posted Apr 4, 2017, 8:02 AM by Kevin Hatch
March. 2017 Updates from the SADD Program
High School: The high school group had 20 children participate at the district-wide Skateland The high school group will meet on Wednesday, March 8th to plan the next high school only trip to Wamesit Lanes in Tewksbury. SADD will also be working with the captains club and spring sports captains on a project under progress between Matt Curran and Ms. Rubino. SADD will also be working with the health dept to be trained in and teach middle school health classes this spring. Tenney: Unfortunately, due to snow days before vacation, we had to hold off "Kindness Week" until this week. Today we did amazing in our food drive for the Tenney's backpack program. During March 1 meeting, students will be sorting through food tomorrow, checking expiration dates, taking inventory, and filling backpacks to send home for Friday.
March 15th- National Kick Butts Day
Create Display (Fatal Figure Statistics) in front of main office, create fact for announcement of the day, create fact cards for around school
This month we are focusing on Kindness Week, completing some volunteer things to help around the school (i.e. backpack program), and focusing on developing things for National Kick Butts Day. I am also speaking to the students tomorrow so see if they are interested in creating that video for the contest on distracted driving due March 30.
CGS: For the first time the CGS chapter of the SADD program will have its own bulletin board in the school. For now the bulletin board will be located in the 7th grade hallway to give seventh graders something to ponder as they enter eighth grade and then high school. The bulletin board will feature the life contract, the SADD logo, a summary of what SADD hopes to accomplish, and various facts of the week that will be completed by the students. The facts will deal with drugs, alcohol, distracted driving, internet safety, and a variety of other topics to get the students thinking about the decisions they make everyday. Once completed, be on the look out for pictures! Timony: February Activaties:
• Ruth Potee Presentation – February 16
I did not see any of my students/parents at this presentation. I attended and it was very informative.
• Skateland - February 17
Very well attended… Lot’s of FUN!
March meetings: continue with our February work…
• Planning for ‘Kick Butts’ event to take place on March 15, 2017.
• Continue with our informative and inspirational bulletin board. Marsh: The Marsh had about 20 students attend the trip to Skateland. They all seemed to really enjoy themselves. Also, in February, we took part in the Sandy Hook Promise: Start with Hello campaign. We discussed the negative impact social isolation can have on teens and encouraged students to make everyone feel welcome. We all wore lime green bracelets that read, "Start with Hello" and made an extra effort to invite students to join lunch tables or join games on the playground. I encouraged kids to look around and pay attention to peers that might feel isolated and think of ways to make them feel more included. It can be as simple as making eye contact and saying hello
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posted Mar 7, 2017, 7:20 AM by Kevin Hatch
SADD updates 2/2017
High School:
In January, we met twice and had a discussion about school
culture and things we would like to change or improve about it. We are
brainstorming ideas about partnering with the winter sports captains for a
service activity.
February we will be attending Dr. Ruth Potee’s presentation on
the 16th and the skateland field trip on February 17th.
Student leaders will be participating in a program with Jeff
Osgood which will involve them being trained in educating younger students at
the grammar schools. This is an excellent opportunity for SADD students to
showcase their leadership skills and assist with prevention at the grammar
school level.
Marsh: Detectives Little and Noonan from the Methuen Narcotics
Unit spoke to the group at the January meeting.
The meeting was extremely informative.
All students were engaged and asked really good questions. We also decided to participate in Start with
Hello Week in February (more details to follow). Looking forward to skating in February too
Tenney: Currently SADD is working on planning a week of
kindness that will be held the week before Feb. vacation.
Monday: Kind to Self
Tuesday: Kind to Peers
Wednesday: Kind to Community
Thursday: Kind to Adults
Friday: Kind to School
Students in upper and lower school will participate and have a choice board to
complete one activity per day for each category.
SADD students will complete activities that promote each day also.
Monday: SADD students will create a bulletin board for viewing that state
positive comments about ourselves and explain the week ahead.
Tuesday: Students will write positive messages to upper and lower school
students and place on lockers and desks.
Wednesday: Students will collect food for backpack program and work on storage
and organization/ distribution.
Thursday: Writing notes and filling baggies with tootsie rolls "Thanks for
the "roll" you play each day...distribute to all staff in building.
Friday: Filling out form/ students create cards for "Buddy Bench"
Gift Program. Goal to receive buddy
bench for playground.
Timony:
January activities:
• SADD students are re-doing the SADD bulletin board to announce meeting dates
and activities and will include a SADD student inspired positive message
board.
• Students began brainstorming ‘Kick Butts’ day activities.
February meetings: continue with our January work…
• Discuss and invite students (preferably with a parent) to attend the Ruth A.
Potee, MD presentation at MHS (February 16)
• Discuss Skateland (February 17) and make posters to advertise event to 7th
and 8th grade students.
• Begin planning for ‘Kick Butts’ event to take place on March 15, 2017.
• Continue with our informative and inspirational bulletin board.
CGS: This month the CGS SADD chapter will be meeting (today)
Feb 2nd to discuss our skateland trip and finalize numbers for that event. We
will also be discussing a school wide activity that will be sponsored by the
members of SADD, as well as a community service event that we could complete.
All of these will be student driven therefore much of the meeting will be spent
brainstorming ideas.
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posted Mar 7, 2017, 7:02 AM by Kevin Hatch
CGS: Mr Matt Twoomey:
As you may or may not know I am the director of the junior SADD program here at the CGS. Next week is one of the most important weeks of the year for our program being that it is Red Ribbon week which aims to raise student awareness about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and other destructive decisions. In speaking with Mr. Reeve about the plan for the week, we have decided on a few activities that we would ask for your help in facilitating during the upcoming week to raise the aforementioned awareness of the students. Please see below for the activities that we have planned.
1. on October 21st, members of the SADD program went around to each homeroom in the upper school with red ribbon coloring pages. We would ask that you take some time on Monday have the students sign their ribbon, color it red, and hang them on the door (or frame) of your homeroom as a show of support for this cause.
2. SADD students will be wearing their red ribbons all week and cutting ribbons for staff as well.
3. Wednesday (October 26th) will be designated as red day for staff and students. We would ask that everyone please show their support by wearing red that day and please let your students know about this important spirit day. Also, there will be red ribbons placed in all teachers rooms so that staff may wear ribbons also that day.
4. On Friday October 28th we will be showing the film "If Only" to our 8th grade students. The film was produced by Mark Wahlberg and takes a look into the increasingly important subject of opiate abuse. The film is about 40 mins. long. If the 8th grade teachers would like, we would like to use the last 45 min. of the day to show the film in the auditorium. Please let me know if this works for you.
As everyone is well aware we are in the midst of an epidemic in Merrimack Valley Communities and anything we can do to start the conversation and help raise awareness is very much appreciated. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you in advance for your support. Matt Twomey ——————————————————————— Timony Diane Alaimo
Methuen Public Schools will participate in Red Ribbon Week activities onWednesday, October 26. Red Ribbon Week is the most widely recognized drug prevention campaign in the country. This years theme... YOLO... be drug free.
Students in the SADD program at the Timony aim to project a unified, positive message to work toward a drug free community. Students in grades 5-8 signed Red Ribbons pledging to remain tobacco, alcohol and drug free. These pledges are displayed at the main entrance of the building. The black ribbons displaying the message 'You are not forgotten' are in remembrance of our family, friends and neighbors lost to accidental overdose in Methuen from 2012 to 2015. 7th and 8th grade students will participate in an assembly by 'No First Time' inspiring students to remain drug free.
Please join me in wearing red on Wednesday October 26 and wear the Red Ribbon you will find in your mailbox... compliments of Timony's Students Against Destructive Decisions.
Thank you.
DIane Alaimo SADD advisor —————————————— Methuen High School-Jackie Rubino
I have booked our Christmas tree decorating night in the cafeteria for Thursday, November 10th. Could you please let me know by Monday, November 7th if you are coming and how many students will be attending, just so I have enough materials. Also, please let me know by that date how many students will attend the Santa Parade.
Thank you so much for all that you do! You are making a huge difference in students’ lives!
Jackie
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posted Nov 1, 2016, 3:12 PM by Kevin Hatch
To: Dean Brouder CC: Jackie Rubino Re: Jr.SADD June update - Timony Grammar School From: Diane Alaimo October 4, 2016
October Meeting dates: October 13,20
Our first meeting of the year will be held on October 13. It is during this meeting that I hope to gain some fresh faces from my 7th grade students. We will begin the year with the red ribbon campaign. During health classes, students in grades 5-8 will pledge to stay tobacco, alcohol and drug free. They will sign this red ribbon pledge and these will be displayed in our glass corridor. We look forward to the NO FIRST TIME presentation being sponsored at our school on Wednesday, October 26th… I will urge SADD students to wear their SADD apparel with red arm bands and be a visible presence in the audience
Plans for 2016-7: Red ribbon campaign (October) Methuen festival of trees and/or Timony’s annual holiday celebration (November/December) Methuen SADD Skateland event highlighting positive social activities (January/February) Kick Butts campaign (March) Back to School program fundraiser for Methuen Arlington Neighborhood (April/May) Additional field trips with other Methuen SADD programs (TBA) - End of year wrap up…
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posted Oct 6, 2016, 2:08 PM by Kevin Hatch
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updated Oct 6, 2016, 2:09 PM
]
CGS and High School: Students have been working on end of the year activities. CGS students would like to have an end of the year pizza party/outdoor celebration and high school students would also like to do something outside. Both groups are considering utilization of Forest Lake. We will also be participating in the Holy Family cleanup this month.
Marsh: Students attended a school dance as a group in March. There actually was a good number of kids that came back to school from 6-8 to attend. They were all very well behaved and had a fun time.
Timony: March Meeting dates: March 10, 24 April meeting: April 7
March: Prepared white paper T-shirts to hang in glass corridor displaying quotes from ‘Big Tobacco’ to ‘air out Big Tobacco’s dirty laundry. Students hung clothesline along the inside windows and used clothespins to display the t-shirts.
March 16 was Kick Butts day. SADD students distributed questionnaires to upper school students at lunch time with the following questions:
More than 39,000 Massachusetts high school students smoke• Tobacco companies would never want young people to smoke.
• Tobacco companies spend more than 145 million dollars each year on advertising.
• Tobacco-related health care costs are more than 4 billion dollars per year.
• 3,900 Massachusetts kids under 18 become new smokers each day.
• Second-hand smoke is especially harmful in young children and causes thousands of children to become ill. • Tobacco 21 is a local law that raises the cigarette purchase age to 21 and is being adopted in many cities across the country.
The completed questionnaires were entered into a raffle for 2 Launch certificates.
April: Agenda will include registration for Holy Family Hospital trail clean up |
posted Apr 11, 2016, 10:07 AM by Kevin Hatch
SADD Updates March 2016
Over 100 SADD students from the Timony, CGS, High School and Marsh attended the field trip to skateland.
High School: 20 members of the high school SADD group attended the Skateland field trip on February 26th. Additionally, students have been preparing for their last field trip plan as well as the end of the year celebration.
CGS: 37 members of the CGS groups attended the Skateland field trip and had a wonderful time. At our last meeting, Detectives Aaron Little and Tracy Noonan visited and spoke to the students about their jobs and had an open discussion about making good decisions.
Tenney: SADD Tenney will be gearing up for March's KickButts Day and beginning talk about fundraising for Relay for Life in conjunction with Girls on the Run. We have also been working with a local charity, Debbie's Treasure Chest to supply Tenney students with school supplies if they cannot afford them.
Timony:
February Meeting date: February 4
March Meeting dates: March 10, 24
Skateland event: February 26
February:
Discussed how we will recognize ‘Kick Butts’ day (March 16, 2016). Some ideas included ‘I am not a replacement’ campaign and ‘Airing out big tobacco’s dirty laundry’
Made and displayed posters for Skateland
Held Skateland event. 10 students from the Timony attended. District wide, the Skateland event was well attended.
March:
March agenda will include ‘Kick Butts’ recognition activities.
Marsh: We had a ball at Skateland too! I am so glad we went.
Besides having about 35 students attend the Skateland trip, I have a group coming to a Student Council sponsored dance at the Marsh on Friday night from 6-8. At this point, I am trying to provide opportunities for safe, healthy gatherings. I want students to see they can have good, wholesome fun without making destructive, unsafe decisions. |
posted Mar 18, 2016, 9:17 AM by Kevin Hatch
SADD Update February 2016
High School- -The high school group is planning on attending the Skateland field trip at the end of the month. -We will be ordering t-shirts at the next meeting. CGS- -The CGS will also take part in the Skateland field trip on February 26th. -Officer Gunther will visit the group at an upcoming meeting in February. -CGS will be ordering t-shirts designed by one of their own members. Timony- -Planned our Skateland event and made posters to advertise. -Began making positive designs with messages to post on our SADD bulletin board.
-Students are also planning to post positive messages on lockers. we will discuss further at February meeting February:
-Will decide how we will recognize ‘Kick Butts’ day (March 16, 2016) and begin the plans. Marsh- -Attended the Marsh Italian Feast as a group. -Attending a school dance on Friday, February 5th -Skateland on February 26th.
Tenney
The month of February, Tenney SADD will focus on an anti-bully campaign that targets average youth as superheroes that take a stand agaiont bullying. Statistics show that only 10% of youth will do something when they are a bystander to bullying. Our SADD members are going to encourage students to through our Superheroes Don't Wear Capes" and to be a hero to a victim of bullying. We will also recognize other community heroes like our military and teachers. In addition, we will remind all upper school students that they are loved on Friday when students receive Valentine's carnations. Not everyone will get a carnation, but SADD will make sure everyone is remembered with a superhero tattoo Valentine waiting for them first thing in the morning.
SADD will also begin plans to host our third annual KickButts Day event for 5th graders.
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posted Feb 9, 2016, 11:00 AM by Kevin Hatch
SADD Monthly Update-January 2016
District-Wide- Diane Alaimo is preparing our a third annual SADD Skateland night for late February/March. All schools in the district will take part in this annual event, where we rent Skateland solely for the SADD students, providing a safe and fun environment for all SADD members in Methuen for several hours on a weekend evening.
High School-
On Saturday, December 19th, a group of 12 members went with Ms. Rubino and Mr. Brouder on a community awareness mission to help stop underage drinking. The group, partnered with Evelyn Rodriguez, the Substance Abuse Prevention Collaborative Coordinator of the Lawrence/Methuen Community Coalition, visited 5 liquor stores in Methuen accompanied by a police officer. The students covered boxes in the stores with stickers, urging patrons NOT to buy alcohol for minors. The students enjoyed this activity very much and felt as though they were helping their community. More activities such as this have been requested.
CGS- The CGS group attended “Zoo Lights” at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA on Sunday, December 20th. A bus transported 38 members to the zoo for a fun night of looking at animals and enjoying the holiday light display. Thanks to a local business, this activity was completely cost-free for the students. This month, Sergeant Gunther will be coming to the CGS to speak to the students after school. In addition, the group will be having an open gym afternoon, providing them with an hour and a half after school filled with music, basketball, and other healthy activities.
Tenney- Our Tenney SADD members worked hard during the holidays to collect and organize items donated by Tenney students for a local organization, Debbie's Treasure Chest. The group successfully collected over 500 items including toiletries, school supplies, hats, mittens and books to deliver to needy families in the community. In addition, the groups cut out snowflakes to create a bulletin board (pictures to follow) to demonstrate how each one of us can make a difference. Each snowflake represented one item donated and were displayed with the quote "A snowflake is one of nature’s most fragile things, but look what happens when they stick together".
For January, our members are interested in setting up a community service project that will include an outing for SADD members and the Best Buddies program at the high school. Members will also be hosting a future "Superheroes Don't Wear Capes" spirit week against bullying. 7th grade Health students have been creating a project that will teach their peers to become a defender when they are a bystander to bullying. These projects will be rolled out during the spirit week to motivate kids to take action.
Timony-
December Meeting dates: December 3 and 17, 2015
January Meeting dates: January 7 and 21, 2016
December meetings:
Students voted on student leaders to help organize events and maintain bulletin board.
Discussed possible ‘committees’ that will highlight student’s talents and interests.
Participated in ‘Decking the Halls’ at the Timony for our ‘Evening with Santa’ by making construction paper Christmas trees with positive messages and SADD logos topped with the Red Ribbon campaign ribbons.
January Meetings:
Will form planning committees for Skateland fundraiser, Rock the belt seatbelt activity for lower school students and begin planning KICK BUTTS for March.
Marsh-
Sargent Gunther from Methuen's narcotic unit came to my December meeting. It was a great meeting with terrific discussion. Students were very active participants with excellent questions.
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posted Jan 6, 2016, 5:21 AM by Kevin Hatch
SADD Update- November 2015
District-Wide: Each group did activities for Red Ribbon Week(Oct 23-31)
High School: They continue to hold weekly meetings. During the October21st meeting, students did fall arts and crafts with pumpkins, paint, and leaves writing what good habits they are “falling” into this year. Additionally, students made red ribbon pins to be handed out to staff and students for red ribbon week. Close to 90 students attended the orientation/welcome back breakfast on Tuesday, October 27th which was attended by Superintendent Scannell, Assistant Superintendent Brandi Kwong, Principal Barden, Officer Mellor and head of Health and Wellness, Jeff Osgood. Students had breakfast and were revered for their efforts in making the school community a healthier, more positive place.
Tenney: In addition to the spirit week, we had a trivia question of the day and designed a special pink shirt for the Friday spirit day (Drugs Stink Wear Pink). I have designed the tree theme and will be organizing the decorating night for next week or possibly the 9th at the latest. We will be making paperclip angels, signing a tree shirt pledge and who knows what else. I also plan to have a shirt and gear sale around Thanksgiving time (new items to be included) so parents can get the items for Christmas. I would also like to organize with my group a fundraiser for Make a Wish foundation. Kids who make a donation (whatever they can afford) will be given a snowflake to add to a display with a powerful quote about small gestures changing the world.
Marsh: We are in full swing with red ribbon week at the Marsh. We all wore red yesterday. We also made red ribbons for staff to wear. We have large posters hanging in the front windows of the upper school and we are in the midst of a door decorating contest. The judging will be tomorrow. I have also spent time this week discussing with my HR. My next mtg is Nov 9th. I have a ton of students with signed contracts already.
CGS: The SADD CGS group has met weekly and has completed several times this month and have completed several activities, including brainstorming some ways that they would like to make their school a better place. They completed fall arts and crafts and we discussed as a whole group what they would like to see changed about their school environment. They will be attending a field trip to pilgrim lanes to go glow bowling on Friday, November 6th from 6-8pm.
Timony: Our first meeting is open to new members including our former 6th graders who are now in 7th grade, and any 8th graders who are interested in participating in SADD this year. October 8:
- Reviewed contracts
- Provided a list of 2015 meeting dates and activities.
- Discussed the purpose of SADD
- Discussed conduct and expectations of members
- Discussed Red Ribbon Week. Students in grades 5-8 will be signing ‘red ribbon’ contracts (to remain tobacco, alcohol and drug free) during health class. SADD students will hang a display of these 500+ red ribbons in the glass corridor leading into the cafeteria
- Determined interest in becoming a student leader to assist in managing attendance, projects, bulletin board updates, etc.
- On October 22: Students were very busy hanging the 500+ red ribbon contracts in the glass corridor leading into the cafeteria.
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posted Nov 5, 2015, 8:12 AM by Kevin Hatch
SADD Update- October 2015 District-Wide: The groups have discussed once again participating in the Festival of Trees. The theme will be Red Ribbon Week and the tree will memorialize those who students lost to addiction or is struggling with addiction. The Tenney school will be used for a night of crafting for the event sometime in October. There will be more district-wide events to come. High School: The MHS group has had 2 meetings this year. There is a grand total of 77 students signed up with signed contracts coming in daily. The MHS group will be using Google Classroom for communicating and collaborating; last week they worked in groups to make “wish lists” on Google Classroom. Students will be fundraising this year and hope to complete many activities. Below is a sample of activities on the wish list:
- Hiking
- Volunteer Work (cleaning up river, food pantry)
- Group dinner nights
- Hayrides/fall activities
- Kayaking
- Snow tubing
- Ice skating
- Duck boats
- Altitude sports park
- Barbecue
Students will be sponsoring Red Ribbon Week the last week of October. This will feature lunchtime activities in which students are asked to candidly discuss substance abuse/peer pressure in high school. Additionally, Ms. Rubino will have a guest speaker in her class, her aunt who lost her son to heroin addiction ten years ago.
Tenney: The Tenney SADD group is up and running and also has a wish list to complete for the year. This group is already planning a sweatshirt sale as a fundraiser. Included in this group’s wish list are the following activities: Kick Butts Day Outdoor activity like kayaking, ropes course or rock climbing (teambuilding) End of year celebration (catered event at Canobie Lake Park for example)
Marsh: Similarly, the Marsh group has a few goals for activities for this year: Professional athlete/motivational speaker Chunky's Local hike
CGS: The SADD CGS group will meet Wednesday this week for the first time. Students will be introduced to the group and given Contracts for Life. The November update will include the fall activities completed and the number of students signed up. Timony: This group had similar items on their wish list: Group Kayaking on Plum Island Outdoor activities Ropes course in Kittery, ME End of the year event
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