Dear Parents,
This
week several of our teachers received reports from students about alcohol abuse
at a student party last weekend. In the past I have heard from a number of
sources that our students pool their money to rent a “beach house” for weekend
parties. While these reports are sometimes difficult to verify, it is important
that we not ignore them. There can be plenty of alcohol at these parties and it
is possible that there are other drugs as well. This combination can easily
lead to other risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex.
One
thing we know is that drug use among adolescents is endemic. A recent survey of
over 43,000 students in 400 schools in the U.S. indicated the following:
- 41% of 12th grade students had consumed alcohol in the previous month;
- 23% of 12th grade students had indulged in binge drinking, which means they had consumed 5 or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting, in the previous 2 weeks;
- 21% of 12th grade students had consumed some form of marijuana in the previous month;
- 6% of 12th grade students used marijuana daily.
(National Institute on Drug Abuse, Monitoring the Future Survey, 2010)
A survey
of AISC students conducted last year indicated that while our students use
these substances less frequently, there is still cause for concern.
We believe
that, as a school, we have a responsibility to help our students make healthy
choices. In September AISC invited counselors from Freedom from ChemicalDependency, a well-known health consultancy in the international school world,
to provide alcohol and other drug education for our community. We will continue
this relationship in the coming years. Next year we will also be focusing our
efforts to develop a comprehensive student well-being program involving the counselors,
the PE/Health department and the science department. A major component of this
program will be providing ongoing guidance to students in making healthy choices.
While we
will help where we can, in the case of weekend parties there is little that the
school can do outside of informing parents that they are taking place and
encouraging you to take an active role in setting guidelines for your children.
Helping a child navigate his or her teenage years is not easy. Our goal is to
work with you to help your child grow into a healthy, intellectually curious,
responsible adult. To help you in that task, here are a few things that you can
be doing to help your children stay healthy:
- Maintain open lines of communication with your child. Research shows that parent and family engagement is a key component of effective prevention. Teens with open trusting relationships with their parents are far less likely to engage in risky behaviors and much more likely to talk with their parents when they are uncertain of their choices.
- Know your role as a parent. It is part of the job description of a teen to test boundaries. They are in the midst of learning how the world works, and for much of what they have to learn there are no textbooks. They look to adults to learn how to engage with the world. Our role as responsible adults is to model appropriate behavior and to help them understand what the acceptable boundaries are and why they are there. Research shows that children whose parents communicate clear, consistent expectations to them about alcohol and other drugs are less likely to use substances.
- Know where your children are and who they are with. High school students are moving toward independence and, like it or not, their friends steadily become more important to their lives. They would generally rather spend time with their friends than their parents, which is part of normal social development. On a Friday or Saturday night, stop and think: “Do I know where my child is right now?”
- When parties are unsupervised, teens can and sometimes do engage in risky behaviors. When your child asks to go to a party, find out whether a responsible adult will be present. If you don’t know the host’s parents, call them. Ask whether alcohol will be available to the children. With all of the cultural diversity in our community, values vary widely in this regard. Be sure you know about the environment that your child will be in. It is a good idea to establish curfews and clear, consistent consequences for coming home late.
School on
April 26 - Please note that the high school will be in
session and classes will be held on Friday, April 26. This is a day for middle
school and elementary school parent conferences, but high school classes will
still meet. The good news - the Student Council is organizing a Spring Fest for
high school students on that day.
Spring
Theatre Production - AISC’s
new theatre department is proud to announce the spring production, “Jaya:
Mythic Images from the Mahabharata.” The show will be on Friday, April 26th
and Saturday, April 27th at 7:00 p.m. in the PAC theatre.
Tickets may be purchased in the office beginning Wednesday April 17th.
The production is an ensemble piece which tells the story of the Mahabharata,
the world’s longest epic and one of India’s oldest stories. It is a
collaboration between student actors and technicians, the music and art
departments, local sculptors, painters, and classical musicians, parents, a
guest director from the United States, the AISC Community Choir, and the AISC
Bollywood Dance Troupe. Join us for the first full production of the theatre
department!
The Grade 7 yard sale
is coming! Time to clear out your stuff!
Date:
Thursday May 9th
Time:
8.30am – 4.00pm
Location:
Main Courtyard
Donations: Books, clothes, games, household items, and anything
usable that is clean and in good condition. Bring the donations to Ms
Sonia at the main reception.
Tables:
You can buy a table for Rs1000 to sell your own items and keep the
profits. To reserve a table you can pay Rs1000 to the Yard Sale Fund in
the finance office.
Proceeds will go to community service
projects decided upon by Grade 7 students.
Thank
you,
Grade 7 students and teachers
Yearbook
orders – Orders for the 2013 AISC Yearbook can be placed starting on
Monday, April 15. The cost is US $50. This year we will be using an online
ordering system that will allow you to choose additional options for such as "Hear the Year", a news
summary of the year in photos, a plastic cover or photo pockets. Just click on the link below.
Payments can be made using a credit card. (Note: There may be transaction fees assessed
by your bank if it is not a dollar account.)
Yearbook orders will also be
taken by members of the Yearbook staff in the main entry before and after
school and in the Finance Office.
High School Parent Coffee – Our next High School Parent coffee has
been rescheduled to May 9 due to a conflict
with the Annual General Meeting of the AISC Association. At the Parent Coffee,
Mrs. Callaway will discuss our plans for a comprehensive student well-being
program for next year. I hope you will join us for that meeting.
Commencement Exercises - The Commencement Exercises for the AISC Class of 2013 will be held on Saturday, June 1. A majority of seniors and parents have indicated that they wold prefer that the ceremony be held at 4:00 p.m. on that day. More information about this event will be shared in the coming weeks.
Commencement Exercises - The Commencement Exercises for the AISC Class of 2013 will be held on Saturday, June 1. A majority of seniors and parents have indicated that they wold prefer that the ceremony be held at 4:00 p.m. on that day. More information about this event will be shared in the coming weeks.
Have a pleasant weekend.
John McCandless
High School Principal
