Union Schools launch new initiative

With today’s middle school and high school students living faster paced lives than ever before, it may be difficult for their parents to keep up.

The Dowagiac Union School District is hoping to help give parents a boost in this regard with the recent launch of the Chieftain’s Healthy Boost program. The new Facebook page and newsletter provides information on issues that are impacting teenage health in today’s fast-paced, tech-centric school environment.

The district launched the program at the beginning of the school year. It is operated by district nurse Suzanne Dorman, who suggested the idea to Superintendent Paul Hartsig earlier this year.

“It’s a conduit to help facilitate conversation between kids and their parents or guardians, and give out some factual information as well,” Hartsig said.

The project was born out of Dorman’s experiences with her own children, she said, as she currently raising a teenager, learning about all the potential pitfalls children that age can fall into.

“Parents want the best for our kids, but we don’t always know the new dangers that are out there, like synthetic drugs or peer-pressure on social media services,” Dorman said. “The more we’re we’re educated on these things, the easier it will be for us to talk to our children about them.”

The registered nurse compiles information for the newsletter and Facebook page from a variety of sources, including from the Center of Disease Control and online news sites, she said. She shares ideas for topics with a number of different people, including school counselors and employees with Woodlands Behavioral Health.

“Every month we try to come up with a theme,” Dorman said.

This month, the Chieftain’s Healthy Boost’s page is focused on preventing substance abuse in order to tie in with Red Ribbon Week, a national drug prevention program which takes place from Oct. 23 to Oct. 31 this month. Last month, Dorman focused on advice for parents in building more open communication with their children.

The project is just one way that the district is working to improve the quality of their student’s lives outside the classroom, along with the lives of the community itself, Hartsig said.

“A well-informed community makes the best decisions, with well informed parents,” he said.

The Chieftain’s Healthy Boost can be found at https://www.facebook.com/ChieftainsHealthyScoop.