|
December 21, 2006
Weston High School has added a comprehensive alcohol prevention program to its curriculum for the 2006-07 academic year. All high school students are being asked to complete the program as part of their health and physical education curriculum this year.
The program, AlcoholEdu for High School, is an online course designed specifically for the high school-aged student. The course is an interactive, Web-based experience focused on providing students with the tools they need to make safe and healthy decisions about alcohol.
"Alcohol misuse is a major public health issue in our nation, especially among underage youth," said Mitch Finnegan, director of health and physical education for the Weston Public Schools. "Our school district is committed to ensuring that our students are prepared to deal with the many decisions around drinking alcohol. AlcoholEdu for High School's non-opinionated and science-based approach gives us the opportunity to debunk myths while teaching students how alcohol affects them on many levels.
"We are pleased that all of our high school health and physical education teachers have taken on the responsibility of facilitating this course with their students," added Finnegan.
The Weston health education program also includes alcohol and other drug education programs beginning in grade 5 and continuing through middle and high school. Funding for this initial implementation to all high school students was from a grant by the Weston Educational Enrichment Fund (WEEFC).
Parents and teachers of Weston High School students will also have a unique opportunity to participate in the program as well.
"We approach this issue as a truly community-wide one," said Finnegan. "In order to address it fully, we have arranged for every parent and faculty member in Weston to have online access to the same course that the students are taking. We hope that this will encourage conversations and discussions at home and in other settings about the issue of underage alcohol use."
Parents who want more information about the course, including login instructions, should go to the Weston High School Web site and click on the "AlcoholEdu Course for High School" button.
AlcoholEdu for High School uses a variety of media to engage students, including audio, interactive exercises and knowledge tests. The program also includes three confidential surveys which provide success measures for the school, as well as aggregate data about the student body to help enhance further prevention efforts. The program is developed by Boston-based Outside the Classroom.
"Weston High School's goal is to help prepare our students for both the academic challenges and the life challenges that lie ahead of them," Finnegan said. "We are confident that AlcoholEdu for High School will give our students the tools they need to make safe and healthy decisions."
Return to Media Coverage Listing
|
