Parent Connect is an exciting initiative supported by the P&C Association and the School. The objective of Parent Connect is to provide information, advice and practical tips for parents to support their students through their educational journey.
This area of the website provides useful links and information to help parents support their student/s through their schooling. If you would like any further information regarding a topic or you would like to provide suggestions for future forums please email parentconnect@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au
Vaping
Senior Constable Kurt Foessel of the Palm Beach Police Beat has provided PBC with a video discussing the issue of vaping among our young people and highlighting our need to protect students from this health damaging activity. This video is being shown to students in assemblies and CARE and the issue is consistently being addressed. Click this link to watch the video: https://youtu.be/4qeSLjQ_VF0
Below is a link to a handy factsheet on Vaping and Young People. Click the link to read to factsheet.
Fact sheet - Vaping and Young People - for Parents (PDF, 435kb)
Drugs and Alcohol
There is a significant body of research in relation to adolescent drugs and alcohol issues all confirming that alcohol and particularly cannabis use can have a devastating effect on the adolescent brain.
A telling piece of research emanating from Harvard Medical School in the Journal of Neuroscience reported that a 3D scan on brains revealed “that young people who had only used cannabis once or twice a week for a matter of months were found to have changes in the brain that govern emotion, motivation and addiction.”
We live in a society where drugs and alcohol are readily accessible to all young people and we therefore must work together to safe guard adolescent wellbeing.
We have a comprehensive approach to discouraging alcohol and drug taking which includes:
- Widely published clear statements of expected student behaviour which include likely consequences for any breaches
- An induction program which ensures all students know these policies and consequences
- A social emotional education curriculum which includes drug education
- A network of health professionals who ensure students know about the consequences to their health on drug taking
- Parent information sessions and regular updates in our newsletter
- Actively discourage “after parties” following school events
Our school community must be ever vigilant in regards to our young people experimenting with illicit drugs or alcohol. It is critical that parents:
- Discuss this information with your child
- Enforce family routines that ensure you can always keep check of your child’s behaviours
- Remember no matter how settled your child seems this is an issue that can affect any child
- If you suspect that your child may be experimenting, please contact the school to discuss. It is much better to be dealing with possible experimenting rather than health issues, school disciplinary consequences or police action in the event of a drug taking incident
Further information is available from Parent Connect at parentconnect@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au
Managing Difficult Behaviours
Displine Help for parents
Importance of Sleep for teenagers