November 8, 2007 Minutes

Parent Council Meeting
November 8, 2007

Notetaker: Margaret Moore

Helen Garrett, Chair

• Helen announced that Claudia Carmichael, Volunteer Coordinator extraordinaire has decided to focus her full attention on her purchasing agent role for South Eugene High School.
• Kathy Ruggles, Career Center Co-Coordinator will become the new Volunteer Coordinator on December 1st.
• Helen thanked Claudia for her incredible contributions to the parents through her role as Volunteer Coordinator.

Randy Bernstein, Principal’s Update
• Attendance: They are continuing to work with on stricter enforcement. Making a lot of phone calls, getting responses from about 1/3 of those they are calling. Now administrators are visiting students and working with them to validate excused absences. A parent asked if their child were not in school, would they be notified still? Yes, the automated message will still come to your phone around 5 p.m. to let you know your child was absent.
• Science Requirements: There will be a change of sequencing of science courses and next year’s ninth graders will be required to have 3 years of science.
• International Baccalaureate: IB adding hours to standards, two period of science in their senior year. Staffing and scheduling implications. Likely that we will have IB Biology and AP Chemistry or Physics. May lose IB Chemistry
• Basmati Discussion (cont’d from October meeting): We have about 60% of teachers use Basmati. Why doesn’t everybody? Some teachers are concerned about giving too much information and then it is difficult to change. Randy suggested that if this is important enough to parents that perhaps a small group might want to present this concern at a staff meeting. Randy encouraged Parent Council to contact Site Council to ask for more teachers to use Basmati

Treasurer’s Report, Cindy Wright, Treasurer
• Cindy went over activities for past month
• Scrip sales were $2981 and we are looking good still and on track. Copies of financial updates are always available from Cindy for anyone interested.
• We are always looking for more parents to sign up for escrip and calls are being made to those parents who filled out cards during the Open House.
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Where to spend our Parent Council funds discussion
• What are the core values on what we want to spend money on?
• Decisions will be made in February and March

Staff Appreciation on Friday, December 14th
• Helen asked for two parents to step up to coordinate this event which involves bring salads and desserts for the staff to enjoy as a thank you from the parents


Parent Education Series

Next month: Let’s Get Real About Drugs and Alcohol at South

Parents are concerned about students being approached by other students right on campus to buy “rock” and marijuana. We will have a panel of experts on drug and alcohol abuse, students, counselors and Officer Z., our School Police Resource Officer.

Suicide Prevention: QPR (Question, Persuade and Referral) by Damien Sands from Lane County Mental Health
• Damien presented video highlighting three different people who completed suicide and talked about the steps toward recognizing the key signs for a person at risk
• QPR works just like CPR, which is to help those in crisis as a first responder and to get them into the care of those who can save them.
• Best number to remember is 1-800-Suicide. When you call they will put you immediately in contact with help in your community.
• State of Oregon is in the top 10 for suicide and the reason for this is that we rate as one of the highest states in the nation for substance abuse and depression.
• Lethal triangle for suicide risk: emotional depression, consumption of drugs/alcohol and access to means
• 70% of suicides are by men, who have the most access to lethal means (guns) and 25% are by women, who typically use pills
• Begin by questioning the person to see if they are thinking of killing themselves. Be careful to watch statements like: “You’re not thinking of doing something stupid are you?” or “You aren’t going to hurt yourself, are you?”
• Suicides are typically precipitated by events such as a job loss, girlfriend/boyfriend breakup, divorce, etc.
• Person may appear to have a “perfect life” with close family, overachiever. Suicide has no boundaries when it comes to gender, ethnicity, socio-economic situation or age.
• Florence has three times of a higher rate of elder suicide than the rest of the state
• Depression has a 78% correlation to suicide
• The stigma of suicide makes this so hard to discuss and can be seen as a sign of weakness to discuss this.
• Suicide is the #2 killer of youth in Oregon. It is silent in its nature and we need to talk about it to get the awareness out there.
• Take all signs seriously, looking for direct verbal clues such as: I’ve decided to kill myself, I wish I were dad, I’m going to commit suicide, I’m going to end it all, If such and such doesn’t happen, I’m going to kill myself.
• Look for indirect, too. I’m tired of life; my family would be better off without me. I won’t be around for this event.
• Look for behavioral clues: any previous attempt, acquiring guns or pills, moods of hopelessness, depression, giving away prize possessions, putting personal affairs in order, sudden interest in religion, drug or alcohol abuse or relapse.
• Situational Clues: Being fired, expelled, recent unwanted move, loss of any major relationships.
• Tips for Asking: If in doubt, don’t wait, but just ask the question, are you thinking of killing yourself? If the person is reluctant, be persistent. Talk to the person alone in a private setting and allow the person to talk freely. Give yourself plenty of time. Have your resources to refer ready. Remember: How you ask the question is less important than that you are asking it.
• Less Direct Approach: Have you been unhappy lately? Very unhappy? So unhappy that you would end your life? When people are thinking about killing themselves they wish they were dead. Are you thinking about that, too?
• How to persuade someone to stay alive? Listen to the problem and give them your full attention. Remember that suicide is not the problem, only the solution to a perceived solvable problem. Don’t rush to judgment and offer them hope in any form.
• Then ask: Will you go with me to get help? Will you let me help you get help? Will you promise me not to kill yourself until we’ve found some help? Your willingness to listen and rekindle help will make a difference
• Referral: Suicidal people often believe they cannot be helped, so you may have to do more. Taking person directly to someone who can help. Get commitment from them to accept help, then making the arrangements to get help. Get a good faith commitment from them to not complete or attempt suicide. Any willingness to accept help at some time is a good start.
• Remember, since almost all efforts to persuade someone to live instead of attempting suicide will be met with agreement and relief, don’t hesitate to get involved or to take the lead.
• Say, “I want you to live” or “ I’m on your side and we’ll get through this”
• Get others involved and ask the person who might help? Family, friends?
• Resources: 1-800-Suicide, Mental Health Crisis Response Line, 1-888-898-9989, 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK
• Damien Sands, 682-4160