We agreed that we'd help University College with some planning for the March 3, 1999 final "Toxic Child" wrap-up. Any thoughts you have as to names or procedures would be good. Maybe within the next few weeks before the holiday break in December we can formulate something to give to Paulina.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 1998

Answers

Compile a listing of the speakers who presented at the Toxic Child Series. This would be a great beginning to a more comprehensive. The complete list could be divided into different areas--for example--Prenatal Care; Birthing Information; Birth to two; Preschool; Elementary; Secondary; Childcare Resources; Women's Shelter; WIC; Social Services Information; Section 8; etc. Phone numbers and addresses could be provided for professionals in a small booklet form and distributed.

-- Anonymous, November 08, 1998

I love Gail's suggestion about a reference booklet! That would certainly make things easy for all of us.....great idea! I would like to have a police officer speak to us about how prevelant the drugs are, what is out there, what the prices are and who's selling. Sort of a drugs 101 class. What are the signs that we should be looking for, what the drugs look like all that good stuff. I don't know what crank looks like and I would like to .

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1998

Gail's idea of a comprehensive booklet that could be distributed including various community resources and hopefully resource person(s) is an excellent idea. The various short reference tools that different organizations have compiled such as area hospitals in treating injuries and some types of illness are a valuable resource to parents everywhere. Using a staggared type of indexing, colored paper, etc. would make categorizing of those resources easier to build and much faster to locate for an individual. Sometimes when I have been working with various students in trouble (occasionally with a significant person in their life), I don't have the resource that would be the most effective right off the top of my head. That is the time when I can make the biggest impact in assisting a student.

I also agree with Jackie that it would be of great importance to hear from a current law enforcement official on some of the realities going on out there with families, drugs, and kids. Their observations, experiences, opionions, and perceptions. Unfortunately, they often work with some of the worst of what human nature has to offer and they see how critical a strong family is to the development of kids and their success as adults. Having a couple of family members working in law enforcement I have learned a great deal from them. If we really want to do it right, lets at the same time get some input from the legal community such as juvenile judges, public defenders, and/or county attorneys to expand our horizons a little.

I think as "master teachers" our instincts and inputs in regards to individual kids is going to hold a fair amount of water with many of the people we work with on a daily basis. Lets increase that experience base.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 1998

I really like the idea of one booklet for a reference. It would make life so much easier. Sort of on the order of a phone booklet. Having it divided into categories with a short paragraph of what each source has to offer with the names, phone numbers and addresses including email would be great. Have all the presentors provide that information to Peg and have the university put the booklet together for everyone who attended any or all of the sessions.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 1998

Although the reference booklet would be a great resource, I think it would take considerable time and effort to compile all the information and have it printed. I'm not sure this all could be accomplished by March 3 along with coordinating all the presenters.

The Duluth Playhouse, in collaboration with the first witness Child Abuse Resource Center and the Mental Health Association of Minnesota, has begun a peer education program this year dealing with the issues of sexual abuse and harrassment, substance abuse, violence, eating disorders, peer pressure, depression and suicide. A company of 15 high school students from Duluth, Hermantown, Esko and Cloquet present the plays "Touch" and "Talk It Out." They are designed to promote discussion and/or be used as a supplement to existing classes or assemblies. It addresses serious issues but is presented with "humor, honesty and tenderness." For every performance, the students perform with a trained health professional serving as moderator; his or role is that of facilitator during and after the schow, asking and answering questions from the audience. I think it would be an excellent opportunity for us all to see these performances and consider bringing them into our schools or organizations. Since so many of the topics we have discussed in the Toxic Child series are addressed in these performances, it would be an appropriate wrap-up. Live theater can have a powerful impact, and these teens can be effective role models for our students. It provides an alternative method to educate children and teens on difficult issues. The peer education program is part of Illusion Theater's program of Peer education/prevention plays and has had a long and successful history. Illusion's award-winning productions have been presented to more than 900,000 people nationally and internationally. Duluth is fortunate to have the opportunity to take part in this program. I have a flyer if anyone would like more information.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 1998

I like Sandy's suggestion. I think bringing in students who can share their feelings and experiences can give us a valuable perspective on what children and teens are dealing with today and how we as educators can support them. It will allow us to get to know students who are involved in trying to reach out to peers and provide a positive support system. It would also be beneficial to listen to representatives from the legal system(both law enforcement and the court system) as they both often deal with students and families. The more resources we are aware of , the more we can understand what is affecting learning and classroom behaviors.

-- Anonymous, November 22, 1998