In the news this week:
- Mark your Calendar for a Parent Education session on ‘Keeping Your Children Safe in Bangkok’ Friday March 4th 7:30 – 8:45am. More information to follow in February.
- Information about upcoming Freedom from Chemical Dependency Visit
- Wellness focus on Relationship and Sexual Health Program for Gr. 6, 7, and 8
MS FCD March 1 – 4th Visit to our MS
Dear MS Parents,
As part of our Wellness Program, a visiting consultant Eduardo Torres from the Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) organization will meet with students in grades 6 – 8 on March 1 – 4th.
- 6th graders will meet for a one-hour session during one of their science classes this week.
- 7th graders will all meet via a 7th grade one-hour assembly and a one-hour session during one of their science classes this week.
- 8th graders will all meet via an 8th grade one-hour assembly and two 55-minute sessions this week, one session during one of their math classes and the other during one of their science classes.
A native Spanish speaker and fluent English speaker, Eduardo Torres joined FCD as a Prevention Specialist in 2012 and currently also holds the position of Regional Officer. He has a BA in Addiction Counseling with an emphasis in Chemical Dependency from Grand Canyon University. He has worked as a mentor and teacher of at-risk teenagers and as an addiction and prevention counselor. Eduardo volunteers for a nonprofit organization which serves people with severe physical and mental impairments and was a Central American champion in Karate.
The sessions will focus on positive discussions on the health risks of alcohol and substance use to the developing teenage brain, possible long term addiction problems tied to early use, social norms and the misconceptions about teenage behavior, and strategies for maintaining healthy choices.
WELLNESS – Adolescent development and sexual health curriculum
Yesterday the wellness teachers and school counselors met with parents from Grades 6, 7 and 8 to share and discuss the Adolescent Development and Sexual Health curriculum. Approximately 30 parents joined us to understand what is going to be taught in this curriculum and to share with us their concerns and hopes for this program of study.
The parents from many diverse cultures and backgrounds all shared a common concern that their children be informed and confident about the changes they will be experiencing. They all expressed an appreciation that these lessons will include both content but discussions on values and encouragement to talk at home with parents about the values their family holds in regard to relationships, their growth and development and emerging sexual behavior as they grow up. We want to partner with parents in this vital area of growth for adolescents and the presentation provided many helpful hints about how to talk about these matters that can cause discomfort.
Parents overwhelmingly want to be available and eager to answer the concerns and questions their children come to them with. We encourage parents to take advantage of this time when you know we are teaching this curriculum to open these conversations.
Parents expressed that they were encouraged by the thoughtfulness of the curriculum, they are concerned by the degree of influence peers and the media will have on their children’s behavior and they continue to wonder about the best way to support and talk with their children.
Over the coming weeks as we teach our units of study on development, relationships and sexual behavior we will be sending home more information so parents can see what is being covered in class and hopefully this will assist parents to have those conversations with their children.
If you missed the presentation here is the link should you have any concerns or questions about this program please feel free to email your grade level counselor.
We hope you find the information helpful.
Carmel (Gr 6) carmelk@isb.ac.th
Janel (Gr 7 ) janelw@isb.ac.th
Jackie (Gr 8) jackieg@isb.ac.th