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In Greene County, Jefferson-Morgan School District Superintendent Joseph Orr said there have been a “handful” of incidents during the 2017-18 school year, and he anticipates incidents to rise as the popularity of the devices increases.

Generation Z is the informal name given to those in their teen years now, who are ready to move into center stage after the Xers.

They were born tech-savvy with a smart phone in one hand and more electronic gadgets than any previous generation.

Yet, experts opine, it’s more challenging than ever to be a teenager.

Complaints of bullying through social media, combined with fears of school shootings, and even the unpredictable threat of terrorism, are all recent social and emotional issues that add to societal stress and impact teens.

Closer to home, TUHSD is working diligently to offer support services and classes to better prepare these worldly-wise youth for the demands of living in a complex world.

Dr. Lisa Merrin, lead psychologist for the district, says that counseling services are available to TUHSD students who ask for them.

“We are invested in creating an atmosphere where students learn to advocate for their own needs, and where seeking support is seen as strength, rather than a weakness,” said Dr. Merrin.

“We also have been working toward more staff training, so that more staff—beyond those who counsel formally—knows how to respond to a student who reaches out for help or guidance. We know that not all students are comfortable seeing a counselor or other mental-health support person as a first step.”

For students reluctant to ask for support, Merrin says staff is also trained in a threat assessment process to identify those students who may pose a problem.

“If there is a concern that a student may pose a threat, there is a team process that is triggered where data is gathered and analyzed, and a plan of support is generated based on the information identified in this assessment,” said Merrin.

During these difficult times, Merrin and other mental health staff can respond; although, having services that are offered on an as-needed basis is critical to avoid problems escalating.

“We have a number of supports for student counseling on our campuses. We have guidance counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and behavioral interventionists,” said Dr. Merrin, “all of whom may see students in crisis; but, also for planned, proactive counseling to help them problem solve, to learn coping skills, and to be able to re-enter the classroom focused on learning. “

The district also partners with the city of Tempe to have their prevention counselors on high-school campuses.

In addition to mental-health services for students, TUHSD adopted the Botvin LifeSkills Traning program for all youth who are freshman or sophomores.

Jennifer Liewer, executive director of Community Relations for the district, says that the program,” is a highly interactive, skills-based program designed to promote positive health and personal development for youth in grades 9 or 10. Currently, the program is funded for a total of three years and this is the first year.

“The program is an integrated approach that helps develop personal, interpersonal, and drug resistance skills. It is taught over the course of ten-class periods and every student enrolled in a TUHSD PE class is learning the curriculum.”

The curriculum is designed to strengthen student abilities in the following areas:

• Personal Self-Management Skills: Students develop strategies for making healthy decisions, reducing stress, and managing anger.
• General Social Skills: Students strengthen their communication skills and learn how to build healthy relationships.
• Drug Resistance Skills: Students understand the consequences of substance use, risk-taking, and the influences of the media.

The district’s website lists extensive information on additional community resources and mental health services as well at www.tempeunion.org

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Botvin LifeSkills Training is backed by over 30 scientific studies and is recognized as a model or exemplary program by an array of government agencies including the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH – Fourth-graders at South Elementary School had a graduation party Friday, but not because they have finished their education. Their observance capped an eight-week program designed to teach them how to avoid using drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

Children and parents reacted favorably to the lessons, called Takin’ It to the Schools, which made their debut in New Philadelphia City Schools fourth-grade classes this school year.

“I think it’s good that they’re teaching the kids at an early age,” said Michael LaBiche, who attended the pizza party that capped the sessions at South Elementary School on Friday. Waiting until high school, when students may have already been exposed to harmful options, might be too late.

Principal Jackie Triplett said the program went well, with students taking the class during lunch and recess.

“I think fourth grade is the a perfect grade level to start with, and they certainly are maturing,” she said.

Fourth-grader Landon LaBiche said he learned that cocaine, marijuana and beer are not good for you.

Fellow student Asher Zimmerman said he learned about “not smoking and doing bad stuff like that. It hurts your teeth and your lungs and it’s really bad for you.”

Offering students the medical reasons for avoiding harmful substances was a valuable part of the curriculum, Michael LaBiche said.

Parents John Crites and Laura Warner said they would “absolutely” recommend that other parents allow their children to go through the Takin’ It to the Schools lessons.

Participants’ self-esteem building activities included writing positive traits about their classmates on paper drawings of diamonds. Several students said they were unaware of the attributes mentioned by others.

“So there’s things that our friends see in us that we don’t see in ourselves,” said Samantha Wottle,
Takin’ It to the Schools facilitator.

“Self-esteem is one of our most important lessons,” said Tammy Thacker, Takin’ It to the Schools facilitator. “It plays in everything.”

“I think I learned to be more open to things, just to be more stress-relieved,” said student Abbie Warner. ”

Students talked about things they could do, such as taking a nap or playing a game, when they become overly stressed.

Student Makenna Smith talked about the decision-making skills she learned.

“It taught me to be careful about what I do, especially if somebody is asking me to do something that is not good for me,” said Makenna Crites.

“It taught me how to say ‘no’ to something,” said Mya McGhee. “I would walk away and just say, ‘No, not right now.’ Overall, I loved this program.”

Personal & Family Counseling Services has been offered Takin’ It to the Schools in Tuscarawas and Carroll counties since 2002. It has been in Dover, Tuscarawas Valley, Indian Valley, Newcomerstown, Garaway, Claymont, Carrollton, and this year added Connotton Valley, Brown Local and New Philadelphia City Schools. It served 2,282 students in 2017-2018 school year.

The program uses the Botvin LifeSkills Training program. It is administered primarily to students in grades four and five in the county, with a few schools continuing with it in the middle school. It is designed to help students build self-confidence and develop coping skills to combat the risk factors known to promote unsafe behaviors.

The Personal & Family Counseling staff meet with students once a week for eight weeks, with a different topic each session. Topics include self-esteem, decision making, tobacco, advertising, anger and stress management, communication skills, social skills and assertiveness. Facilitators look at eight target areas and work to develop students’ strength in these areas, according to Jodi Salvo, Takin’ It to the Schools coordinator. Each session includes both an educational component and a hands-on learning activity that demonstrates how each lesson can be applied.

Rather than merely teaching information about drugs, Salvo said, Botvin LifeSkills Training consists of three major components that cover the critical domains found to promote drug use. Research has shown that students who develop skills in these three domains are far less likely to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviors.

• Drug resistance skills, which enables young people to recognize and challenge common misconceptions about tobacco, alcohol and other drug use. Through coaching and practice, they learn information and practical skills for dealing with peers and media pressure to become users.
• Personal self-management skills, in which students learn how to examine their self-image and its effects on behavior; set goals and keep track of personal progress; identify everyday decisions and how they may be influenced by others; analyze problem situations, and consider the consequences of each alternative solution before making decisions; reduce stress and anxiety, and look at personal challenges in a positive light.
• General social skills, in which students develop the necessary skills to overcome shyness, communicate effectively and avoid misunderstandings, initiate and carry out conversations, handle social requests, utilize both verbal and nonverbal assertiveness skills to make or refuse requests, and recognize that they have choices other than aggression or passivity when faced with tough situations.

Botvin LifeSkills Training is designed to use developmentally appropriate and collaborative learning strategies taught through lecture, discussion, coaching, and practice to enhance students’ self-esteem, self-confidence, ability to make decisions, and ability to resist peer and media pressure.

The program was developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, a leading prevention expert. It is backed by over 30 scientific studies, Salvo said, and is recognized as a model or exemplary program by an array of government agencies including the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

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