As the African expression goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In Naperville, that’s the idea behind a new partnership at Mill Street School.
Over the next five years, the Mill Street community will be trained in the art of problem solving. Program organizers add that, in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing, the I Can Problem Solve curriculum is timely.
“I’m afraid part of what the Oklahoma situation reflects is a loss of confidence that things can be worked out through change that is constructive and within the boundaries of human values,” said Sandra Hinely of the DuPage County Health Department’s Mental Health Division, a program sponsor. “The exciting thing about the Mill Street project is that the community partnership gives a message that (problem solving) is important.”
Additional Mill Street partners include the City of Naperville, Naperville Community Outreach, the Naperville Police Department, Project Help and the community’s Breaking Free/In Touch Committee. Agency grants will provide program materials and training, which encourage children and adults to identify problems, feelings and non-violent options.
“We had a committee of teachers saying that violence is an issue in our country right now and it does impact kids,” Ruth Cross, Mill Street principal, said of efforts to bring the project to Mill Street. “We don’t want to sit around saying we can’t do anything about it.”
