A. Expand student participation and involvement in prevention activities

B. Develop parent and community involvement in substance and violence abuse awareness and responsibility

C. Provide teacher training for substance and violence abuse awareness and implementation of substance/violence abuse curriculum

D. Provide curriculum materials for grades K-8 early prevention

E. Annually disseminate substance and violence abuse/prevention policy

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

COMMUNITY SHARING

1. Community

a.Woodridge Public Library – Beth Van Opdorp–

i. Attendance at library programs for youth is lower than in the past. They have a summer reading program with prizes.

ii. Beth described the Lakeview Junior High CHARACTER COUNTS!SM (CC!) pledge at the bottom of this web page - http://www.ccsd66.org/Ccounts.htm

b. Chamber of Commerce – Edie Bernstein– i

i. On April 28 they will host a “Taste of Home Business Expo” at 7 Bridges 6-8:30 pm

ii. The Chamber hosted “Yes You Can!” – career day for girls by women in business on March 18th

iii. The Legislative Committee helps businesses

iv. CC! – Edie’s goal is to discover how the business community can adopt the pillars of CC! and speak the same terms as spoken in schools and homes. She has joined the DuPage Character Coalition’s Subcommittee “Character in Business.” They will be looking at Character First and CC!.

2. Schools

a. Woodridge District 68

i. School Board – Leslie Pollack – The 5-year Strategic Plan includes diversity in hiring and increased parent involvement. Leslie expressed an interest in dialoging with the Community Resource Center for ideas to involve parents more.

ii. Murphy School – Lisa David – Their Character Development Committee is making plans for weekly activities in each classroom (i.e. individual journals in grades 2-6 and class journals in Grades K-1 classrooms in which they report on what they are personally and collectively doing). They share with the class and selections are read as announcements over the intercom.

iii. Jefferson Junior High – Corey Fox – The 8 th Grade Career Day on March 24 th is sponsored by the Chamber (1:15-3 pm).

iv. Willow Creek – Lisa Wardlow – Each teacher recognizes a CC! Student of the Month. Pillar terms are now used on awards.

v. Woodridge Public Education Foundation (WPEF) – Leslie Pollack – they are “building a base in the community” – developing relationships with the business community and volunteers on fundraising and activities.

3. Youth Organizations

a. Girl Scouts of DuPage – Carolyn Wheat – The spring registration is now open for girls in grades K-12.

4. Community Resources

a. Metro DuPage Family Services (MDFS)- Pat Nugent – www.metrofamily.org - Many of their services are listed on the website…especially their general counseling sessions, adoption preservation (DCFS), and senior services respite home.

b. MDFS - Parents as Teachers – Pat Nugent – Funded by ISBE pre-kindergarten grant and United Way for families (English and Spanish) with children aged 0 – 5 years. Their parent nights are very successful (dinner, speakers).

c. Breaking Free – Shari Johnson and Amber Willett – Breaking Free assists with substance abuse prevention in DuPage and Kane Counties. They assist with prevention, homework help, Naperville “Snow” programs (-flurry, -flake, -ball), Aurora “Too Good for Drugs”, social norms. They are trying to create a parent component.

5. Community Coalitions

a. Healthy DuPage Character Coalition - Lincoln Center for Character Development – Evie Caprel –

i. Victory With Honor Workshop is at the Hickory Ridge Center in Lisle April 6-7

ii. “Living with the Public Trust” – April 28 – focuses on educators within organizations (Superintendents, Board of Ed)

iii. Foundations for Life Essay Contest – Grades 9-12 (April 5 deadline)

iv. C3 – County Character Coalition – October 6, 2005 – 10 students per junior high at the North Central College in Naperville. Number of schools increased from 38 to 42 last year.

 

6. DuPage County Resources – www.dupagehealth.org

a. DuPage County Health Department – Susanna Roberts and Sharon Crowder

i. New –“Walk DuPage: Pathways to Health” –This event was created to help fight the overweight and obesity statistics in DuPage County. NOTE: “National Trails Day” is during the first week in June.

ii. Access to Care

iii. Mental Health Access to Care

iv. “I Choose to be Smoke-Free: Tobacco Use Prevention” – Grades 2-4-6 – These efforts have paid off. Teacher plans are now online – www.dupagehealth.org/tobacco

Any teacher can order materials / kits from the Audio-Visual Institute of DuPage (AVID), even if working in a school that is a not a member of AVID.

The tobacco department can be reached (before 6/30) (630) 682-7979 x7145. After June 30, 2005, call (630) 682-7979 x7300.

b. DuPage Coalition Against Tobacco – Gary Sooter – (630) 682-7979 x 7044

i. They are trying to get smoke away from children by regulating tobacco sales, laws/ordinances, and law enforcement/regulations.

ii. The tobacco coalition meets quarterly – the next meeting is May 13, 2005 at 9:00 at the DuPage County Health Department.

iii. There will be a dinner ($10) at the Lisle Hilton on April 13 from 5-9:00. Contact Gary for more information.

iv. The smoke-free restaurant guide has been published and distributed.

7. Other

a. “Dialog on Poverty” – Tuesday, 3/22, (6-9:30 pm) Woodridge Community Resource Center, 8274 Janes Avenue – to recognize the 40 th anniversary of the War on Poverty.

b. DuPage Character Coalition announcements (handout)

c. Newspaper Articles (Toastmasters, Nat’l Youth Service Day, Chamber - Careers for Girls, Grandparents and Character (E. Caprel)