Making Positive Choices: A conversation with parents and professionals about drugs, alcohol and youth

Making Positive Choices - A Conversation on Drugs, Alcohol & Youth

On Tuesday, February 28, Sutherland Family of Schools hosted a Drug & Alcohol forum for parents.  Over 80 parents spent the evening with health professionals, school counselors, youth workers and our RCMP liaison officer discussing the issue of helping our youth to make positive choices around drugs and alcohol.

Thank-you to our panel for sharing their knowledge and experiences with us:

                        Doug Jackson    School Counsellor
                        Samantha Mosicpan    Pre-teen Outreach Worker
                        Constable Abreo    RCMP Liaison Officer
                        Kerrie Watt    Prevention Consultant (VCH)
                        Carrie Lutszig    Clinician (VCH)
                        Jeremy Church    Secondary Vice Principal


After hearing a brief introduction by each of the panel members, parents were able to ask questions in small table groups as the panel circulated through the groups.

Common themes that resonated throughout the evening were:

    * the importance of listening to and talking with our children
            "Listen first, think second, and speak much later" Doug Jackson
    * maintaining strong connections through spending time with our children (something as simple as eating dinner together every night)
    * teaching our children to be strong, resilient, competent and confident so that they can make good decisions without us

As follow-up to this parent education evening, Samantha Moscipan, and our school liaison officer, Constable Gardner will meet with students in Grade 6 & 7 to present information on Drugs & Alcohol on Thursday, March 1, 2012.

Panel contact information is available upon request at eastview@nvsd44.bc.ca