National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

Celebrating a Decade of Commitment Welcome to the official kickoff of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®(NDAFW)! For a decade, we’ve united communities across the country and around the world (now representing all 50 states and more than 20 countries) to shed light on the science-based facts about drugs and alcohol. Together, we’ve empowered teens to make informed decisions about drugs, taking into consideration the impact drugs have on their developing brains. Now, for the 10th anniversary, we’re excited to connect virtually across the globe to SHATTER THE MYTHS®. We want to thank everyone who registered for NDAFW. And even though NDAFW begins today, if you haven’t yet had a chance to plan or register your virtual event, it’s not too late to do so!

Participate in NDAFW Virtually  Today, Monday, March 30, from 3 to 4 p.m. EDT, join us for a Tweetstormby tweeting about drug and alcohol facts and using the hashtags #NDAFW and #ShatterTheMyths. There are many activities that teens, parents, caregivers, and teachers can do that don’t involve leaving the house. Try: Playing the new Kahoot! games with an online class or encouraging students to play the games individually. Taking the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge. Test students’ knowledge about drugs and alcohol with this short, interactive quiz available in English and Spanish that can be used on mobile devices. Sharing the facts on social media. Tweet, snap, or post. Social media platforms can be powerful tools to shatter the myths about drugs and alcohol. Use the new “Not everyone’s doing it” [PDF - 19.7MB] social media cards and hand-held placards. Taking advantage of free, science-based resources to use at home. These include toolkits and activity ideas on various topics; science- and standards-based classroom lessons and multimedia activities on teens and drugs; and the recently updated Mind Matters series, which helps students understand the effects of various drugs on the brain and body. Joining NIDA on Friday, April 3, at 3 p.m. EDT, for a Twitter Trivia Challenge in collaboration with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). Anyone can test their knowledge by following the hashtag #NDAFW and answering multiple-choice questions about drugs and alcohol.

Register Your Event!

Taking Time for Yourself and Connecting with Others

As we wrap up with our first full week of remote learning, two concerns we’ve been hearing in the guidance department the most are, “I’m feeling overwhelmed” and “I miss connecting with others.” 

We want to remind everyone that during this time, what students, parents, and teachers alike will remember the most is how they felt. We all have the pressure of feeling like we’re not doing enough and that we should be doing more. We are here to remind everyone that you are doing enough. It’s not going to be perfect and it doesn’t have to be. Your child may not learn all the skills they would if they were in school and that’s ok because everyone is in the same situation. Yes, there will be some gaps in learning and you have every right to feel that your child will regress but we are all weathering the same storm and it’s important to weather it together. Because through all of this, we are all developing a whole new set of coping skills. We are all learning that the impossible is possible. Our children are seeing what it takes to get through a challenging time and they are learning skills they might not get in school.

Don’t worry about them regressing in school. When they are back in the classroom, the teachers will know what to do to meet them where they are. Teachers are trained to do just that. Don’t pick fights with your children if they don’t adhere to the schedule and don’t mandate hours of learning if they are resisting. At the end of all of this, your mental health and your child’s mental health will be  more important than their academic skills. Trust us, the memory of how you and your children felt during this time will last far longer than the academics they are learning. 

So if you have been feeling stressed about making sure your child needs to get every aspect of the curriculum, breathe and let it go. That’s not what’s important. What’s important is taking time to take care of ourselves and the others around us. This is challenging for everyone and the best thing we can do is to stay healthy mentally. So if you can’t get to every assignment, it’s ok. If you need to spend extra time being outside to relieve the stress you are feeling, do it. If you need to take a break and take care of yourself, do that. Listen to yourself, you know what you need to stay mentally well. So in case you need permission to take time for yourself, here it is: Take time for yourself and pick up the phone and connect with those around you who need the same advice.

Treat Everyone with Respect

Treat Everyone With Respect.  As we begin this remote/ virtual learning journey together, the Guidance Team at Lurgio wants to take a minute to remind everyone about the ROSS in Ross A. Lurgio Middle School.  RESPECT OF SELF & SCHOOL. We encourage both students and families to review this article from stopbullying.gov.  It is a resource to remind us all how to be good Digital Citizens. As we move forward together remember:   

Talk to an adult you trust

Don’t keep your feelings inside

Stay away from places where bullying happens

Stand up for yourself in a calm clear way

Stand up for others

How to Talk to Your Child About Coronavirus

Talk about current events with your kids often. It's important to help them think through stories they hear about. Ask questions: What do you think about these events? How do you think these things happen? Such questions also encourage conversation about non-news topics.  

Click here for an article from kidshealth.org

Click here for an article from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Welcome to Remote Learning: The Importance of Creating Routine

Hi Parents and Students,

Who would have thought we would be finding ourselves in the midst of a remote learning experience. With remote learning comes many new challenges and unknowns. Your guidance team will work on being with you every step of the way. We will be posting to this blog daily with helpful hints and strategies to best support you as we all navigate these uncharted seas together...

One of the first steps in remote learning is developing routine. Routine helps to maintain some normalcy in this not so normal situation. The teachers at Lurgio Middle school will be creating a schedule that mimics your child's schedule while they are at school. Maintaining this routine at home will be beneficial in setting up your child's success during this remote learning experience. Look for your child's schedule from his/her pod teachers. These schedules may be posted to google classroom or emailed to you directly. When creating a schedule, it is important to consider a child's normal school day routine. They should be waking up at normal time, eating breakfast, getting ready for the day, and then setting up a space to begin their school day. When creating a schedule, important things to consider would be downtime, screen breaks, movement breaks, lunch, and activities.