Webinar Tackles Substance Misuse at School

Recent data from the 2018 MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey shows that 41 percent of high school students have tried vaping, and that marijuana use is also on the rise. How can schools respond to these concerning health trends?

On May 2, EDC’s Shai Fuxman and Chuck Klevgaard will lead a webinar examining comprehensive approaches to preventing substance misuse in Massachusetts schools. The webinar is being sponsored by EDC and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents.

“Although school leaders know that substance misuse and addiction are barriers to students’ learning, they often struggle with figuring out how to address and prevent these behaviors,” says Fuxman. “We want to help district leaders identify evidence-based, comprehensive prevention strategies that work.”

During the webinar, Fuxman and Klevgaard will examine the impact that substance misuse has on students’ health and academic achievement, identify risk factors associated with students’ substance use, and describe specific types of prevention programs that schools can implement.

The webinar will also feature three partners in prevention from East Bridgewater. Superintendent Elizabeth Legault, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Gina Williams, and Chief of Police Scott Allen will discuss their efforts to prevent substance misuse, which includes the Handle with Care program—a collaboration between public schools and the police department.

Principals and superintendents who are interested in attending can register online.