[BHS etree] PTSA: Forum on Teenage Alcohol and Drug Use, Wed. 5/20

[bhs at idiom.com]

Please do not contact the e-tree; contact Mark van Krieken markvk4 at comcast.net

Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 20, the Berkeley High PTSA will be hosting a forum on teenage alcohol and drug use.  The meeting will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Berkeley High Library, and will have a number of outstanding experts in the field (from the county, the district & BHS) presenting.  They include:

· Ralph Cantor – Coordinator of Tobacco, Drug & Violence Prevention for the Alameda County Office of Education

· Javier Mendieta – Manager, BUSD Student Welfare & Attendance

· Sally Cohen, MFT (Marriage & Family Therapist) – Consultant to the BHS Health Center, and Facilitator of Substance Abuse Groups

The evening will consist of a series of short presentations by our panelists, followed by question & answer sessions with the public.  Javier Mendieta has also been asked by the District to formulate a plan for dealing with the District's student alcohol and drug problem, to be presented at the May 27 School Board meeting.  So this is a very good opportunity to give input, as well as to receive some valuable information. 

As many of you have read, the California Healthy Kids Survey from last spring showed that there is a tremendous problem with alcohol and drug use by Berkeley High students.  As Superintendent Bill Huyett told the School Board in response to the CHKS results, "Drug and alcohol use are off the charts!  We have a big problem of kids coming to school drunk and high. The rate is two and a half times the state numbers and folks, that is a very high number." To successfully address this problem, it is going to take a well integrated and coordinated effort that includes the school, the parent community, students, city officials, the Mental Health & Human Services department and various community service organizations.  We can't do it without your, the parent community's, participation.

To get fully up-to-date before the meeting, please take a look at the complete CHKS Survey and the District's report on the Survey, which can both be found on the PTSA website at http://bhs.berkeleypta.org/index.htm (just follow the links).

We hope to see you there!

Mark van Krieken
BHS PTSA President