We are about to embark on the season of giving. This year, consider giving your child the gift of "life skills" to help them learn coping strategies to deal with the stressors of life in healthy and productive ways. For more information from the Safe & Healthy Homewood Collaborative, including specific strategies to deal with the stressors of life, please click here. 

Please make plans to join the Safe & Healthy Homewood Collaborative for the next educational parent program. "Stress, Anxiety and Teens" will be held Friday, December 3rd, 8:30 am-10:00 am in-person at the Homewood Board of Education or virtually via Google Meet. Join us as Dr. Dale Wisely shares how you can help your child develop healthy coping skills. Click here for more information and to join virtually.

It's the last day of Red Ribbon Week and we want to thank you for your participation in supporting healthy, drug free lifestyles. We hope you've really thought about the meaning of this year's theme: "Drug Free Looks Like Me" - and how making healthy choices will help you achieve your goals in life - while having fun in the process. We only want the best for you and can't wait to see what you can achieve! Remember that it’s important to be committed to a tobacco, alcohol, and other drug free lifestyle in order to reach your goals and maximize your unique potential! It's important to make safe and healthy choices for now and for your future. It's important to show your Patriot Pride - be responsible, be respectful, and give your best effort! 

"Drug Free Looks Like Me." That's this year's Red Ribbon Week theme. We know that by making healthy choices, like staying drug free, you are more likely to live the best life for you. We hope you will make a pledge to grow up safe, healthy, and drug free. Pledge to know the facts and understand the dangers of drug use and abuse. Pledge to respect yourself. Pledge to spread the word about the importance of being healthy and drug free. We love our students and we want you to lead happy, healthy, fun and wonderful lives. We know that by making healthy choices, like staying drug free, you are more likely to live the best life for you. So, take a moment to commit to yourself that you will continue to make healthy choices to ensure a brighter future. You won't regret it!

Happy Red Ribbon Week! This year's theme is "Drug Free Looks Like Me." Staying drug free means investing in your current and future health. You don't have to use drugs to fit in. There are other ways to belong. Celebrate your uniqueness and show it to the world.

Thursday's dress-up theme is: “Follow Your Dreams - Drug Free.”  Make sure to wear your favorite pajamas.

Partnership to End Addiction, a national substance use prevention organization, is convening national leaders in youth development and children’s health to present Raising Resilient Kids on Friday, October 29 at 12:00 pm CT. Hosted by Emmy-winning journalist Elizabeth Vargas, this online event will give parents tools to strengthen young people’s mental and physical health, family bonds, school engagement, and nurture safe and supportive communities. Click here for more information and to register for this event.

Red Ribbon Week honors the memory of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, an undercover U.S. Drug Enforcement Officer who was killed in the line of duty in Mexico in 1985. Red Ribbon Week began the following year in his hometown in California, organized by family and friends who wore red ribbons in Kiki’s honor. In 1988, Congress proclaimed the last full week in October as National Red Ribbon Week. The Red Ribbon Campaign is a national campaign that supports the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s efforts to reduce the demand for drugs through prevention and education programs. This campaign also supports and encourages prevention, early intervention, and treatment services.

Wednesday's dress-up theme is: “Put a Cap on Drugs.” Wear your favorite cap or hat to show that we are all empowered with shaping the communities around us through positivity, bravery and strength.

Homewood Middle School joins over 100,000 schools that will mark this week as Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is a tobacco, alcohol, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. The Red Ribbon Campaign® is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week. This year's Red Ribbon Week theme is "Drug Free Looks Like Me." We believe in you and we hope everyone at HMS will be committed to a tobacco, alcohol, and other drug free lifestyle so we can all maximize our unique potential!

Tuesday's dress-up theme is: “Choose Drug Free.” We are asking everyone to wear red in support of making healthy choices!

October 23rd-31st is Red Ribbon Week, a national drug abuse prevention campaign. We will be sharing information with students during the week of October 25th, and we encourage you to take the opportunity to start a dialogue with your child about substance use.

You can use your positive influence to send the message that you want your child to stay drug free! Click here for additional resources from the Safe & Healthy Homewood Collaborative.

Cyberbullying is the use of digital-communication tools (such as social media, cell phones and video game chat features) to make another person feel angry, sad or scared, usually again and again. Examples of cyberbullying include sending hurtful texts or instant messages, posting embarrassing photos or video on social media and spreading mean rumors online or with cell phones. 

Learn more information, provided by the Safe & Healthy Homewood Collaborative, by clicking here.