 3051 Ira E. Woods Avenue Grapevine, Texas 76051 817/488-9588 |
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GCISD safety information: Links for Resources for Parents, Students and School Staff How
you can help your child cope with the war and terrorism What you need to know about WEST NILE VIRUS Warning signs of youth suicide and depression Questions submitted by parents at the Supporting Teens Through Crisis forum |
Questions submitted by parents at the Supporting Teens Through Crisis forum Q:Two local psychologists wrote an article in the paper that stated we should talk to teens when classmates commit suicide. The article state that open discussions “will not cause them to begin thinking about suicide, but it will be an opportunity to open lines of communication and may help prevent another senseless tragedy.” If our students are expressing these concerns about the way in which these incidents were handled, will the district consider a new approach in expressing grief and concern for other students? A:We believe the quoted section from the article is very well stated. Open lines of communication prevent many senseless tragedies. We always encourage open and honest communication. How that communication is handled on a campus of over 2100 students is the most challenging part. Suicide is such a sensitive topic and needs to be addressed with sensitivity. Members of the crisis team have continued to engage in discussions with groups of students concerning the suicides experienced by two members of the GHS student body. Our greatest desire is for each of our students to know and understand that there is someone available with whom to speak. Collectively, we all want the same things: safe, happy, successful students. With the number of students who attend each of our campuses, it is clear that success in this area can only be accomplished by having students, parents, and staff members working together to monitor and maintain student safety. Please encourage your son/daughter to seek out a counselor with whom to speak if they are concerned about him/herself or a peer. Q:Should the teen suicide be publicized? How? A: Our goal as a crisis team is to aid students in dealing with the emotions prompted by a crisis. Our work focuses on a need to reduce the impact of the tragic event and restore normalcy in the lives of our students. Publication of a teen suicide can either re-traumatize or create a situation where students see the suicidal act as an acceptable means for ending rather than resolving problems. By avoiding publication of the circumstances surrounding a suicidal event, we are working to minimize the likelihood of replication by other teens. This replication phenomenon as discussed in the research is called ‘cluster suicides’ and reflects the tendency of one or more person’s suicidal behavior to influence another person to attempt or complete suicide. When working with the media, we encourage them to focus on reporting warning signs and services available rather than the specifics of the suicidal act.
A: A representative of the crisis team met with every class of each of the students of who died. As a group, the students were given the opportunity to discuss the impact of the students’ absence and how they would deal with emotions involving things such as empty desks and other triggers for sad emotions. Throughout the week students were encouraged to attend the brown bag lunches with student representatives and counselors. Numerous students chose to take advantage of these opportunities and report gratitude for the opportunity. The potential for teasing always exists when students feel ‘different’ from their peers. It is critical that all persons surrounding vulnerable youth help them to understand that seeking assistance when needed is a healthy response to emotions. Q: What if I find a note my child left that indicates possible suicide thoughts? A: Take your child’s note seriously, even if your child denies writing the note, says it was joke, or says it was written a long time ago. Talk and listen to student. This is an important time for dialog to occur. While students can feel embarrassed at having been caught expressing this emotion or may deny writing the note in an effort to protect you from feeling pain, this is not a topic to take lightly. Frank dialog with frequent reassurance that the student will not be in trouble for confiding their emotions is critical to open communication with adolescents. If the child continues to experience suicidal thoughts, seek help by contacting your doctor or making an appointment with a counselor/therapist. If a critical situation occurs when doctor’s offices are closed, take your child to the emergency room. It is important to be aware of the characteristics of depression in children and adolescents. Early identification of depressive symptoms can help prevent serious depression that can lead a child to seriously consider suicide as an option. The National Association of School Psychologists published the following characteristics of depression that usually occur in children and adolescents: •
Persistent sad and irritable mood Q: Where does the school draw the line between acknowledging their role in our children’s lives and the district’s liability? When do our children come first? A: Faculty and staff of GCISD consider it their priority to put children first. The trained professionals involved in these difficult situations are called upon to act in a manner to promote student safety and healing. When situations arise in which a student is exhibiting signs of wanting to hurt themselves or others, the responsible parent or guardian is contacted so that further intervention can be sought by the family. Q: Why aren’t we being more proactive instead of waiting until something like this happens? Is the staff at the schools qualified enough to identify when we have students who need help and have the signs of a suicidal person? A: GCISD has many programs in place to identify troubled students and provide preventative guidance. For example, each campus has a student support team in place. A student can be referred by a teacher or staff member, a parent, or another student. Throughout elementary, middle school, and high school, proactive counseling programs are in place to teach children about dangerous situations that they might encounter. Students are encouraged throughout their school career to seek help from the adults they encounter in school. Positive choices are encouraged every day throughout each school's curriculum. On all campuses, staff is available to help parents be proactive in their relationships with their own children in areas of discipline, educational progress, goal setting, or emotional issues. In addition, trained counselors can assist families in locating appropriate professional services as needs arise.
A: Many times actions taken can not be discussed due to privacy concerns. In many cases, the confidentiality requirements prevent school personnel from disclosing what actions were taken with what students. This can be very frustrating to a parent who does not “see” an immediate action. Please know that because we all share the same goal of maintaining student safety, reported concerns expressed by a parent are taken seriously, whether an immediate action is obvious or not. If you have a question regarding a specific situation, please consult your student’s campus administrator. Q: Has the district considered random drug testing for students involved in extra-curricular activities? A: A district committee made up of school personnel, parents, and community patrons considered this action in the past. This committee decided against this action due to lack of parent support and the cost of testing. It was also recently discussed at the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. Q: We have talked a lot about drugs. Were the suicides drug related and do we have a drug problem at GCISD? A: While privacy and confidentiality issues would prevent us from commenting on whether the suicides were drug related, we can say that discussions tonight regarding drugs and other self-harm behaviors are being addressed because of the intervention connection common to all self-destructive behaviors. All school districts struggle with substance abuse and related issues. Our district is committed to addressing these problems by having specialized counselors, nurses, and interventionists to meet our students’ needs. In addition, GCISD provides support and funding for personnel specializing in the area of drugs/alcohol. Having said this, the school district can not be expected to address these problems in isolation. This is yet one more area where a collaborative relationship must exist between parents, educators, community resources, and public agencies in order to most effectively address these issues.
A: Ask JJAEP to notify the police department in which your child resides. The Police Dept. will make contact with your child. Resources that you may want to contact for family support in Tarrant County are:
Q:
Who enforces the law of banned teenage smoking anywhere (public)? Q:
Do GCISD truancy officers have jurisdiction over JJAEP students
not on probation? Q: Is there anything or anyone who can help my 16 year-old niece in California who has tried to commit suicide twice, smokes, drinks, does drugs and is barely in school? My brother and sister-in-law don’t know what else to do for her. A: With the information provided, it is difficult to determine what steps have been taken to obtain help for this teen. In general, when a teen has these types of problems, it is important to rely on multiple resources for help. These may include:
A: GCISD does not offer support groups specifically addressing eating disorders as this is a very specialized area of treatment. However, the support groups offered by the schools frequently address issues that may be helpful to students struggling with eating disorders such as coping with stress, relationships, self-esteem, and anger management. In addition, within the community there are numerous resources. A referral list can be obtained from campus counselors. Q: Would it be possible to have a meeting like this on a regular basis and not just after a crisis happens? A: Thank you for the suggestion. The crisis support team is currently considering the possibility of offering these types of community meetings more frequently. Available on a more regular basis, PTA offers a number of programs such as Love and Logic as well as speakers who address topics relevant to keeping children and adolescents safe. PTA members are instrumental in determining presentation topics. Q: Do you have a hotline or drop box for teens to identify peers/friends at risk? Are hotline numbers posted at school for student use? A: The Student Advocate Service (also called Student Assistance Team or SAS) has a number of faculty who have been trained to respond to students’ concerns about themselves or other students. The SAS Logos are posted on the doorways of staff that serve on this committee so that students can easily identify them. Online referral forms are available on the high school websites, linked from gcisd-k12.org. Students can also turn in referrals to the counselors on campus. Hot line numbers are available through school counselors. The PALS website and drop box are available as ongoing resources. Q: What opportunities are there for students to discuss these issues following a crisis? A: A number of opportunities are available on campus to address student concerns following a crisis. The crisis team supports students immediately after a crisis, providing counselors, psychologists, and safe places where students can address initial reactions to the crisis. Follow-up services are available on each campus as needed. Student organizations such as Rachel’s Challenge and PALS meet on a regular basis and welcome student participation. Counselors, psychologists, and teachers are available on an ongoing basis to provide support and to monitor student needs for intervention. Since teens often have low self-esteem and worries about their appearance and comparisons, couldn’t there be more privacy built into the showering area? Might inhibit some bullying opportunities. Any time a teen experiences significant stress related to school situations such as this, it is recommended that parents consult with coaches or administrators who might be able to suggest alternatives or provide special considerations for the student experiencing distress. Q: My middle school student was very much aware of the teen suicide. Others in this group with older siblings were even more directly impacted. What is being done to address these issues at the middle school level. A:
In the middle school setting, counselors provide supportive counseling
to students as the need arises. Students are encouraged to seek
out their counselor when they are upset by personal problems and
need to talk to a caring adult. They are also encouraged to share
their concerns about friends and other students who may experiencing
difficulties. Answers to the above questions were provided by members of the GCISD Crisis Team. |
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