Does your school do any drug/alcohol abuse prevention teaching? Sidwell doesn't

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holton has a mandatory evening alcohol symposium for 10th graders and at least one of their parents that’s done well. Goes beyond just warning kids, and includes a section on different types of parent attitudes regarding alcohol and statistically which ones are less likely to lead to heavy drinking in kids than others (compares ramifications of those that provide alcohol, those that don’t provide but ignore, those that allow it for family celebrations, etc). Gives parents good insight and creates an opportunity for good parent child conversation (yes you can do this without school, but it facilitates open dialogue when all your classmates are having similar conversations).

GDS has a similar mandatory evening alcohol and drug program but for 9th graders - at least it was five years ago. Both students and a parent must attend, externally facilitated, and parents and students are purposely not placed in the same group.

[Anonymous]

Parents should not rely on the schools to do this all alone, of course. Parents should be educating their children from a very young age.

[Anonymous]

They should. A Sidwell student OD last year sadly over break. Even several students shared that the school did not mention it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should. A Sidwell student OD last year sadly over break. Even several students shared that the school did not mention it.

Huh? There have been several in the Sidwell community (student/faculty) who have passed away during our time at the school over the past few years. In my experience, each of these individuals are celebrated and remembered very publicly (and repeatedly, so they are not forgotten). It is also done respectfully, so whether the circumstances of each person's passing is conveyed is the family's decision. As it should be.

[Anonymous]

The education needs to come from both schools and parents/caregivers. We don't have any at our son's school, which I find quite disturbing. It actually makes me consider switching him to a different school for high school.

The drug education in my high school probably saved my life. It was given by a recovering alcoholic. We were taught how to calculate blood alcohol level and exactly what happens as the level increases. She also talked about myths and facts related to alcohol and other drugs. Hearing her personal perspective and the scientific information changed my view and made me more empathetic and mindful of my safety. I'm still grateful for that instruction decades later.

[Anonymous]

My kids are now in public MCPS high school, and they have programs annually in both middle and high schools. I certainly expect that private schools also educate their students about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school (SFS) does not (as far as I have been able to learn) conduct any health-oriented or other presentations along the lines of "Just Say No" (the variation my generation heard). This is disappointing for a couple reasons, not the least of which is that last school year, a Sidwell junior overdosed. The school had a teaching opportunity there, which they didn't take.

Do other area independent schools do any of this type of teaching? Sidwell has "health relationship / health online behavior" workshops, but not drugs/alcohol. Seems like a missed opportunity.

Cathedral schools do but honestly it matters who your kids are friends with. I have 3 kids and their peers are a huge influence more than us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The education needs to come from both schools and parents/caregivers. We don't have any at our son's school, which I find quite disturbing. It actually makes me consider switching him to a different school for high school.

The drug education in my high school probably saved my life. It was given by a recovering alcoholic. We were taught how to calculate blood alcohol level and exactly what happens as the level increases. She also talked about myths and facts related to alcohol and other drugs. Hearing her personal perspective and the scientific information changed my view and made me more empathetic and mindful of my safety. I'm still grateful for that instruction decades later.

Our school does as a regular part of science classes and PE, but I'm kind of surprised at how many parents aren't aware of it. Not all kids share the day to day curriculum with their parents.

[Anonymous]

We certainly need more conversations not just for kids, but for parents. I’m glad my kids school is doing a program with parents in the coming weeks. The fentanyl crisis is terrifying, and dependency begins with nicotine, alcohol, and weed. Kids today are awfully good at concealing.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell does. What a waste of brain cells, another SFS malcontent, yet again.