Warning signs for suicide may also include: writing goodbye letters, loss of interest in activities/hobbies, sudden decline in academic performance, a sudden relief and sense of joy in the absence of anything changing in their life, decline in personal hygiene, sleeping/eating pattern changes, chronic stomach aches or headaches.

Risk factors may also include: Family problems, being expelled from school or getting into serious trouble, victims of assault, LGBT+ students, homelessness.

Protective factors (i.e. what helps keep an individual safe from suicide) may also include: future goals, an area in which they excel (sports, games, hobbies, etc.), pets, sibling closeness, openness of communication.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the following organizations:

• Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas: https://www.sccenter.org/

• Text Crisis Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/

• Suicide Crisis Line: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Self-harm is when people deliberately hurt themselves as a way of coping with painful or strong emotions. It’s a way of trying to get control over the feelings or relief from them. For some people, the attempt to control or stop feelings through self-harm is actually a way of trying to heal themselves. Other people self-harm so they can ‘feel something’ rather than feeling nothingness or emptiness. Some people self-harm to express feelings of hopelessness, seek help, influence other people’s behavior, or to ‘get back at’ others. Self-harm is generally a sign that a person is in deep distress. Self-harm needs to be taken seriously. It can become a habit or a compulsion. Repeated self-harm can lead to serious injuries, scarring, medical conditions and accidental death. And people who self-harm are at increased risk of attempting suicide.

If you are worried that someone you know might be harming themselves, you can make an anonymous report using our STOPit! reporting system. 

Substance Use "refers to the use of selected substances, including alcohol, tobacco products, illicit drugs, inhalants, and other substances that can be consumed, inhaled, injected, or otherwise absorbed into the body with possible dependence and other detrimental effects." (CDC, 2024)

According to the CDC, "research has aided our understanding of factors that help buffer youth from risky behaviors, including substance use. These are known as protective factors. Some protective factors for high-risk substance use include:

• Parent or family engagement.

• Family support.

• Parental disapproval of substance use.

• Parental monitoring.

• School connectedness."

What is bullying?

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, repetitive and involves an imbalance of power and strength between the bully and the target of bullying. Parents and students are sometimes reluctant to report bullying for a variety of reasons.  Denton ISD wants school to be a safe place for all students and provides an online incident report form for those occurrences that appear to fit the definition of bullying. To document an incident report please see the document below. 

How can I support my child if he or she is bullied?

In the event of major issues such as physical assault, call the police for assistance immediately. If bullying is occurring outside of school, interventions that the school can provide may be very limited, but do contact an administrator or counselor so they are aware of problems that could show up in school or at school events.  If you believe your child is the target of bullying behaviors at school, it is essential that you report that to an administrator or counselor and request to fill out this form as completely as possible so that the school can intervene.  In addition to disciplinary plans described in the Student Code of Conduct, campus counselors provide responsive services to help students deal with crises and guidance for problem solving and decision making.  The student resource officer on campus may be another resource to help address safety issues. 

What should my child do if bullied at school?  Fighting is never a good way to solve problems.  The best deterrent is adult authority.  Students who feel threatened at school should immediately ask for help from teachers, coaches, counselors, and/or the student resource officer.  Teach your children that reporting school violence or bullying is not “tattling.”  Bystanders play an important role in bullying because students who observe and do not report bullying contribute to its existence by providing an audience.  Help your child understand, despite what we see and hear in the media, victimization is not entertainment.  Please partner with us to help our children learn effective ways of social interaction that demonstrate respect for one another at home, in the community, and in school. 

Dating violence is "when someone you are seeing romantically harms you in some way, whether it is physically, sexually, emotionally, or all three." (womenshealth.gov, 2025).

"Dating violence can take place in person, online, or through technology. It is a type of intimate partner violence that can include the following types of behavior:

• Physical violence is when a person hurts or tries to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, or using another type of physical force.

• Sexual violence involves forcing or attempting to force a partner into sexual acts or touching without their consent, including situations where the partner cannot consent. It also includes non-physical behaviors, like sharing sexual images or sexting without consent.

• Psychological aggression is the use of verbal and non-verbal communication with the intent to harm a partner mentally or emotionally and exert control over a partner.

• Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted attention and contact by a current or former partner that causes fear or safety concerns for an individual victim or someone close to the victim.

Teen dating violence profoundly impacts lifelong health, opportunity, and wellbeing. Unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime. The good news is violence is preventable, and we can all help young people grow up violence-free." (CDC, 2025).

"Supporting healthy relationships could reduce teen dating violence and prevent its harmful, long-lasting effects on individuals, their families, and their communities. During the pre-teen and teen years, it is critical for youth to begin learning skills to create and maintain healthy relationships. This includes skills like managing feelings and communicating in a healthy way." (CDC, 2025).