of those, 653,141 are licensed drivers.
• On average, 80% of workers who commute drive alone.
• In 2011, there were 5,204 personal injury crashes and 97 fatal crashes.
• In the same year, 1 out of every 25 licensed drivers was involved in a traffic crash.

What you can do

Since the average person spends a significant amount of time driving to and from work, NETS would like to remind each of us to remember the keys of safe driving:

• Always buckle up. It only takes a few seconds to do the one thing that will keep you safest in the event of a crash.
• Drive with a clear head. Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as impaired driving.
• Avoid distractions. Distractions come in many forms, eliminate as many of them as possible.
• Know the basics of parking and backing. Many crashes can be avoided by simply by being aware of blind spots.
• Review the fundamentals. Go back to the basics of safe driving, including:  mirror placement, scanning the environment around your vehicle, and signaling your intentions.

For more information on DSWW and to get a free information kit, go to www.trafficsafety.org.

Drive Safe.  Arrive Alive DE.

This message is brought to you by the Office of Highway Safety, who asks you to drive safely at all times.  For more information on this and other traffic safety programs, go to www.ohs.delaware.gov.

Dover event to feature “Last Child in the Woods” author Richard Louv and presentation of a plan to get Delaware’s children outside

DOVER (Oct. 1, 2012) – A new report that provides recommendations to connect Delaware’s children with the outdoors will be released this evening at a kickoff event featuring national author Richard Louv, who penned “Last Child in the Woods,” which has stimulated an international conversation about the relationship between children and nature.

“In its public support of connecting children to nature, Delaware is setting an example for much of the country and the world,” said Louv. “New recommendations from Delaware’s Children in Nature/No Child Left Inside Task Force will encourage all of us to take the next steps. All children need nature. Not only the only the ones whose parents love the natural world. All children.”

The event will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at Delaware Technical Community College, Terry Campus, (100 Campus Drive, Dover, DE 19904) Education and Technology Building, Room 727 A-D Conference Center.

The report, prepared under the leadership of Governor Jack Markell by the Children in Nature/No Child Left Inside Task Force, identifies the national trends contributing to growing childhood obesity, including lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, and limited outdoor experiences, all of which adversely impacts the health of children and academic achievement. Evidence now shows that children ages eight to 18 average 6.5 hours per day with electronic media and just minutes a day engaged in unstructured outdoor activities.

“We share a desire to change the lives of children,” said Governor Jack Markell. “They need outdoor activity and nature in their lives. Experiencing nature nurtures a child’s growth. This collaboration provides a plan that can influence our children’s long term well-being. The Task Force report provides this path forward so Delaware can become a leader in environmental education – and its children, active stewards of our lands.”

At the event, Louv will be joined by members of the Task Force representing a vast range of expertise on the issue, including DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara, and representatives from the Delaware Department of Education, Nemours Health and Prevention Services, the Delaware Nature Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center for Inland Bays, the Department of Health and Social Services/Division of Public Health, Delaware Greenways and the Delaware Association for Environmental Education.

“This comprehensive report is an important step towards reconnecting more of Delaware’s children with nature and reducing childhood obesity,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “At school, at home, in parks and backyards, we want all children to have the opportunity grow up healthy and strong, enjoy remarkable outdoor experiences, and learn about the importance of clean air, clean water, and Delaware’s native plants, fisheries, and wildlife.”

“We have a great opportunity to focus on environmental education throughout the state,” Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said. “In addition to an emphasis on environmental literacy, the [national] No Child Left Inside legislation includes healthy living programs, funding for curriculum changes and field trips to environmental areas of interest for children to learn hands-on.”

The Children in Nature/No Child Left Inside Task Force was established by Senate Concurrent Resolution 20, approved by the 146^th General Assembly. At the direction of Governor Markell, Secretary O’Mara and former Secretary Lillian Lowery of the Delaware Department of Education charged the Task Force to be proactive in addressing the opportunities afforded by the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the current status of “nature-deficit disorder” facing the children of Delaware.

“A coalition of more than 140 partners across the state has created this report,” said Delaware First Lady Carla Markell, honorary co-chair of the initiative’s Ambassador task force. “Its recommendations outline a solid path forward to ensure our children, families and communities connect with nature. The professionalism, care and passion that went into preparing this report represent a leap forward in the continuing efforts toward making Delaware a happy, healthy and environmentally-literate community.”

The mission of the Task Force was to formulate a plan to create opportunity for all Delaware children to participate in outdoor experiences, to improve environmental literacy, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide better access to green space through formal and informal outdoor experiences.

The Task Force has researched and developed the report’s recommendations and actions in education, access, community, health, plan implementation, marketing and policy and legislative support.

Some of the report’s recommendations include: promoting meaningful outdoor and overnight experiences, establishing Greener Schools for Delaware programs, developing schoolyard natural areas to strengthen education in grades Pre-K through 12, incorporating natural spaces into the built environment, providing access for multi-generational use to increase physical activity for all ages, improving accessibility to existing areas, increasing access to recreational facilities through community partnerships, developing training to increase communities’ understanding of the initiative and increase environmental literacy statewide, using nature-based activities (unstructured outdoor play, hiking in a safe area, spending time in a green space) and resources as a health strategy, and providing outreach and professional development in fields of health care and prevention services.

Richard Louv is a journalist and the author of eight books about the connections between community, family and nature.  He received the 2009 Audubon Medal, which has previously been awarded to Rachel Carson, E.O. Wilson and President Jimmy Carter.  Louv is the chairman of the Children and Nature Network and honorary co-chair of the National Forum on Children and Nature. He has keynoted the national conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the first White House Summit on Environmental Education. His articles have been published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, among others. He has also appeared on The Early Show, Good Morning America, Today, CBS Evening News and many other national programs. His book, “Last Child in the Woods,” has been translated into 10 languages and published in 15 countries.