Riverview School District will continue its efforts to stop bullying with a program that will train teachers and administrators how to better deal with the issue.

The program, which will prepare faculty for the 2008-09 school year, will be paid for by a $7,500 grant from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Pennsylvania Cares Center for Safe Schools.

The grant will pay for training at Riverview Junior-Senior High School but not at either elementary school.

Superintendent Charles Erdeljac said administrators hope to use district money to include Tenth Street and Verner elementary schools in the training.

Tara Jo Pomatto, junior high guidance counselor, applied for the grant in January and kept her fingers crossed until the end of March, when she received word Riverview would get to participate in the anti-bullying training.

"It makes sense to have it K through 12 because all kids need to know it," she said.

For the first part of the program, students in grades seven through 12 will fill out a confidential survey on bullying before the end of this school year that will ask questions about students' feelings about safety and experiences with bullying.

Surveys will be scored and will help plan the two-day training over the summer for faculty, Pomatto said.

The grant cost will pay for survey administration costs, as well as materials for training and a professional trainer to work with teachers.

Training will be based on the Olweus method, which involves forming a bullying-prevention committee, parent involvement and intervention for students who bully and are bullied at school.

The committee typically consists of an administrator, teacher representatives from each grade level and a guidance counselor.

Some schools choose to include a parent and a staff member, such as a cafeteria worker or bus driver.

Riverview was a good choice because it is a combined junior-senior high school, Pomatto said.

Trainers are interested to see how the data turns out for a combined school, she said.

Riverview pursued the grant to build on its new bullying policy that was enacted for this school year.

Pomatto said there is a lot of room for improvement.

"We've seen an increase in bullying and negative behavior among students," she said.

High school students tend to participate in more verbal bullying, as opposed to physical acts or "beating up" classmates, Pomatto said.

Grades six through nine are typically the worst times for bullying, she said.

Pomatto hopes the training will help teachers communicate better with students about reporting bullying.

"There are kids who see it every day but are afraid to report it because they're afraid they're going to be next," she said.

Changes won't occur overnight, but the program should result in concrete changes within three years, Pomatto said.

Continual consultation will help the district maintain the program after this summer's training.

"Part of effective teaching is helping students learn to relate to one another with mutual respect," Erdeljac said.

"The bully-prevention effort is one attempt to build and maintain positive relationships among our students, both in school and in their neighborhoods."

Riverview was one of 40 school districts chosen statewide to receive the grant.

• The school board is accepting applications until May 31 to fill a vacant position on the board.

Those interested in applying may send a letter of interest and resume to Frank Thompson, Riverview board secretary, at 701 Tenth St., Oakmont, PA 15139.