ICYMI: Marlborough Schools Implements 'Game Change: The Patriots Anti-violence Partnership'

MARLBOROUGH, MA—Marlborough Public Schools was recently awarded a grant to implement Game Change: The Patriots Anti-violence Partnership, a successful anti-violence education program sponsored by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation (NEPCF), according to an announcement.

Coming to MPS this fall, the goal of the Game Change program is to foster long-term anti-violence and healthy relationship education with the focus of developing student leaders to train their peers. As this is year one for MPS, the implementation of the Game Change program won’t begin until spring 2018 providing adequate time to train students and staff, said the release.

MPS has elected to implement the Student Leader Development training option of Game Change. Trainers from The Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University will provide the training to MHS students based on the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) curriculum. The training encourages facilitated conversations about such issues as relationship abuse, consent, and respectful communication. A group of 30 MHS students will be selected for this training and will learn the skills to recognize and intervene when they encounter gender-based violence.

“We will be selecting a diverse group of students for the training who possess the following qualities: leadership, empathy, sensitivity to serious issues, and cultural awareness,” stated Sharon Buckley, supervisor of counseling services for MPS, in a statement. “Students are more likely to listen to their peers. Any time you can get peers to connect with their peers, the information will have a greater likelihood of sticking,” said Jeff Rudzinsky, the Director of Athletics for MPS.

Embracing and supporting the theme of Respect, the Game Change program at the MHS will continue to foster community collaboration and extend its Health and Wellness curriculum for grades 5 – 12 which includes topics as healthy relationship and teen dating violence prevention. A recipient this year of the Attorney General’s office Opioid Grant, MPS is committed to prevention education and helping students make good and healthy choices. “We applied for the Game Change grant because we want to reach another facet of students’ lives in making healthy decisions,” added Buckley in a statement. “As part of this program, we will also work with connecting middle school and high school students.”

“An important element of the Game Change program will be to help students learn how to aid a friend and recognize what supports are there for them,” added John Travers, Assistant Principal for MHS, in a statement.

Information submitted by the Marlborough Public Schools

Photo L to R: Jeff Rudzinsky, MPS Athletic Director, Sharon Buckley, MPS Supervisor of Counseling Services, John Travers, MHS Assistant Principal