B-PEN (Brookline Parent Education Network)
helps parents navigate the
social, emotional and developmental challenges affecting today’s teens and
pre-teens – common challenges that can lead to risky behavior. An outreach
initiative that collaborates with Brookline school administrators and PTO’s,
the organization’s goals are to facilitate parent connections:
* with other parents,
* with school and town resources, and
* with helpful information via written/electronic materials on a wide variety of
teen concerns.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
WELLNESS COMMITTEE
Did you know that according to DrugFree.org, less than half of teens with mental health disorders get needed help? Brookline's Wellness Committee Dec. 5 summit, “Youth & Mental Health: Balancing the Wellness Wheel,” aims to generate strategies that will help us guide our students and parents in developing a "whole child” approach to youth mental health and overall wellbeing. Be on the lookout for the post-summit Parent Update on Youth & Mental Health. SETTING LIMITS HELPS BIG TRANSITIONS
With each new school year, kids have the opportunity to reinvent themselves as they engage with new classmates and teachers, maybe try a new look, a new attitude. But even for upperclassmen,setting limits and expectations is extremely important -- kids look to their parents for establishing the basic boundaries to keep them safe. Check out B-PEN's SETTING LIMITS TIP SHEET. Also, check out B-PEN's TIPS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS and TIPS FOR GRAMMAR SCHOOL PARENTS.
Freshmen parents, take a look at the PARENT TO PARENT Tip Sheet, put together with insight from those of us who've been there and learned from the experience! PARENT NETWORK CONNECTIONS
One of B-PEN’s primary missions is to provide opportunities for parents to connect with one another regarding some of the common social/emotional issues all our adolescents face as they develop. To complement regular PTO meetings, grade-geared Parent Network get-togethers at each school provide opportunities for helping parents get to know, support and strategize with one another around common developmental concerns. **Check out the Discussion Guides for Parent Networks** created to support Parent Network meetings. For help starting a Parent Network or more information on B-PEN’s offerings and resources, contact B-PEN coordinators June Harris, jharris@brooklinema.gov or
Karen Campbell, kcampbell@brooklinema.gov. SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS AND UPDATES
|
ALL ABOUT MOLLY
Brookline parents should be on the look-out for a popular new stimulant called “Molly,” which is the crystal or powder form of the chemical found in Ecstasy. It’s been a popular drug at parties and music festivals recently among Brookline youth, who are attracted to its longlasting (6-8 hours) effects and mistakenly believe it is relatively benign. It’s not. Read more… WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH ASK.FM?
Do you know your instagram from your tumblr? And what about the insidious Ask.fm, which is causing a lot of destructive drama at both the middle school and high school levels in Brookline? Check out this excellent primer on the social media apps and sites now popular with kids. Know where your kids hang out online and what they're doing.
SPOTLIGHT ON ADDERALL
Did you know that according to a recent national study, 11% of all teens aged 13 to 17 have been prescribed stimulant medication like Adderall or Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? That’s a lot of medication floating around, and for those who need it, these drugs can be extremely effective.
But according to a 2012 survey by The Partnership at Drugfree.org, in conjunction with the MetLife Foundation, an additional one in eight teens (13%) now reports that they have taken one of these stimulants when it was not prescribed for them. At BHS, 12% of all seniors admitted to abusing amphetamines not prescribed to them. Reasons ranged from self-medication and weight loss to study aids and recreational use – the sustained “high” from stimulants allows students to party longer. CLICK HERE to read more... Drug Free Action Alliance's report... NEWS AND NOTESAS OF JUNE 1, 2013 YOU NEED TO BE 19 OR OLDER TO PURCHASE TOBACCO PRODUCTS
BHS Peer Leadership proposal is now the law in Brookline. Click here to read the Public Health Department announcement. |
