“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Educating the whole child from the start is the first step to preventing substance use disorders later during adolescence. Students who feel connected to their school community are much less likely to engage in risky use. We have TIer 1 universal prevention programming in place K-12.
LPS supports the use of the CASEL Framework for Social and Emotional Learning.
CASEL Competencies: https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CASEL-SEL-Framework-11.2020.pdf
SELF-AWARENESS: The ability to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts.
SELF-MANAGEMENT: The ability to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.
SOCIAL AWARENESS: The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, & contexts.
RELATIONSHIP SKILLS: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.
RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING: The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations.
All Elementary Schools:
Use of Yale’s Ruler Approach and Botvin Life Skills Curriculum
What Is A Drug? Lesson for all 5th grade classes taught by the Substance Use Response Coordinator.
Poison in the Home/Medicine Safety: A lesson for all 1st grade classes taught by School Nurses.
Center School:
Peacebuilders -- Universal Pre-K-5 Social Emotional Learning Program
Blueberry Hill Elementary School:
Second Step -- Universal K-5 Social Emotional Learning Program
Wolf Swamp Elementary School:
Responsive Classroom -- Universal K-5 Social and Emotional Learning Approach,
with emphasis on C.A.R.E.S. (Cooperation, Assertiveness, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Control)
Williams Middle and Glenbrook Middle Schools:
Health Education for one trimester in Grades 6-8, including use of Stanford REACH Lab Safety First curriculum materials.
SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment), required by MA law, is completed for 7th grade students in the health office in collaboration with school counseling staff.
STAND students from LHS facilitate a 6th Grade Health class on nicotine prevention and an 8th grade Health class on social norms.
Longmeadow High School:
One semester of Health Education for all Grade 9 students, including units on alcohol and other drugs, personal wellness, mental health, inclusion and bullying and interpersonal relationships.
SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment), required by MA law, is completed for 9th grade students in the health office in collaboration with the Substance Use Response Coordinator.
One quarter of Health Education in all Grade 11 Wellness classes, including units on alcohol and other drugs, mental health and stress management, and sexual health.
Recovery Panels in all senior Wellness classes, featuring Generation SOS and overdose prevention.
Our Substance Use Response Coordinator utilizes the American Lung Association’s InDepth Program, N.O.T. (Not on Tobacco), and Stanford REACH Lab’s Healthy Futures to support students who are found to be using or possessing substances at school or school sponsored events.
Click here to view the Health Scope and Sequence for Grades 6-9 and 11.
LPS also is a close partner to CLOSE Community (Coalition of Longmeadow Organizing Substance Education in the Community), which is a DFC (Drug Free Communities) funded coalition.
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