Old Rochester Regional High School parents are seeking to raise $40,000 to bring an anti-bullying program to students at the high school.

Starting in April, a new three-part program would help ORR students navigate violence and other issues in their lives. The classes will be offered during directed study period, so students will not miss instruction time.

Theresa Fitzpatrick of Marion led the effort to make the Katie Brown Educational Program available to students. The program was founded after a 20-year-old Rhode Island woman was murdered by her on again, off again boyfriend in 2001.

Assuming enough money can be raised, the program will be offered to all 790 high school students. They can choose to opt out.

Speakers from the program will offer lessons designed to foster attitude and behavior changes, encourage healthy relationships and reduce dating violence.

“These problems exist,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s so much more sophisticated with the social media platforms that are out there now.”

The school does have some tools to handle violence, but Fitzpatrick said more education is needed.

“Educators do touch upon this subject in ninth grade health classes,” Fitzpatrick said. “But I know and [High School Principal Mike Devoll] knows it’s not enough.”

Devoll said the program will be a welcome addition.

“When [Fitzpatrick] approached me I couldn’t have jumped fast enough to agree,” he said. “This is what the kids in the high school need right now.”

Devoll said he and his assistant principal deal with problems associated with relationships weekly.

“As with any young relationship, some go right and some go wrong,” Devoll said. “The more we can educate kids on what a healthy relationship looks like the better off they will be.”

This year, funds for the program are not part of the school budget. While administrators hope to allocate money in the future, Fitzpatrick said that $40,000 must be raised to cover the cost of the program, which is $50 for each student.

So far, donors have given $12,000.

Devoll said he’s committed to continue the program each year.

If sufficient funds are not raised for all interested students, the school will offer the training to seniors and then juniors. Once all current students have received the training, it will be available to incoming freshman.

“As a parent, I have four kids between the ages of nine and sixteen. Sending them out into the world is a scary prospect,” Fitzpatrick said. “We hope that this program will give students a solid foundation in how to recognize and handle unhealthy behaviors.”

To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/ifs2gk.