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

A. Village of Woodridge – The Village and the Park District hosted a “School/Village Forum” for students in grades 5-8 at the Community Resource Center. They asked youth participants for ideas for youth volunteers (i.e. library, haunted hayrides, lifeguards, etc.).

B. Woodridge Park District – See above. They are hosting 1-hour “Kids Dialogs” at all Woodridge schools and St. Scholastica (YMCA, Village, Park District, Library, Police, Fire). They want get volunteer information out and elicit ideas for youth programs in the village.

C. Woodridge District 68/PTOs -

1. The District and Village organizations are fundraising for “Katrina’s Kids”. Funds are being sent to St. James Parish in Louisiana, a district about the size of Woodridge 68. St. James is hosting many refugee students as part of hurricane relief.
2. The Junior Achievement program is in Woodridge schools with Chamber involvement.
3. Edgewood – Their Student Council has representation from all grade levels; officers are 5 th and 6 th graders. Sharing with the community and world is important to this council. They are trying to involve more students with service projects like garbage collecting and field trips to assist the community. They are fundraising for Katrina’s Kids (raffles, bowling, miniature golf with teachers).
4. Goodrich – Their theme this year is STARS (Stop, Think, Act, Review, Smile). They feature the pillar of the month. The GSO is fundraising for Katrina’s Kids.
5. Meadowview – Their theme this year is MOSAIC (multicultural). At their open house they had a “museum” of the arts and flags of the cultures represented at Meadowview. Their PTO hosted a “taste of Meadowview” – a family gathering where everyone brought food and/or a recipe from their country. They are fundraising with raffles for Katrina’s Kids.
6. Murphy – They are fundraising for Katrina’s Kids (i.e. ice cream cups, raffles)
7. Sipley – They are currently running elections for Student Council. “Pause,” a parent participation program has successfully begun at Sipley (see #1 above). The school hosted a parent/student/staff dance. About 250-300 attended.
8. Willow Creek – They are currently collecting for Katrina’s Kids.
9. Jefferson – Jefferson wants to thank the Woodridge Police and Fire Departments for helping to conduct their “ Safety Day”. Students and staff are collecting for Katrina’s Kids.
10. PPS Social Work – Students are completing chores to raise funds for Katrina’s Kids. Firefighters are visiting schools on safety themes. Schools continue to work with CC! and bully prevention.

D. Lakeview Junior High, Darien District 66 –

1. Lakeview’s Student Council “Community Action Committee” held a 5-day competitive fundraiser for victims of Katrina. Krispy Kreme donuts were prizes. They raised $500 in 5 days.
2. “Home Base” classes were revamped. In this 20 minute a day period students meet with staff in small groups (15:1). They do CC!, team building, birthdays.
3. “8 th Grade Day” - They played golf as an in-school field trip.
4. They are doing a Snowflake program on Saturday, Oct. 1 with CSD99 as part of the high school Snowball program.
5. Lakeview’s CC! Club consists of grades 7 and 8 Leadership Teams. They accomplish the following:
   1. Ten students attended the C3 College at North Central College in October 2005.
   2. 8th Grade leaders will go to IDEA in November 2005 in Peoria
   3. 7 th Grade leaders teach elementary students the pillars of CC!

E. St. Scholastica School – Students donated $1000 as a free-will offering from kids (not adults) for Katrina relief. They “adopted” a family in Louisiana who is hosting 14 refugees in their home. They are collecting for the food pantry. They are continuing with the CC! Activities. Ten of their middle school students will attend the C3 College in October.

F. Woodridge Public Educational Foundation – Their annual golf outing was held October 3 rd. They are looking for parents to serve on their Board. This organization gives grants to schools.

G. Woodridge Community Resource Center –

1. 1. They just completed a program, “Plant a Promise to Be Tobacco Free” with the Lisle-Wdg Fire District Station 2, Resource Center, and the DuPage County Health Dept. They planted red “tobacco free” tulips. They had the Fire Dept. conduct an outreach program on fire fatalities – the leading cause of children’s deaths (80%). Master Gardeners from the U of I and the Junior Women’s Club are planting 50 bulbs on Sat., Oct. 8 with mums around the perimeter.
2. On October 20 th they will celebrate “Lights on After School”, a national event for after school programs.
3. October 22 is “Make a Difference Day”. They use high school students and the park district bus so youth can help senior citizens “neighbor to neighbor”.
4. On October 29 they will help the food pantry with “fall clean-up”.
5. K-6 th grades have a theatre workshop on Fridays.

H. D.A.R.E. – The Woodridge DARE program has 1 new officer. Their goal is to have 1 officer per school. This will involve more police officers.

I. Fire Department Prevention Bureau – Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 9-15. The firefighters visit schools with their equipment and trucks as well as conduct evacuation drills. They are available to be available at special functions in the village. Eight firefighters have completed 2-week volunteer tours of duty to Louisiana to St. Bernard Parrish (District 9) for Katrina assistance.

J. Metro DuPage Family Services –

1. They offer general counseling to parents and children, many referred from school social workers. They offer a sliding rate.
2. Metro DuPage offers adoption preservation programs.
3. They help relocate Senior citizens and provide a respite home for Seniors.

K. Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program –

1. Pat Nugent visits families in the District 68 boundaries who have children 0-5 years old.
2. Edgewood school has a Pre-kindergarten program from a grant. They recently had a family night with Spanish translators and - food. It was well attended.
3. PAT needs more Spanish-speaking volunteers and staff.
4. Police Officers attend their family nights. The officers help family members understand that the officers are genuinely interested and want to be pro-active in meeting family needs.

L. DuPage County Health Dept. –

1. September is “Emergency Preparedness Month”. DuPage County’s First Responders are Police, Fire, and DuPage County Health Department employees. They recommend all citizens have on hand 72 hours worth of supplies in case of an emergency. Their web page is www.dupagehealth.org. They are focusing on training and public information.
2. The Medical Reserve Corps needs lots of volunteers.
3. More municipalities are going to smoke-free restaurants. The villages/towns make the decision.
4. October 17 is the date for flu shots through the county for high-risk and seniors.
5. The Health Department is monitoring the progress of the avian flu through migratory birds.

M. Woodridge Area Chamber of Commerce –

1. The Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development offers “Business and CC!” The University of Illinois is working with them with training for businesses.
2. Local businesses are involved with the Junior Achievement in Woodridge Schools.
3. On November 15 the Chamber is hosting their 2 nd “Ladies Night Out” at the Boback Signature Room from 4-8:00. No Charge. This evening involves the American Cancer Society.
4. The Chamber has a “Greeter” program. Thus far, 18 business personnel have welcomed new residents.

 

N. Healthy DuPage Character Coalition (Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development) –

1. On October 25 th Tom Lacona and Matt Davidson will present their report on “Smart and Good High Schools” at the NIU Naperville campus
2. The DuPage Character Coalition meets the 2 nd Wednesday of the month at Aramark on Finley Road in Downers Grove 11:30-1:30. Participants can buy lunch or bring it to this “lunch meeting”. October’s topics are “Education, Sports and Business”.
3. The IL School Code has revised character education to the 6 pillars:

   Public Act 94-0187 (HB 1336)

   Character Education

   Effective Date: July 12, 2005

   Summary: This public act alters existing forms of character that must be taught in order to comply with the character education mandate for pupils. The definition of character is provided along with the need for teachers to teach pupils respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and citizenship, in order to raise pupils’ honesty, kindness, justice, discipline, respect for others, and moral courage for the purpose of lessening crime and raising the standard of good character.