In an ongoing effort to educate parents and students about the latest trends and dangers of substance abuse, the Massapequa School District is highlighting drug awareness resources during Back-to-School night at each of its nine schools. Each parent will receive a detailed guide, “A Parent’s Guide for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use” published by the Massapequa Kiwanis Club, filled with a host of information from “The Adolescent Brain” to the “Signs and Symptoms…Communication” to “The Legal Consequences.” Parents can also download the “Drug Guide for Parents” app for free. Kiwanis’ message will be infused into other school presentations throughout the school year, such as the district’s mandatory Parent/Athlete meetings to reinforce the importance of substance abuse prevention.
“We want parents to walk out of their child’s school armed with the information they need to keep their children safe, and to have the knowledge they need to start the conversation, or even detect a problem, and be able to find the right resources,” said Dr. Thomas Fasano, assistant to the superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “This problem keeps growing…we hear on the news almost every day a new, cheap, easy-to-obtain synthetic drug or even prescription drugs, that are wreaking havoc in our communities. Parents and the entire school community need to partner together.”
On Sept. 24, all Berner Middle School students will attend a substance abuse education awareness program called “Opiate Evolution to the Perfect Storm,” presented by Nassau County Detective Pamela Stark, and sponsored by Senator Michael Venditto, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and the Massapequa School District. Berner parents are also encouraged to attend Detective Stark’s presentation at 12:30 p.m. in the Berner auditorium. Participants will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug abuse, the tools needed to battle peer pressure and other temptations related to drug abuse, how to make your home and community safe, and how parents can to talk to their kids about the dangers of drugs.
“This is just the tip of our expansive drug awareness program,” Fasano said. “Our district partners with Massapequa Takes Action (MTA), a consortium of parents, educators and community members whose mission is to recommend and implement programs that reduce risk-taking behaviors. YES Community Counseling is a driving force in the MTA consortium. Through this partnership, we have had numerous awareness programs, such as “Students Against Destructive Decisions” beginning at the elementary level, experts speakers, including Dr. Stephen Dewey and his presentation “Your Brain on Drugs” and John Halligan’s famous bullying/suicide prevention program, and programs that teach students new skills so they can respond to an emergency situation. We also hosted several Narcan training programs, as we remain committed to informing our community to help combat this epidemic.”
For more information on the Opiate Evolution to a Perfect Storm presentation at Berner Middle School, please call the school at 516-308-5700 or Venditto’s office at 516-882-0630.
—Submitted by Massapequa Public Schools
