[BHS etree] SUPT: Community Forum on Teen Parties, March 23

[bhs at idiom.com]

eTree Note:  This message was sent by Mark Coplan, Berkeley Unified
School District

Community Forum on Teen Parties 
March 23, 2006 
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm 
Northbrae Church Community Center
941 The Alameda, Berkeley

In my role as the Public Information Officer and as a Sophomore parent
I am happy for this opportunity for us all to get some help on the
issues that we face raising today's teens. Berkeley Councilmember
Laurie Capitelli's office sent this to me for high school parents and
guardians, though I can see the value for middle school or incoming
high school parents as well. We need to know what to do in the event
of a problem party, but we also need to have the discussion about
appropriate rules and guidelines we can establish with our teenagers
that are fair and also meet our needs for safety and comfort. That
comes from my parent hat, and being fortunate to have a teenager who
is making the right decisions, I still have a right to know where he
is at all times, so that I can effectively be his advisor and mentor
as he begins to make some important decisions for himself.

I believe that the potential for parent participation in the community
forum announced below is greater than the facility can manage, and is
also one step in a series we need to develop as a resource for our
parents.
That comes from my Berkeley PTA Council hat, and I see an opportunity
to develop a series of forums. All site PTA leaders are encouraged to
attend.

Mark Coplan, BUSD Public Information Officer
====================================================================

How Many Guests Are Too Many?  Community Forum on Teen Parties March
23,
2006

Within the last two years Berkeley Police have experienced an increase
in the reports of large, unsupervised teen parties.  Plagued by
sometimes hundreds of uninvited guests, these events often become
loud, out of control, and too often result in vandalism and violence.

The Berkeley Police Department, in conjunction with the District 5
Berkeley City Council Office, is sponsoring a community forum on
Thursday, March 23 on the growing concerns around teen parties:
.	The social factors that lead to out-of-control teen events
.	What teens can do if their party gets out of control
.	Teen anxiety about calling the police. What will really
happen?
.	What are parents' responsibilities if they are not there?
.	What can and should neighbors do if they suspect a large,
unsupervised
teen party?
.	How web sites, such as "My Space," play a roll in spreading
the word.

The BPD will also be available to address concerns about the February
homicide on Contra Costa Ave.

The meeting will be Thursday, March ---23 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at
the
Northbrae Church Community Center, 941 The Alameda, Berkeley.   The
event
is co-sponsored by the Neighborhood Liaison Division of the City
Manager's Office.  Available for questions will be representatives
from the Berkeley Police Department's Community Services Bureau and
Homicide Division, and the City's Mental Health Division.

For more information, call the BPD Area Coordinator, Officer
Nutterfield, at 981-5806, or the District 5 Council Office at
981-7150.


==========================================

Mark A. Coplan
Public Information Officer, BUSD
510-644-6320
Mark_Coplan at berkeley.k12.ca.us
Berkeley Unified School District
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, Ca 94704-1180