Lake Villa Police & School District 41
The Dare Program, which was part of the fifth grade curriculum for many years, is no longer being used. As an alternative, the Lindenhurst and Lake Villa Police Departments, along with Lake Villa School District #41 personnel, have developed a program to take its place. The name of this program is "S.E.N.D. the Message: Strong Enough to say No to Drugs." The purposes for this change were to increase the efficiency of the police officer's time in our school and to improve the effectiveness of our School Safety Curriculum. S.E.N.D. the Message will not only have lessons taught by a police officer in the classroom, but also will have these lessons reinforced and extended by teachers. Outside speakers and consultants will be used where appropriate.
We hope this new approach will positively influence your child in forming healthy ways to deal with others. Hopefully addressing the issues below will increase the probability that your child will not yield to pressures that frequently plague our youth.
The topics that will be discussed in the classroom sessions will help your child to:
- Be aware of home safety and vehicle safety issues
- Recognize the need to make choices and accept the consequences - both positive and negative - that may result
- Identify resources to help in solving conflicts and problems
- Identify, research, and discuss the physical effects of smoking, drinking, and drugs on the body
- Identify and research present attitudes and trends in society towards the use of smoking, drinking, and drug use
- Become aware of his or her power to influence others and the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully
As educators, we realize that unfortunately we cannot protect your child from the problems he or she will undoubtedly face in the future. We do hope, however, that we can give your child the tools he or she can use to help prepare them for the issues and uncertainty that lie ahead.
