Students in Emily Scholeno's high school health class at Falconer Central School are pictured. Front row, from left, are Makayla Sheldon, Alberta Pollaro, Anyssa Brainard and Jillian Holmberg. Back row, from left, are Ally Davis, Max Campbell, Carter Davis, Cait Callahan, Evan Swanson, Addison Dove and Alexander Rodriguez, a CASAC prevention educator.

FALCONER — The Chautauqua Alcohol and Substance Abuse Council will partner again with the Falconer Central School District.

Beginning last fall, CASAC prevention educators joined Falconer kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms to implement drug and alcohol prevention programs.

CASAC was awarded funding by the Chautauqua Regional Community Foundation to continue their prevention efforts in the district. The foundation is paying for the “Too Good for Drugs” program, an evidence-based curriculum developed by the Mendez Foundation. At the high school level, the program begins with life-skills topics like goal-setting and decision-making before seguing into alcohol and other drug topics. Emily Scholeno hosted Alexander Rodriguez, CASAC prevention educator, in her four health classes in the fall with plans for three more classes to participate in the program later this year.

“I am happy that CASAC is integrating the “Too Good” program in our Falconer health classes,” Scholeno said. “It is always nice that they are able to touch on topics that are difficult to discuss for students. Students are really interested and engaged in the lessons-they look forward to it every week.”

Falconer and CASAC officials decided to continue and expand the prevention efforts over what was offered in the 2017-18 school year.

CASAC has brought the “Too Good” program to Fenner Elementary’s third, fourth and fifth grade students as well as kindergarten, first and second grades at Temple Elementary School. Compared to the high school curriculum, the elementary “Too Good” program covers much of the same information, but aims to present it in an age-appropriate way. Through a variety of games, activities and role-playing exercises over eight weeks, students cover the following topics: goal-setting, decision-making, conflict resolution, emotion management, bonding and relationships, assertive communication, community involvement, and drug awareness.

At the middle school, CASAC will implement the “Too Good” program with the seventh and eighth grade students in the spring. CASAC’s prevention educators had the opportunity to expound on the dangers of electronic nicotine delivery systems via CASAC’s vaping presentation.

Another evidence-based program is “SPORT: Prevention Plus Wellness.” In SPORT, students are taken through a combined prevention and fitness program. As in the “Too Good Program,” they learn habits to help minimize and avoid substance use. SPORT goes a step further though, encouraging students to increase physical activity, and educating them on the dangers of sugary and artificially stimulating drinks. Students in the middle school also receive the “Alcohol Literacy Challenge.” They learn how to sift through the alcohol advertisements and question the ads they see. What belief is being sold? How does it match up with the information they already know?

CASAC has also partnered with the district to provide a variety of wellness presentations and auxiliary courses. Prevention educators Trish Whetstone and Alexander Rodriguez have spoken with faculty on recognizing and supporting children from chemically-dependent family systems. They have also run their Hidden in Plain Sight presentation for faculty and community members alike. In this program, participants had the opportunity to explore a mock teenage bedroom for hidden drug paraphernalia.

Every grade level will receive a program that supplements and saturates what the students are already receiving in their own classrooms.

“Our district has really been benefitting from CASAC coming in to our classrooms, teaching our faculty and staff, and assisting our students who need the individual attention,” said Jeff Jordan, Falconer High School principal. “This intervention service is for students who have been caught using substances or may need additional life skills. CASAC is able to provide education and social emotional support for all of our students.”

“We are really appreciative to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to provide these funds to educate our students in Falconer Central School District,” said Laurie Reynolds, CASAC associate director/director of programs.

“In turn, we are truly grateful for the partnership we have with Falconer to be able to implement our prevention programs and services.”