Tom Letson, MA, LPC, LCADC
Student Assistance Coordinator
Student Assistance Coordinator

2008—2009

732-919-0095 x8403
tletson@howell.k12.nj.us

Visit the Student Assistance Website for important information and the latest research and news at the following URL: www.geocities.com/howellsac
www.geocities.com/howellsac

Student Assistance Newsletter

September 7– 13 National Suicide Awareness Week
Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention
Program for Howell Middle Schools

2nd floor youth helpline
888-222-2228
Serving Youth in New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Phone counselors are available to provide youth with confidential and anonymous help 24 hours per day on any issue that is of concern.
Also visit their website at:
2ndfloor.org

Is it a problem if my child has internet in his or her bedroom?
There is only one answer: YES! The dangers associated with allowing a child to have internet in his/her bedroom are just too great. Behind a closed door: what sites are they visiting? Behind a closed door: Who are they chatting with? Behind the closed door: who are they having a harassing IM (instant message) session with? Behind a closed door: what identifying information and pictures of themselves are they posting on Myspace.com and other online communities? Unsupervised child internet surfing and chatting with friends is a recipe for disaster. Keep internet access restricted to the family room or other open area and ONLY allow internet use when parents are home (not just older siblings!)

Our middle schools have implemented the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program to increase student awareness about suicide and inform them how to help friends in crisis or how to get help for themselves during a crisis. This program aims to dispel the myths that talking about suicide may cause one to attempt it, and that students can’t help their friends who may be thinking about suicide. They can help save lives! Just like learning, CPR or First Aid, learning how to be a link for a friend in crisis is critical. The program teaches students how to be that supportive link. Understanding that it can be very difficult for students to tell someone they are desperate and in need of help, the program’s “Yellow Ribbon Card” (seen above) is a way for desperate youth to reach out to a link. A desperate youth is taught to hand the Yellow Ribbon Card to anyone. These suggestions are on the card for the receiver on what to do:
Stay with the person – you are their lifeline!
Listen, really listen. Take them seriously!
Get, or call, help immediately! 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
Yellow Ribbon Cards are available in all Guidance Offices and from Mr. Letson. If students think a friend is in trouble, they can take a card and give it to their troubled friend. Please take this opportunity to talk to your child about our program.

Bullying, Harassment and Bias

A clear message is given to all Middle School Students that bullying, harassment and bias will not be tolerated. Please take some time to review this information with your child in the Student Handbook. Students receive a workshop on these issueand what can be done about it. Please contact Mr. Letson or your child’s Guidance Counselor with any concerns. Reports can also be made anonymously by emailing
MrLetson@yahoo.com or by leaving a note in the Main Office or Guidance Office.
Parents: PLEASE talk to Your Kids About Drugs and
Alcohol! Start Here: http://www.theantidrug.com/

*About Teen Suicide Warning Signs Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warnings. Pay attention to these warning signs:
Helping Suicidal Teens
Offer help and listen. Encourage depressed teens to talk about their feelings. Listen, don’t lecture.
Trust your instincts. If it seems that the situation may be serious, seek prompt help. Break a confidence if necessary, in order to save a life.
Pay attention to talk about suicide. Ask direct questions and don’t be afraid of frank discussions. Silence is deadly!
Seek professional help. It is essential to seek expert advice from a mental health professional who has experience helping depressed teens. Also, alert key adults in the teen’s life - family, friends and teacher.
*Information taken from the National Mental Health Association Fact Sheet.
Web address: http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/82.cfm
Print your own “Yellow Ribbon Card” (front and back shown) and give to a teen you think may be in
trouble. Encourage him or her to give the card to someone if he/she is in crisis.

Suicide threats, direct and indirect
Obsession with death
Poems, essays and drawings that refer to death
Dramatic change in personality or appearance
Irrational, bizarre behavior
Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or reflection
Changed eating or sleeping patterns
Severe drop in school performance
Giving away belongings

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Howell Middle School Student Assistance Program

2006—2007

What To Teach Children About Prejudice
Help your children become sensitive to other people's feelings. Studies indicate that caring, empathic children are less likely to be prejudiced. Share stories and books with your children that help them to understand the points of view of other people. When personal conflicts occur, encourage your children to think about how the other person might be feeling.
Make sure your children understand that prejudice and discrimination are unfair. Make it a firm rule that no person should be excluded or teased on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, accent, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or appearance. Point out and discuss discrimination when you see it.
Teach your children respect and an appreciation for differences by providing opportunities for interaction with people of diverse groups. Studies show that children playing and working together toward common goals develop positive attitudes about one another. Sports teams, bands, school clubs and community programs are examples of activities that can help to counter the effects of homogeneous neighborhoods. In addition to firsthand experiences, provide opportunities for children to learn about people through books, television programs, concerts or other programs that show positive insights into other cultures.
Help children recognize instances of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. Make sure they know how to respond to such attitudes and behaviors when they see them in action. Television news and entertainment shows, movies and newspapers often provide opportunities for discussion. According to recent studies, encouraging children's critical thinking ability may be the best antidote to prejudice.
Encourage your children to create positive change. Talk to your children about how they can respond to prejudiced thinking or acts of discrimination they observe. Painting over racist graffiti, writing letters to a television producer who promotes stereotyped programming, or confronting a peer's discriminatory behavior are all appropriate actions. Confronting classmates is particularly hard for children, so they need to have a ready made response to such instances. If another child is called a hurtful name, an observer might simply say, "Don't call him/her that. Call him/her by his/her name." Or, if your child is the victim, "Don't call me that. That's not fair." or "You don't like to be called bad names and neither do I." In all cases, try to help your child to feel comfortable in pointing out unfairness.
Take appropriate action against prejudice and discrimination. For example, if other adults use bigoted language around you or your children, you should not ignore it. Your children need to know that such behavior is unacceptable even if it is from a familiar adult. A simple phrase will do: "Please don't talk that way around me or my children." or "That kind of joke offends me." Adults need to hold themselves to the same standards they want their children to follow.
Source: Anti-Defamation League Website www.adl.org
Websites:
adl.org tolerance.org
historychannel.com/blackhistory wiesenthal.com
hatewatch.org
Recognizing The Warning Signs Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warnings. Pay attention to these warning signs:
Suicide threats, direct and indirect
Obsession with death
Poems, essays and drawings that refer to death
Dramatic change in personality or appearance
Irrational, bizarre behavior
Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or reflection
Changed eating or sleeping patterns
Severe drop in school performance
Giving away belongings
Helping Suicidal Teens
Offer help and listen. Encourage depressed teens to talk about their feelings. Listen, don’t lecture.
Trust your instincts. If it seems that the situation may be serious, seek prompt help. Break a confidence if necessary, in order to save a life.
Pay attention to talk about suicide. Ask direct questions and don’t be afraid of frank discussions. Silence is deadly!
Seek professional help. It is essential to seek expert advice from a mental health professional who has experience helping depressed teens. Also, alert key adults in the teen’s life - family, friends and teacher. Recognizing The Warning Signs Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warnings. Pay attention to these warning signs:
Suicide threats, direct and indirect
Obsession with death
Poems, essays and drawings that refer to death
Dramatic change in personality or appearance
Irrational, bizarre behavior
Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or reflection
Changed eating or sleeping patterns
Severe drop in school performance
Giving away belongings
Helping Suicidal Teens
Offer help and listen. Encourage depressed teens to talk about their feelings. Listen, don’t lecture.
Trust your instincts. If it seems that the situation may be serious, seek prompt help. Break a confidence if necessary, in order to save a life.
Pay attention to talk about suicide. Ask direct questions and don’t be afraid of frank discussions. Silence is deadly!
Seek professional help. It is essential to seek expert advice from a mental health professional who has experience helping depressed teens. Also, alert key adults in the teen’s life - family, friends and teacher. Recognizing The Warning Signs Four out of five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warnings. Pay attention to these warning signs:
Suicide threats, direct and indirect
Obsession with death
Poems, essays and drawings that refer to death
Dramatic change in personality or appearance
Irrational, bizarre behavior
Overwhelming sense of guilt, shame or reflection
Changed eating or sleeping patterns
Severe drop in school performance
Giving away belongings
Helping Suicidal Teens
Offer help and listen. Encourage depressed teens to talk about their feelings. Listen, don’t lecture.
Trust your instincts. If it seems that the situation may be serious, seek prompt help. Break a confidence if necessary, in order to save a life.
Pay attention to talk about suicide. Ask direct questions and don’t be afraid of frank discussions. Silence is deadly!
Seek professional help. It is essential to seek expert advice from a mental health professional who has experience helping depressed teens. Also, alert key adults in the teen’s life - family, friends and teacher.