Link to 6-10 Great Tips on How to Help Your Child Work Towards Student Success at Home

Still catching up on my blog reading at home and I ran across some great tips on how parents can help their children become more successful in school while they are working at home. As a parent of school-age children now myself, I even learned from these tips. I love following Cool Cat Teacher's blog and learned that she has another blog site for parenting tips, so I will include that link as well. The only problem I had with these tips is that I found the blog post for tips 1-3 and the post for tips 4-6, but I couldn't find the blog post for tips 7-10. I am guessing it is still coming in the next week or so. Either way, please click on all of the links below and read some great advice and tips on how we can all help our "students/children" at home.

**Edit: Tips 7 and 8 have now been posted and can be found by clicking the 3rd link**

Tips for Success at Home 1-3

Tips for Success at Home 4-6

Vicki Davis's Parenting Blog on Tuesdays at "The Balancing Act" blogspot (also on Lifetime TV daily)

**I skimmed some other blogs on this site and some look really, really good. If you like "self-help" blogs and books, this site has tons of free blogs written by every day people who have knowledge in all sorts of areas like family, parenting, empowerment, self-help, motivation, etc. If you have some extra time, skim a few of these and see what you think**

Partnership for a Drug-Free America Updates

As I catch up on my blog reader account over the Holiday break, I am skimming through 50 (yes, 50!) blog posts by the group Partnership for a Drug-free America. Lots of good information. If you read blogs here and there, this would be a good blog to follow. If not, I have pasted the links to the best of the 50 entries so you don't have to go through all 50 like I did....just click and read the ones I found to be the most interesting. Happy Holidays!

Marijuana use among teens rising and hitting 30-year peak, click here! Our own Iowa Youth Survey show usage rising among teens as well, but not as high as these results. But we still show about 13% of 11th graders using marijuana in the past month and we also show about 1 out of 15 11th graders smoking marijuana daily.

Synthetic marijuna is dangerous and parents can help! Good, quick read that reminds us all that parents are many times the best preventers of drug use in teens and preteens.

Substance Abuse and Child Abuse/Neglect Show Connection. Sure, this story is about Kentucky, but I assume this is true in almost any state. In my 4 short years as a school counselor, almost all cases of a student talking to me about being abused or neglected occurred by an adult who was also struggling with substance abuse.

Parents who Drink and Drive Means More Likely Chance Their Kids Will Too! Very quick read that highlights a study showing that kids of parents who drive under the influence are more likely to drive under the influence as well. Makes you think, especially if you read the next link...

1/3 of Car Accidents and Fatalities Related to Alcohol. Couple that with the link above and parents are pretty powerful forces in saving their own kids' lives!

House Votes to Ban Synthetic Marijuana (Spice, Bath Salts, etc.). Was in the news a lot, but here is a blog post about it.

Prescription Drug and Marijuana Addiction Treatments Way Up. Ten years of data on this subject really shows how dangerous prescription drugs are becoming. Also, it shows marijuana is becoming more and more of a problem.

Lots of links, but all very good and all very quick to read. Hopefully you get something from at least one of these that you can use to educate yourself, your kids, and those you are around.

Facebook provides first-of-a-kind service to help prevent suicides

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline collaborate with Facebook to help those in crisis

Facebook is announcing a new service that harnesses the power of social networking and crisis support to help prevent suicides across the nation and Canada. The new service enables Facebook users to report a suicidal comment they see posted by a friend to Facebook using either the Report Suicidal Content link or the report links found throughout the site. The person who posted the suicidal comment will then immediately receive an e-mail from Facebook encouraging them to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or to click on a link to begin a confidential chat session with a crisis worker.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ is a toll-free suicide prevention hotline network comprised of 152 local crisis centers. The Lifeline is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Link2Health Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC). The Lifeline provides free and confidential crisis counseling to anyone in need 24/7 and has answered over 3 million calls since its launch in 2005.

“We're proud to expand our partnership with Lifeline, and to provide those in crisis with even more options to seek help,” said Facebook’s Chief Security Officer, Joe Sullivan. “The Lifeline’s commitment to suicide prevention has enabled people on Facebook to get fast, meaningful help when they need it most, and we look forward to continuing our work with them to help save lives.”

“Facebook and the Lifeline are to be commended for addressing one of this nation’s most tragic public health problems,” said Surgeon General, Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA, who serves with Sullivan on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. “Nearly 100 Americans die by suicide every day – 36,035 lives every year. For every person who is murdered, two die by suicide. These deaths are even more tragic because they are preventable. We have effective treatments to help suicidal individuals regain hope and a desire to live and we know how powerful personal connections and support can be. Therefore we as a nation must do everything we can to reach out to those at risk and provide them the help and hope needed to survive and return to productive lives with their family, friends, and communities.”

Crisis center workers from two centers in the Lifeline network, the Boys Town National Hotline and Goodwill of the Finger Lakes’ 2-1-1/LIFE LINE, will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to Facebook users opting to use the chat. The Lifeline currently responds to dozens of people each day who have expressed suicidal thoughts on Facebook.

“We have been partnering with Facebook since 2006 to assist at-risk users and are thrilled to launch this new service,” said John Draper, Ph.D., the Lifeline’s project director and MHA-NYC’ Vice President of Behavioral Health Technology. “Although the Lifeline on average handles 70,000 calls per month, we have heard from our Facebook fans and others that there are many people in crisis who don’t feel comfortable picking up the phone. This new service provides a way for them to get the help they need in the way they want it.”

For more information on this topic please visit the SAMHSA Blog at http://blog.samhsa.gov/2011/12/13/facebook-provides-first-of-a-kind-service-to-help-prevent-suicides.

About the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) is the public-private partnership advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The Action Alliance envisions a nation free from the tragic experience of suicide. The Action Alliance was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates on September 10, 2010, with input and support of many public and private sector stakeholders. For more information, see http://www.actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org .

Virtual Financial Aid Fair

Iowa College Aid is hosting a free virtual financial aid fair on December 15th from 4-8pm through collegeweeklive.com. Some of the presentations available include: Financial Aid 101, Now What: What to Expect after the FAFSA, State of Iowa Scholarship and Grant Programs, Students Loans, and more!

Members of Iowa College Aid will also be available via live chat to answer questions.

Also- just a reminder that we will be hosting a live financial aid night at the high school on January 23rd at 6:30pm in the auditorium. ICAN will be presenting. They are also available free of charge to answer financial aid questions and even fill out your FAFSA by calling 515-246-8561.

Mrs. Heidemann and I are also available to help answer questions about financial aid as are the colleges and universities you are applying at!

Middle School Helping the Community in 2 Ways This Week!

Our middle school students are very busy this week trying to help needy families this holiday season. First off, our 7th graders are collecting canned and boxed food items for the local food pantry. All of this food goes directly to our local families, many of who are greatly in need due to both a shortage of food in their homes and in our food pantries. Each STAR group is collecting food and having a contest to see which group can bring the most. Even if you don't have a 7th grade child, feel free to send a couple food items with your child this week to donate to the cause.

Secondly, all students are raising money for the Toys for Tots program. This year, Mrs. Beydler and her students are using all of the money raised to help a couple local Carlisle families have toys and new clothes for Christmas. Our school goal is $1100 as we raised over $1000 last year and think we can beat it this year. One staff member has already pledged to match up to $100 if students can bring $100 this Friday!! Each day, a few students will visit every first period class in search of spare change or even a dollar bill or too. You would be amazed at how the spare change adds up. If each student were to simply drop a quarter in the bucket each day, we would raise over $700 in 6 days! If a student were to drop a dollar bill in one day or maybe a few quarters, our goal would be easy. So, again, a very simple request of our students, but adding it up, it can help so many people here right here in our community.

Please consider these 2 great causes this Holiday season. Also, please talk with your kids about charities and helping others as these are great conversations to have with kids at this age. They should be learning lots about handling and working with money both at school and home and charitable giving is one key piece of that education. Happy Holidays!

Job Fair and Interview Tips!

To go along with the previous post and/or just information to have if you are currently in the market for a new job or career, here are some links that have job fair, resume, application, and interview tips and support. Use what you can. I use some of these with my middle school students when we talk about employment skills or opportunities.

Job Fair Tips and Help click here!

Application tips click here!

44 Resume tips click here!

Interview tips click here!

Local Job Fair to Hire 30 New Workers...in the NEXT 2 WEEKS!!

Just a quick post to alert all of you so that you can spread the word. Dr. Lane has just forwarded me an email about an upcoming job fair in Indianola put on by a company called MarketLink. They are looking for people with good people skills, personal communication skills, and a positive attitude. And they are looking to hire immediately. I have copied/pasted the flier as best as I could below so that you have all the necessary information you need. If you are not in need of a job, please refer this information to people in our community who you know might need a job. What a wonderful holiday present....the gift of employment and a paycheck. I hope this helps several in our community.

Friday, December 9th from 1:00 - 6:00 PM

at our Indianola facility at 1801 W. 2nd Avenue.

We need Account Specialists to sell telecommunications products by phone

AND WE’RE HIRING THEM NOW!

We are also hiring a Sales Supervisor and a Recruitment Specialist!

If you’re highly dependable, have excellent verbal and PC skills and a positive attitude.

Come in this Friday. WE’RE HIRING NOW!

1801 W. 2nd Avenue · Indianola, IA · 515-961-3165

State Trooper Brian Shelley to Speak with Students About Cybersafety

The Carlisle Middle School Counselors are excited to welcome Trooper Brian Shelley to our school over the next 3-4 weeks. During these weeks, Trooper Shelley will get a chance to speak with every 4th-8th grader about Online safety, Cybercrime, Cyberbullying, and other online issues that affect our teens and preteens.

The world is changing rapidly and not even I know all the ins and outs of the internet or internet safety. I talk a lot about the opportunities and dangers of the online world, especially cyberbullying, but I don't always know the latest information, tactics, and safety measures that are out there. Trooper Shelley spends a good portion of his time in schools doing presentations just like these and is great at educating our students about these areas. Due to his schedule and ours, he will only be able to come in once a week, but by January 6th, he will have seen all students once during our Guidance and life skills class.

For more information on what he presents, please visit the website I have listed below to learn about what information he covers and presents. He chooses the appropriate lessons and topics for the age he is talking to. So, what he goes over with 4th graders will likely be very different than the 8th grade presentation.

Netsmartz.org click here!