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February 5, 2023

Good morning-

Happy February! Hope you all survived the cold this weekend. It was fun to see many of you with kids at Jump for Joy yesterday. I am sure there were some good naps Sunday afternoon. 

The window for course recommendations will close for teachers on Friday, February 10. Please let us know if you need assistance. 

Our faculty meeting will be in the library on Thursday, February 9. The agenda is attached here. 

Last week we implemented lunchtime senior privileges for any student with a study hall during their lunch block. The office will share a list of seniors with privileges with study hall teachers. 

Signs of Suicide Program: Our counseling and wellness staff will be administering the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program Monday through Wednesday to all members of the sophomore class. 

Through the program, students learn: 

  • that depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help  

  • how to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend 

  • to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend 

  • who they can turn to at school for help, if they need it  

Students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video, students will complete a brief depression screening tool. Based on the screening tool students may be pulled for assessment by a counselor later in the day. Please watch for any signs of distress from students and call the counseling office if needed. The office will be closed for regular student access and students will be directed to nursing. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding of possible classroom interruptions. 


I encourage you to visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn. 


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