CMS 8th Graders to Visit College Campuses Around Central Iowa

            Our 8^th graders have begun their final semester of middle school and now is the time we really begin to get ready for high school. But we do not only prepare for high school, we also prepare for life after high school. We have a focus on creating students who are “College and Career Ready” at Carlisle and for 8^th graders, this means a busy final semester. So while 8^th graders are making their 4-year plans and selecting high school courses, they are also going on one of six college campus visit days as well!

            Beginning this week with an Iowa State trip, groups of 20-35 8^th graders will go on a trip to either Iowa State University, Simpson College, Grandview University, Central College, Drake University, or Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Ankeny sometime in the next month or two. Each student was placed on one of these visits based on college or career interests they listed on a notecard. The goal of these visits is for students to see what a college or university looks like, help students see themselves on a college campus someday, and to get ideas and plans in their heads as they begin to plan their high school coursework. While not every student goes on to a 2 or 4-year college after high school, we want all students to know and understand this option and how a student could pursue this option if that is the route he/she chooses to go.

            Near the end of the year, the Carlisle Alumni Association puts on a Career Day for our 8^th graders. This event brings 20 or more Carlisle High School Alumni who are working their careers and want to help our students understand how to work towards getting into a similar career. This helps our students who have already seen what colleges are like to now see what a few careers are like. These two events combined are a great way to expose our students to the “College and Career Ready” culture we try to foster each and every day across our district. Being that this is our 5^th year of doing the college visits, when this year is done, every student grades 8-12 will have been on a college campus via this annual program!

Why Knowing More About Human Trafficking is Important to Us.....in the Carlisle Community

   Kim Flagor and I attended a workshop on Human Trafficking at our annual counseling conference back in November. We were really moved by the terrible and sad information we learned. It stuck with us. Just this week, I had the chance to go to another presentation on Human Trafficking by a local group that works to help young women get their lives back after being rescued from trafficking. Again....I was deeply moved. Soon, our counseling staff will hear from a third group, this time a group that helps get the message out to our teens and students as to what Human Trafficking is and why it matters to them. In other words, Human Trafficking is a big deal. But why? And why in little ol' Carlisle? Well, here are a few main reasons (in no particular order...they are all important!)



First of all, what is Human Trafficking?
 Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. It also happens to be the 2nd most profitable crime in the world, only trailing drug trafficking (although it could someday overtake that based on the rate it is growing)

 So, now that we know what it is, why does it matter to us?

 1. Iowa has the 5th highest rate of human trafficking in the country. That means only 4 states have a larger trafficking issue than us. This is likely due to the intersection of I35 and I80...too interstate systems that criss-cross the entire country. Our mental health facilities (or lack of) is another key reason. And a final reason is drug trafficking in our state which typically goes hand in hand with human trafficking. Dorothy's House presentation noted that heroin is on a major rise in our state because it is cheap and addictive and this is one of the drugs key to the trafficking issue.

 2. But we are not just talking about our young girls (and often boys as well) being stolen or abducted and taken out of state. Up to 80% of human trafficking is "Familial Trafficking". This means a majority of trafficking of our young people is done by their own family. Their mothers, fathers, step-parents, foster parents, older siblings, etc. They are selling their own child's body multiple times a day for money to pay rent or for a drug habit.

 3. According to Dorothy's House, guess who is the most popular victim to traffic? A 12-14 year old girl that is tall, skinny, and blond and right from the Des Moines area. We aren't talking 18 year olds and 20 year olds. We aren't talking kids from Chicago or LA. We are talking our kids. Our pre-teens and teenagers. As a father of 5....that matters to me!

 4. 1 in 3 teens on the street will be lured by a trafficker within 48 hours. We have runaways in our school district from time to time. It is scary to think of several of these students being approached by a trafficker. Many of these young people who are approached will accept the "help" they get and soon be into a trafficking situation they cannot escape from.

 5. The average age of a child victim in human trafficking and prostitution is 13-14 years old. In our district, we have roughly 300 students at that age level.

 6. Speaking of the average victim....the average victim may be forced to have sex up to 20-48 times a day. Young girls and women who happen to survive and make it out of these situations many times need reconstructive surgery, immediate and long-term mental health therapy, and addiction treatment. Even if everything works extremely well, it is tough for these girls and boys to live a normal life due to the intense and long-term trauma they were surviving through.

 7. Most common way a girl gets into trafficking? They are "boyfriended" in. In other words, a "nice" boy slowly gets to know a girl in that age 11-15 range (sometimes older) and grooms the girl. This is many times done online. The girl thinks the boy is her age or thinks he is really wanting to be a boyfriend. Many times the boy is much older, usually a man well past his teenage years. They arrange a meeting and the rest is a very sad, sad situation. The girls typically never see it coming......

 .....But her friends do. Her family does. Her teachers do. Her neighbors do. If.....if they are involved in her life and being supportive and caring and not letting her get down this path. This is why it matters to us here in little ol' Carlisle. We have a chance to not let our girls and boys be a part of these sick statistics. We have a chance to save the lives of some of our young people. But we must be willing to ask questions and not accept "fine" or "okay" for an answer. We must be on social media and checking on our kids. We must know our kids' friends and who our kids think are their friends. We must get in their business....because their business matters to us because we love them. And we must educate ourselves on this issue which has been around forever, but is rapidly increasing due to social media making it easier to "buy and sell" young people, our transportation system making it easier to traffic young people quickly and easily, and our drug and mental health issues on the rise making young girls and boys more vulnerable to being lured into the world of trafficking. We cannot look the other way because this topic is too gruesome, too ugly, too tough to read and hear about. We must turn towards it and towards the solutions because of these things.


 Please click on some of the links below to learn more. I did not know much about this issue 6-12 months ago, but I am glad I am learning now. As a counselor, I have dealt with many students "talking" to a stranger online and many times the conversations have stopped before it got too far. My worry is what if it didn't. What would happen. I want to educate myself and others so we can all help each other and all watch over each other

The Polaris Project

Recognize the Signs

Iowa Networkd Against Human Trafficking

Carlisle Continues School-Based Therapy Program for 2015-16

     Adrienne Latoure started the school year as our district’s School-Based Licensed Mental Health Therapist. Her position will allow for students to meet with a therapist on school grounds and provide extra support for our students and families in need. Counselors will be contacting parents and making referrals for students they feel can benefit from meeting with a therapist if they are not currently meeting with a therapist outside of our school system. Parents can also contact their child’s school counselor if they feel their child could benefit from this service. Carlisle counselors are excited to partner with Adrienne to better serve the socioemotional needs of our students. Please contact the schoolcounselor in your child’s building if you have questions. Thank you!

Carlisle Community School Counselors & Interventionist

Leah Heidemann & Traci Lee (High School)  989-0831

Ben Barry & Kim Flagor (Middle School)  989-0833

Kim Flagor (Hartford)  989-0316

Jane Phillips & Matt Berryhill (Elementary) 989-0339

Two Week Warning! School is Just TWO Weeks Away! Here's What to Do Now.

      I had hoped to put this out right at 8:00 a.m. this morning, but even I am still a little slow due to summer. But I need to pick it up because in 2 weeks, over 2000 students will be in our buildings and we need to be on our "A" game. And so do students. With teachers doing curriculum work, getting their rooms ready, and checking in and out periodically over the last two weeks and officially reporting next week, it reminded me that this is a great time to start preparing my own kids to start getting into school mode. This does not mean I am putting them through school work from 8 to 3 everyday (we are even spending all day tomorrow at Adventureland!), but it does means some changes are happening around our house so that our kids are physically and mentally ready for school on the morning of August 26th. Here are some quick and easy things to consider doing to make the transition back to school easier and more successful. 



       Bedtimes! Number 1 complaint I hear from parents about the first day of school is trying to get their kids out of bed. Trust me, I would be a grumpy counselor if I woke up at my 6 a.m. alarm for the first time in 3 months on the first day of school. That is why I have been setting my alarm for 6 a.m. since the beginning of August. I don't always make it out of bed at that time and the snooze button does get hit a few times, but I am trying and my body is slowly getting used to these efforts. But even more important than the wake up time is the time you go to bed. If your kids have been on "summer time" and going to bed around 9 or 10 when they usually go to bed around 8, now is the time to transition back. I had heard once that it takes about 2 weeks for a teenager to fully recover from one night of unusual sleep (think staying up to 3 a.m. at a sleepover). Hmm....2 weeks? That makes it even more important to start getting into your school bed and wake up time routine now. The mind will be fresh and ready on that first day of school. If this is a huge change, have a goal to get your kids in bed at the school bed time and let them read or draw until their mind is more relaxed and falling asleep will be easier. Speaking of.....



       Now is the time to read!! I'm not talking just to the students who have required reading, but to all students. Doesn't matter the age, reading for pleasure will help in all areas. And it will help their mind wind down after a long and fun summer day. The older the student, the more reading they are going to be doing in each subject area. So getting your child in the habit of daily reading for 20 minutes or more will help them prepare for the reading that the school day and homework will bring. Even better? Have your child read to you and you read to them. Take turns. You can listen and help where they might make mistakes and they can listen to you to hear how you work through words and how you start, pause, and stop at certain points and inflection and emotion you have in your voice. Who knows.....maybe they will fall asleep when you are reading!! (Not a bad thing....this is a good thing!) 




      How about some math? Science? Social Studies? Yes, these are all good too. The trick is to do some each day without your child noticing they are doing "school work". Go to garage sales and give them some money to budget and spend. Maybe give them only coins so they have to do a little more math. Start looking at possible vacation ideas for next year and have them come up with some ideas as long as they plan how to get there and what you would do. Go for a walk on a bike trail or in the woods and enjoy nature. Go fishing! Go grocery shopping and have your child estimate how much you are spending on everything in your cart. Have your child pick all the back to school items and add up how much it costs. Watch the news together and discuss world events and politics. Add National Geographic or Ranger Rick or Time for Kids to their "for fun" reading at night. All of these ideas get a little more science, math, or social studies into their daily life. The key is to let them explore and learn and talk with them as they do these things. Get to know what they are thinking and how they are solving problems. The more you know about how your child learns, the better you will be able to help them when they get stuck. By the way, as a bonus, as a former science teacher, the Internet has tons of fun science experiments that use basic kitchen materials. My kids love these types of things. And I didn't even mention crafts and creative art things you can do. The options for fun (and educational) ideas are virtually endless! 


    

     These three ideas are the ideas that jump out as me as the most important things you can do to get a jump start on school. Of course you have to mix in some back to school shopping, a trip to the State Fair, and one last time at the pool, I-Cubs game, or Adventureland as well I am sure. But school will start in two weeks and the more prepared your child's mind and body is for that transition, the better start he/she will have. And good starts lead to good years. And a good year (actually a great year) is what we are all hoping for this year. See you in 2 weeks!

College Planning 101

We get a lot of questions in the counseling office from students and parents about when to start college planning and what steps they should be taking. For the most part, it's never too early to start looking at potential careers and postsecondary institutions that may align with those careers.  Granted, most students will change their minds several times before they make their "final" decision (and even then they may change once they hit the college scene), but it's good to start somewhere.  This might mean doing some research online on O'Net or I Have a Plan Iowa, it might mean talking to relatives or friend's parents about their careers, or it might just mean being more observant about all the different occupations that one can come into contact with on a daily basis- your doctor, nurse, mailman, police officer, teacher, etc.

In 2008, the state legislators mandated a student core curriculum plan be developed in 8th grade- meaning our junior high kids are identifying a career area of interest and mapping out their four years of high school to make sure they fulfill graduation requirements and electives to match with their career area of interest.  Despite the panic that students and their parents can feel about making these choices, it's helpful to keep in mind that students revisit these plans every single year and are able to make changes based on their current plans.  The state system also has students complete self-assessments each year to help them identify possible careers that align with their interests and abilities.

For the most part, we encourage students to actively start searching during their junior year.  This is the year in which students will take the ACT test if a four year institution might be in their future, they will be taking the COMPASS test which is used by Iowa's two year community colleges, and they have the option of taking the ASVAB if they are interested in joining one of the nation's military branches. 

College recruiters usually make two rounds to high schools- one in the fall geared towards seniors and one in the spring geared towards juniors.  Students are able to sit down with the recruiters to learn more about the campus, programs, and activities available. 

Most colleges also have junior visit days in the spring which are geared toward junior students.  We allow juniors to take a college visit day that doesn't count against attendance.  Getting on campus remains one of the most important ways a student can see if a particular college will be a good fit for them.  It helps students get a feel for the size of campus, size of classes, and see where they would live while parents can get information about cost, safety, and completion and job placement rates (since kids sometimes forget to ask these things). 

Keep in mind- not all students can/should/want/need to go to a four year school.  About half of all available jobs today require education after high school, but NOT a four year degree.  Check out vocational and apprenticeship programs as well.

The important thing is to not limit yourself too early on- keep your options open by taking challenging courses and a variety of electives to find things you like (or don't like).

During the fall of senior year, students and their parents have an individual meeting with their counselor to discuss the plan for after graduation and to walk through all the necessary steps to get there. 

We're here to help, so please don't hesitate to call, email, or stop in with questions at any time!
Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Heidemann, High School Counselors

Colin Powell's TED Talk has Some Great Advice for Parents and Kids

 I love TED talk videos and check back each week to see what new videos are being shared and passed around the country. This time, Colin Powell's video is one of the most watched of the week. And now I see why, he has some great advice about kids and the structure they need. See the video below. Have a great weekend!

8th Grade Student HS Registration Powerpoint

  Last week and this week, the high school counselors are presenting some information to 8th graders in order to prepare them for high school AND the process of choosing their classes over the next 4 years. The powerpoint presentation they are using is embedded in this blog in the space below. Feel free to go through it as well and discuss any questions you have with your child. The counselors will be back at the end of this week to meet with students and start the process of planning their 4-year course schedule. Have a great week!

Life skills mtgs 8th graders 13 14 from Benjamin Barry

Two Pieces of Good News About the Fight Against Smoking!

Two recent "good news" pieces came across my desk via the Partnership for a Drug Free America blog. We have been seeing data similar to this with our Iowa Youth Survey that we take every 2 years. Every time we take it, the amount of students trying cigarettes, smoking cigarettes monthly, and/or smoking daily goes down. This is great news. Now, we get some bad news in that report too, but the cigarette/tobacco news has been good. These two new articles below are even more good news. The next step is to keep adults from giving minors cigarettes and to make sure adults are keeping their cigarettes in their possession at all times. Even better....to stop smoking altogether and set a good example for teens! Please take a moment to click and read the short articles below.

Graphic Anti-Smoking Ads Working click here!

Sales of Cigarettes to Minors at All Time Low click here!

New Studies About ADHD Medicine Use and Abuse

   Getting caught up on some of my blogs this summer and came across several articles and studies about the amazing increase of students with ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions and the many other students using the drugs to give them an edge in school despite not even having the diagnosis. I was alerted to these studies through the Partnership for a DrugFree America blog. I like that the one study mentions the increase in students and adults with ADHD is not necessarily a bad thing as some of the increase is simply due to more information being learned by the doctors and parents about this disorder. In the past, parents may have thought they were bad parents or possibly even abused their child to correct their behavior. Now, parents are more likely to understand that their child may have an ADHD disorder that could be treated with medicine and different parenting and teaching strategies. And the social stigma against these kids by other kids, parents, and teachers is also disappearing. But these articles also show that with the increase of these drugs in the school every day, they are getting abused by both the kids with the disorder and by kids without the disorder. Please click on the links below to read the short article about these studies and this new information. Kind of an eye-opener....

Use of ADHD Drugs Increase this last decade click here

More HS students using ADHD drugs for better grades click here

Long article from NY Times, but LOTS of great information and actual interviews from kids and parents click here

Common Sense Media's Summer Guide for Learning Activities for Kids and Teens

Common Sense Media's Summer Guide for Learning Activities for Kids and Teens

   Thanks to Richard Byrne of Free Technology for Teachers for alerting me to another great thing one of my favorite sites, Common Sense Media, is offering. If you remember, Common Sense Media is a great place for parents and children to go to find accurate and detailed reviews about the newest movies, books, TV shows, and now games and apps. Now they have added a summer guide to learning apps you could download to a device or games that can be played on certain video game systems. They are broken down into 3 age categories and into 5 learning areas. I noticed that I have already downloaded some of the apps for my own kids. And of course, each app or game is rated by Common Sense Media so you can see how educational or applicable it is for your child. Enjoy!

Common Sense Media 50+ activities for summer click here!

This brief blogpost was copy/pasted from another blog I write and operate, Wildcat Websites. Figured it was good info for both parents and educators who use technology. Enjoy!

Went to See the "Bully" Movie Today....

....And a discussion broke out after the movie! Actually, Kim Flagor-Fuller and I went to Fleur Cinema to watch the movie "Bully" and see what a couple of school counselors thought about the movie and the issue. What we didn't know is that a coordinated event was also planned for that same showing. So the theater was packed and as we watched the movie, the audience really got into it by clapping, groaning, or crying, depending on which part of the movie was currently playing. When it was done, a discussion facilitated by a Des Moines Register journalist was held and many in the audience got to voice their opinion, their frustrations, their ideas, and their solutions. So....what did I think of the movie? Well, it was very good and really does need to be seen by everyone. It really shows bullying and the effects it can have on not just the victim, but friends and families of the victim. I think it also shows what bullying truly is. Middle school and high school are tough places with hurtful words, jabs, and looks exchanged every second of every day. But sadly most of this is typical human behavior. However, some of it does rise to the level of bullying and that is what this movie portrays. It shows what happens if these hurtful words, jabs, and looks were done day after day after day. And the pain the movie shows is so real and so saddening....and maddening. The movie does not portray schools in the best light, especially Sioux City schools. But to Sioux City Public School's defense, they are the school leading the charge in making sure this movie gets into every possible school it can. They know they had a weakness and they are owning up to it and vowing to make things right. They are now hoping to lead the state and the nation into solving the bullying epidemic. The only issue I had with the movie is that it was not solution focused. It did a great job of showing the issue and all the pain it can cause, but it did not show how to solve any of these issues. It started to towards the end, but only the last few minutes and after that, the movie ended. I guess the solutions come from the discussion afterwards and I was glad to be a part of that. But I think this movie only works where those who watch it can discuss it afterwards and carry out there solutions to make them lasting solutions.

So, what did we learn from the post-movie discussion?? Well, I think I took away three things from the discussion....

1.  Schools are a big part of the solution and they are not doing enough. It was tough to be a school counselor in a room full of people who just watched a movie showing schools failing at stopping bullying and then having those angry people express more anger and disappointment in local schools. Some stood up to support schools, but most did not. And to some extent....they are right. Schools do need to do more, even our school. I feel we do a pretty good job, but like Sioux City, we can always work on our weaknesses. The tough part that I have learned in my 11 years in education is that schools many times have their hands tied by regulations, rules, and procedures. Public schools cannot just suspend, expel, punish students however they want. There are all sorts of rules about amount of days, how it must work, and what supports must be provided. This frustrates parents when they want action, but in most cases the procedures are in place to make sure everything is done consistently and fairly to all involved.  I know one thing I have learned in my research this semester is that most students just want to be heard, want a safe place to vent, and want to feel like they matter. I try to do that and plan to do an even better job of that going forward. We also plan to document each and every issue more than we currently do. But as the discussion continued, we learned schools are not the only problem...or the only solution....

2. Several people mentioned that many groups are responsible for the problem of bullying. And all of those groups are responsible for the solutions. Schools. Parents. Communities. Kids. Adults. Faith communities. Politicians. Everyone. These groups need to put their differences aside themselves, and work together to find and put into action some real solutions. The focus of the movie seemed to be that schools are at the heart of the problem and need to be at the forefront of the solutions, but really schools just happen to be where teens are most often. The problem is everywhere, so everyone needs to be part of the solution.

3. And maybe the best thing said all night was by a high school student. She said that all of these groups could do lots of things and adults in schools could put every rule and discipline into effect, but the problem will only get better when kids themselves work to solve it. She said the solution needs to be done by the kids. They need to join up and fight this issue. They need to support each other and stand up for each other. They need to lead by example. And they need to rise above the red tape that is holding the other groups back and solve it before it gets worse. Made me proud to think that maybe the best idea in the room tonight was from a student. That gives me hope, a lot of hope.


So....if you can get to the movie, go. If you can't, rent it late this summer and watch it with your family. Have a discussion before and after the movie and consider having that discussion often with your family, your community, your school, your church, and whatever groups you are a part of. The movie shows the problem of bullying. It is our turn to show the solutions.

Recent Suicide in NW Iowa Called a "Bullycide"

  If you have been following the news today and yesterday, or even following your social network feed, you likely have come across the story of Kenneth Weishuhn, a 14-year old boy at South O'Brien High School that committed suicide over the weekend. This was after relentless harassment, attacks, and cyber and phone threats over the past two week after the teen came out as gay. Family and friends claim "bullying" led him to commit suicide, leading this incident to be called a "bullycide" (suicide after being bullied repeatedly). Sadly, this event shows the terrible effects that bullying, harassment, and cyberbullying can play. Bullying has been around forever, but people my age and older could get away from bullying be simply going home after school each day. In Kenneth's case, like many students today, he went home and got phone calls, texts, and even found Facebook posts and group pages directed at him and harassing him. If teens want to truly live in today's world, they have very few options to avoid cyberbullying and bullying could be a 24/7 event. I have worked with a student before who was getting mean and threatening text messages at 4 a.m. in the morning on a weekday! But with all the talk about bullying in this case, I do want to remind people that suicide is never the answer. The choice to choose suicide is a selfish act that harms just as many loved ones as the bullying that may have started it all. Bottom line in a case like this is that many students made horrible decisions to humiliate and harm another student and that student felt he had no other choice but the ultimate worst choice: suicide. Hopefully the good that can come from this is for everyone to learn what they could have done instead. Realize that words can hurt immensely. Realize that supports are out there for people who are suffering. And realize that we all have to be alert for both people who are harming others AND people who are showing signs that they are depressed, angry, or hopeless. Kenneth's life can not be brought back, but the lessons from this event could help save someone else's life.

To learn more about this story, click on a few of these links. The Sioux City Journal article is really good and really helped me understand all the parts of the situation.

Channel 13's short article plus video.

Sioux City Journal article...really good explanation of the school's role, family's role, and the details of what could have been done and what was done.

Carlisle High School Does Amazing "Every 15 Minutes" 2-Day Event!

  I cannot begin to explain how amazing and how affecting Carlisle's recent "Every 15 Minute" 2-day event was. Congrats and thank you to our 2 high school counselors, the STAND (Students Taking Action, Not Drugs) group, local law enforcement, and the community for putting this event on for our students to see. And with Simpson students filming and documenting the whole event and creating the video you see below, even more will see the powerful message: Drinking and driving kills people, kills students, alters lives, and changes the course of a student's life forever. I could go on and on about the many pieces that made these 2 days so realistic and so important, but I think I will just let you watch the video. As you watch the video, please remember that everyone in the video is just acting, but they acted so well, it feels real. Even the parents got into their parts. Many of the participants said they didn't have to act as the emotion of the situation made their emotions really occur. Also, when you see students with painted white faces, those are students the Grim Reeper found during the day every 15 minutes and painted their faces. At that point, they were "dead" and could no longer speak to anyone...not even by text or cell phone! This was to represent the life of a person lost every 15 minutes due to drinking and/or texting while driving. To learn more about this campaign, click on this link: Every 15 minutes

**The video is make-believe, but is graphic at time. I would preview video before deciding to use it with young kids if you are wanting to educate them on the dangers of drinking/texting while driving.**

2012 Stars for Tomorrow Scholarship for 8th Graders

**Note....I cheated a little here and just copy and pasted my post from April 2011, but the information is good for this year. I have talked to the 8th grade class about this scholarship and about 10 people have taken the material to work on it. If you think your child would be a good candidate, have them pick up the materials as well. Due date is May 4th!!!***


Parents and students, heads up for a scholarship/award possibility: Stars for Tomorrow Applications are available for Carlisle 8th graders only and are due by May 4th. The Carlisle Alumni Association is sponsoring this opportunity and is awarding a $100 Savings Bond for the winning student(s). So, what do students have to do?? Not much really. Here is all they have to do:

1. Fill out name, address, etc. on application.

2. Type six short paragraphs on how he/she shows each of the six character traits that make up the six Pillars of Character Counts (respect, trustworthy, etc.)

3. Hand 2 reference forms to 2 adults they are not related to. These adults will rate the student in the 6 character areas and fold this form up and hand it back to the student.

4. Mail all of these materials to the address on the application and DONE!

Pretty simple right? And the student can earn some nice money in return, not to mention an honor and some acknowledgement of their high character. If you have questions about this opportunity, please call Ben Barry (989-5413) or email Ben at ben.barry@carlisle.k12.ia.us Thank you and good luck!

8th Grade Orientation Night Coming Up!!

Parents, just a reminder that our 8th grade High School Orientation Night is coming up this month. If your child's last name starts with the letter A through K, you and your child need to come to the high school on the night of February 23rd from 6 to 8 p.m. And if your child's last name starts with the letter L through Z, you and your child need to come to the high school from 6 to 8 p.m. on the night of Feb. 27th. We will have an Activity Fair from 6 to 6:30 that night where students can find out all sorts of information on every activity, sport, club, etc. that the high school has to offer. At 6:30, our high school counselors will lead a presentation that should help you learn a lot more about the high school experience. Finally, from about 7:10 to 8:00 p.m., you and your child will get to meet your advisor and get to review the student's 4-year plan that they are currently creating. This will be a great time to get more advice and to learn more about high school and what courses might be best for your child's future beyond high school. The final step will take place in March where students will actually register for their 9th grade courses. Sure they still have to complete 3 more months of school after this month, but by the end of this month they should be a lot more ready for high school than they are now. And hopefully you will be more ready too!

Email or call me if you have questions!

8th Graders and Parents, This is Your Semester to Get Ready for High School!

Starting already this week, 8th grade students will be creating their accounts on a website created by the state: IHaveAPlanIowa.org We will begin using this site this week by moving through steps 1 through 4. This will take students into next week as I see students only every 3 days and the fact that getting signed up and learning how it works takes a little bit of time. The first few steps will quiz the students to help them learn what their personality is like, what careers they have interest in, and what careers they may be more successful in. Step 5 is the biggest step....this is where they input their 4-year high school plan.

So, what is a 4-year high school plan? Their 4-year high school plan is a plan that the student creates with the help of me, the high school counselors, their parents, and their high school advisor. In that plan, students will choose classes for each semester of their whole high school career. State law says all students need to have a plan to graduate high school in 4 years and this plan must be in place before the end of the 8th grade. The high school counselors will come over for 2 Life Skills class periods so that the 3 of us can work with each student individually in order to create the best plan possible for each student. You will also be getting a letter included with this week's report card. This letter will lay out some of the other timelines and responsibilities you and your child will have. You will be required to come in one night in February for 9th grade orientation. This is a big night where you get tons of information, meet your child's high school advisor, and sit down together to plan the 4-year plan. Students will be a little bit prepared by this night, but will still lean on you for a lot of help and advice. Sound fun? Sound stressful? Sound overwhelming? If you said 'yes' to all three, then you are right. It is fun, stressful, and overwhelming. But I will be there for all of the students and parents through the whole process, so please email me, call me, or stop by whenever you have a question and I will try to answer it.

Iowa Youth Survey 2010 Data Powerpoint

Parents, Guardians, Students, Community Members, Educators.....anyone....please view the powerpoint below to see how the latest data from the Iowa Youth Survey, taken in 2010 by all 6th, 8th, and 11th graders across Carlisle and the state, figure into the data we have been receiving since 1999. In many cases, our results are trending up and looking much better. This is a great thing! We have less kids using drugs and alcohol, getting their hands on drugs and alcohol, less kids bullying, and more kids feeling better about themselves. But we still have a ways to go to reach goals that I have set for myself and my school. But, the news is good and I am excited to share this powerpoint to many people this year. Feel free to flip through the powerpoint below and email me questions, leave comments, or give me a call if you have questions, concerns, or comments.

Iowa youth survey

View more presentations from Benjamin Barry

Updates from Partnership for a Drug Free America

From time to time, I will be posting some links to some blog updates or articles from the blog "The Partnership for a Drug Free America". They update their blog a lot and always have great information. I will repost the best of the their best in case you don't have time to go through all of their blogs. Please click on the links below to read the articles in full.

Drug deaths now more than Traffic related fatalities
So many of us think driving is dangerous for teens, but experimenting with drugs is just something kids do. Well, now their is proof that drugs are more deadly. Click to read more!

Lung Cancer Declining as Cigarette Smoking Declines
Um....DUH! Of course it is going down. The best part is the new Iowa Youth Survey shows that 85% of our high school students basically never smoke and of the other 15%, only a few of those students are actual smokers. This gets better every time we take the survey!

Amphetamine-type Drugs the Second Most Abused Drug
When you read the article, note the part about Bath Salts at the very bottom. I will be writing a post about bath salts later this week and how students are using these as a drug, NOT as a bath tub accessory!

Less than 20% of Adults Now Smoke
Yes, now less than 1 in 5 adults even smoked in the past year. I probably know less than 10 people in my life who smoke currently. It just isn't something many people do now that we know all the horrible things it can cause. And since we know that number is even less with our Carlisle students, maybe our adult behaviors are starting to rub off on our kids!


That is it for now, tons more if you want to actually go to the DrugFree site. If you have questions, let me know.

HOPE Drama Troupe is Looking for Teens to be in their Performances

I have personally seen this group perform and the performance is very powerful. They performed for a conference/workshop I attended last summer and I can still remember the material they presented. At times, it was almost tough to hear or watch, but it was needed information and good for us to hear it. Children everywhere are being abused in a variety of ways and counselors, adults, peers....anyone, need to help stop the abuse. If any students from Carlisle are interested in acting, performing, or getting involved, they can speak to Mr. Barry or call the number listed below. Their is definitely a time commitment involved and a student has to be dedicated to learning their role in the performance. I would also advise both the student and the parents to review the material because it is very powerful, but is graphic in nature at times. It is pretty real when listening and watching, so I assume the performers are also very affected by the material they are presenting. This is a good opportunity any interested students, but it is not for everyone. If interested, let Mr. Barry know!

AUDITIONS

FOR

HOPE! DRAMA TROUPE

Tuesday May 10, 2011

4:00 p.m.

Central Campus

1800 Grand, Des Moines

PERFORMERS WANTED

Des Moines Area Teens (Grades 8-12) who like to perform and who care about social issues for the 10/11 season.

HOPE! Troupe is looking for members to perform a 30-minute play about child abuse prevention for middle and high schools in Polk County. The script deals with the prevention of child abuse, neglect, and other forms of violence. The troupe is under the guidance of professional directors, therapists and the Child Abuse Prevention Council. Troupe members will be expected to attend weekly rehearsals and a summer retreat scheduled for August. Troupe members will also help to write the play as well as perform. HOPE! Drama Troupe performs one day each month from November through May with a few after school performances.

Questions? Call the Child Abuse Prevention Council at 725-2682

4-Year Plans do March 1st (But please, bring them earlier!)

Students and parents, just a reminder that the 4-year plan written on that green paper is due to the middle school by March 1st. But that is the day students enter their 9th grade schedule online, so that is the latest possible due date. I am advising students to bring completed 4-year plans to me by Feb 18th, or Feb. 25th at the latest. A completed plan has all 8 semesters completely filled out, the credits counted, and the credits must add up to 47 or more. If it does not meet these requirements, it is not finished. The paper copy will stay with the school, but in the meantime, students will enter every class listed on that paper plan into a computer website known as IHaveAPlanIowa. By putting a qualifying plan (47 or more credits, all requirements met) online, we will have complied with a state law stating all 8th graders must have a 4-year plan to graduate before they enter high school. We are going to enter our plans starting sometime around February 25th and finishing before Spring Break.

What if you missed the orientation night last week? Well, you missed a ton, but I will try to catch you up. I can meet with parents if they want to, but I will also be meeting with students in small groups during their study hall to try to catch them up to speed. Here are some resources that can help you.....

Carlisle Counseling Guidance Office website

9th grade Orientation powerpoint, 4-year plan, registration sheet...all found here!

IHaveAPlanIowa homepage