[Winona Online Democracy]
Although I agree with much of Craig Brooks' observations, I have to
correct some misinformation. The ALC most emphatically does not
"allow the students to smoke" and I'm kind of shocked that Craig
would say that we do, even conjecturing that we have some faulty
rationale for doing so. As with other school programs with an
adolescent population, some students smoke off-grounds before and
after school. This year, our students have been good about observing
our rule that they stay at least a block away from the school if
smoking before and after school. We do have a half hour of open
campus at lunch, so some of our students can be seen at that time,
smoking outside the nearby Kwik Trip or elsewhere in the surrounding
neighborhood. Maybe that's where the misconception comes from. We
most certainly do not allow any smoking on school grounds. Actually,
given the small size of our building, students are much less likely
to escape detection if they decide to try to sneak a smoke in school,
compared to regular high school programs.
We do have a lot of students who are smokers, and it seems that many
of them have grown up in households where that's the norm. Staff have
many conversations every day with kids about smoking, reminding them
of the effects on their lungs and their billfolds, and often we're
able to offer encouragement for those trying to quit. We've also had
smoking cessation guest speakers, and our teen support counselor
provides one-on-one advice and goal-setting around tobacco use and
many other issues. Please know that we are working every bit as hard
as other education and human service providers to help teens make
better decisions with regard to smoking.
The more I think about Craig's comment, I find myself discouraged by
the way rumors and negative perspectives can be spread in this
community. On the other hand, maybe I should look at this as a good
opportunity to clear up a misunderstanding.
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 02:41:04 -0800 (PST)
From: Craig Brooks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Winona] alc
To: [email protected]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I thought I heard a WAPS admin. person say that the majority of
PSEO use was for the VoTech College. I have not idea how to access
that info. except contacting WAPS. I wish more school admin. and
Board members were on this listserv.
I am on the Comm. Educ. Advisory Committee and I have been hearing
about the plan to move much of their operation into the old Big O,
where the ALC is, for a long time. So, I wasn't surprised by the
news they were going to move and that ALC was going to move. I know
some school people did not want the ALC near small kids programs and
seemed to want it out of sight because of the bad PR with the kids
standing around on the street smoking, etc. So, some of the
possibilities considered were rejected for those reasons is my guess.
The place planned is by and near one the landlord already leases to
the school -- it is called the Greenhouse Program for spec. educ. EBD
high school kids. (Greenhouse simply refers to what the property
used to be.) In my opinion all the school programs should be smoke
free. Kids at ALC and Greenhouse are allowed to smoke and I sispect
staff think banning it will cause problems. I have heard that
argument regarding adult psych. wards in hospitals and the results of
smoking bans has not resulted in problems. ould also be addressed?
--
------------
sent by:
Scott Lowery
461 Sunnyview Drive, Rollingstone MN 55969
home phone: (507)689-4532
school phone: (507)454-9587 (Winona Area Learning Center)
home email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
school email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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