Jan. 30, 2024
Dear Cairo-Durham Middle and High School Families, Faculty and Staff,
Continuing Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, Cairo-Durham Middle and High School will implement lessons that will help teach students about self-image, making decisions, the dangers of substances, how to communicate, how to cope with emotions, and resolving conflict.
Twin County Prevention Services – a NYS OASAS certified organization which serves Greene and Columbia County, will be providing these lessons. Twin County Recovery Services will be using an evidenced-based prevention program called “Botvin Life Skills Training” www.lifeskillstraining.com. The Botvin curriculum is based on six lessons centered around “The Value of Good Health”, “Making Decisions”, “Risk Taking and Substance Use”, “Media and Your Health”, “Managing Our Emotions and Stress” and “Family Communications”.
“Life Skills Training” is a program that has been proven to work in more than 35 published studies. Journals such as the “Journal of the American Medical Association” have reported how students who have participated in the “Life Skills Training” program have demonstrated resistance to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. These effects have been shown to last for up to 12 years after students have participated in the program.
The following eight lessons will occur from grades 6-12 during the school day (there was a pre-assessment survey given during the first session. The purpose of the survey was to serve as a pre-assessment to understand where the students were at. There will not be an exit survey):
Lesson 1- Making Decisions- To teach how to make decisions and solve problems independently.
Lesson 2- Smoking and Vaping- To teach information about cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco use to counter common myths and misconceptions.
Lesson 3- Alcohol- To teach information about alcohol to counter common myths and misconceptions.
Lesson 4- Marijuana- To teach information about marijuana to counter common myths and misconceptions.
Lesson 5- Violence and the Media- To increase awareness of how the media influences student perceptions about violence and to teach them how to check media presentations against reality.
Lesson 6- Coping with Anxiety/Coping with Anger- To teach what anxiety is, common situations which cause it, and techniques for coping with anxiety. To teach anger recognition and common situations which cause it, and to learn techniques for self-control.
Lesson 7- Social Skills- To teach basic social skills in order to develop successful interpersonal relationships. Teach skills pertaining to closer personal relationships, interaction with others, and planning social activities.
Lesson 8- Assertiveness/Resolving Conflicts- To teach how to become more assertive and resist peer pressure to use drugs. To review previous skills as students learn and practice techniques for resolving conflicts.
Please feel free to contact the Director of Prevention, Tara Eldred at tarae@twincountyrecoveryservices.org, 518-943-2036, ext. 3311 if you would like more information about the lessons and/or how you can reinforce these important skills at home.
Sincerely,
Catherine Dodig Danielle Czech
Cairo-Durham High School Principal Cairo-Durham Middle School Principal