Pubdate: Sun, 09 Apr 2006
Source: Portsmouth Herald (NH)
Copyright: 2006 Seacoast Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/index.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1157
Author: Patrick Cronin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

WHS RISK SURVEY PROMPTS CURRICULUM REVIEW AT SCHOOL

HAMPTON - The results of the Winnacunnet High School  Youth Risk 
Behavior Survey have prompted school  officials to look at the health 
curriculum to see if  they can do a better job teaching about the 
dangers of  drugs and alcohol.

The survey, which was taken last year by high school  students, 
reveals that 71 percent of students have  tried alcohol, while 42.6 
percent of students smoked  marijuana.

It also reveals more students are sexually active, and  39.9 percent 
of students had sex with more than one  person in the last three months.

Athletic Department Director Carol Dozibrin, who  oversees the health 
program at the high school, said  her department is reviewing the 
results to see if it  needs to make any changes to the curriculum.

"We need to sit down and look at those results of the  survey as a 
department and see how we can help our  health classes," Dozibrin said.

Currently, the only students who have a mandatory  health class are 
sophomores, which satisfies the state  requirement that all students 
must complete a half  credit in health education to graduate.

While the school offers other health programs, they are elective.

The curriculum for the mandatory class is based on the  state 
guidelines and includes lessons on nutrition,  sexuality, drugs and 
alcohol, mental health and good  decision-making.

Dozibrin said one of the things they are looking at is  adding a 
health and wellness program for the freshman  class.

Winnacunnet Principal Randy Zito said a health/wellness  component to 
the curriculum will be added that will be  completely implemented in 
Grades 9-12 by 2010.

Winnacunnet High School Director of Guidance Leslie  Dolleman said 
one of the first things they plan to do  with the survey results is 
show them to the other  districts in SAU 21.

"This is not just a high school issue; it's a community  issue," 
Dolleman said. "We all need to be looking at  these results."

Dolleman said other schools should also be reviewing  their health curriculums.

Mary Bubmis, of the Office of School Health Division in  the state 
Department of Education, said the state Board  of Education created 
health course guidelines, but  unlike other subjects, the guidelines 
are just  recommendations. The only thing that is mandatory to be 
taught by law is a lesson on sexually transmitted  diseases and HIV.

Bubmis said districts can pick and choose what to teach  or ignore 
the guidelines altogether. The result:  Students might hear a lot of 
information about sex,  drugs and alcohol or none at all.

Hampton Academy Middle School Principal Fred Muscara  said they just 
started a health program for  eighth-grade students last year. The 
academy also has  the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

Seabrook Middle School doesn't currently offer health  but will next 
year, according to Principal Stanley  Shupe. He said the school will 
start offering health  classes for Grades 5-8 at that time.

"We are in a good position right now because the School  Board just 
approved a health teacher," Shupe said. "It  is an extremely positive step."

And while Hampton and Seabrook are new to health  programs, it has 
always been a part of the Hampton  Falls curriculum.

Lincoln Akerman School Principal Judith A. Deshaies  said the school 
follows the state standards and  guidelines.

"All our kids, Grades 1-8, have health class once a  week for half 
the school year," Deshaies said.

When the health classes are over, students proceed to a  life-skills 
class taught by one of the guidance  counselors.

Dolleman said sharing the survey results is just the  beginning in 
the conversation.

"We need to recognize this as a community issue,"  Dolleman said. 
"Students are buying the alcohol  somewhere. They are buying the 
drugs somewhere. School  is just where they go and talk about it. The 
most that  we can do is educate."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman