Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The counselors, together with the entire De La Salle community, have the privilege of walking with your son as he journeys through high school. We know the road is not always smooth. Topics that surface in our offices include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, racism, sexism, drug use, intimacy, and misuse of social media. We feel it is imperative for students to have a safe and confidential space to process all that they carry
We know that these matters are probably on your radar also, so we want to let you know that we are working on addressing such issues through personal counseling, school-wide education, and peer-to-peer support. You, as parents/guardians, are key to anything we do at De La Salle, since we are partners with you in the holistic upbringing of your sons.
What can you do to help?
- Continue to educate your son by discussing topics such as mutual respect, consent, responsibility, and accountability. The phrase we use often on campus is “If you see something, say something.” We can’t stress enough the importance of communal responsibility in creating an environment of respect.
- Talk with your son openly about healthy sexual behavior: how to create emotional, social, and sexual boundaries for himself and others that feel comfortable and safe, and how to keep respect for all people at the forefront of his thinking.
- Speak openly and honestly with your son about the impact of drinking and drug usage on their brain, their health, and their ability to make strong decisions. Drinking and drug usage are both illegal and dangerous. We know from research that alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs have a much stronger detrimental impact on the developing brain and can have serious long-term consequences, despite persistent rumors to the contrary.
- Remind your son that whatever he tweets, texts, posts, or e-mails on the internet is permanent. He must understand that once he hits the send button, whatever his intentions, it is subject to the interpretation of whomever receives it or views it. College Admissions officers and employers check Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat accounts of applicants as a matter of standard practice.
- Recognize that students who are not directly involved in these experiences can still be affected socially and emotionally and may need to discuss their feelings.
Adolescence is a time of tremendous growth in the teenage brain. Unfortunately, the pleasure-seeking circuits of the brain can overwhelm the training and conscience found in the frontal lobes. While their brains are currently maturing and forming, we also need to hold our sons accountable for their actions. Many choices can be dealt with individually and privately; other choices may have to be addressed with public consequences. As parents, you can help provide moral and ethical guidelines and model the behaviors you wish to see in order to assist your son in making the best decision in difficult situations.
As a Lasallian community, counselors, administrators, teachers, and staff are available throughout the day to provide support to all students. Please encourage your son to visit us if he feels that we can help, or please feel free to reach out to us directly.
Respectfully,
Scott Drain
drains@dlshs.org
Students with last names E-K & Bishop Cummins Students
