Healthy Choices Bulletin

During a time of shrinking budget, THRIVE PPS is thrilled to be able to offer a wide range of prevention resources to our schools! We want to ensure that PPS staff know about and take advantage of all of them!

THRIVE PPS is focused on improving student wellness and school climates and reducing early substance use. We have a variety of ways to partner with schools to build on student leadership and empowerment, so that student voice is centered.

We are excited to share the opportunities that are available right now:

• Staff Advisory Group for THRIVE PPS - we are forming a staff advisory group. We need PPS staff voice to help us shape THRIVE PPS and identify priority activities. Please consider joining! This group will meet 4-5x a year and the time commitment is about 4-5 hours - for the whole school year! Sign up here.
• School Based Prevention Funding - PPS is a big district with different needs in different schools and communities. We want you to bring your creativity and best ideas. We have support to partner with schools to design prevention programming that best meets your needs. Ideas include family info nights, student wellness fairs, or other great ideas that your school team develops! Got an idea? Complete this form or reach out to Brittany Warren for a consultation.
• Staff support for Student Prevention Leadership - Do you have a group of students that wants to focus on substance use prevention or wellness activities?? We have staffing support! One of the biggest challenges with running a student leadership group is the staffing to support. This year we have help! To find out more, complete this form!
• Recovery Yoga and Meditation - PPS has partnered with the Alano Club of Portland to be able to provide recovery and meditation. If you work in a PPS building and would like to coordinate this for a group of students, please reach out Mary Krogh for more information.
• Log In & Learn - Student Services Log In & Learn series is back! This Wednesday from 2:00-3:00 - Motivational Interviewing Strategies for Schools, next month Roots and pathways: Tracing Neurobiology, Adversity and Psychosocial Risks in Teen Substance Use with Dr. Ana Hilde.

Student Services is excited to host a Log In & Learn this Wednesday about Motivational Interviewing Strategies in Schools. This Log In & Learn is offered by Charlie Health.

Please plan to log in and learn about;

• How to work with students as equals
• Finding out what their own motivations are for changing
• How to avoid the trap of giving unsolicited advice and directions

This training will be facilitated by Sandra Boodman, LCSW and Ken Do. Sandra obtained her Master’s Degree from Cal State University, Long Beach with an emphasis on Children, Youth and Family and her Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies from UCLA. She has served on both county and state level committees focused on advancing community healthcare. She has extensive experience using motivational interviewing to help clients work through and heal from anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic illness, substance use and harm reduction. Her past roles have shown the critical importance of integrated, whole-person care to improve overall health and wellness.

Ken studied Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Born and raised in the Portland metro, he has watched his community move through seasons of both growth, and hardship. He is committed to helping what’s best about it flourish while closing the gaps that leave people behind. Ken brings more than a decade of professional relationship building and mentorship to his work in mental healthcare access, partnering with health systems, schools, recovery organizations, and nonprofits across the tri-county region. He is active in several local coalitions focused on youth suicide prevention and family wellbeing, and is a newly appointed member of the Northwest Behavioral Health Institute Board of Directors.

No need to pre-register. Join this link Wednesday 10/14 at 2:00.

At Lincoln High School, Ms. Hytowitz is an adult students know they can count on, not just for counselor support, but for someone who will listen, advocate for them, and help them navigate challenges beyond the classroom. She works hard to make sure students have a safe space and access to the support they need. As she continues pushing for social work support to return to Lincoln, she is also doing what she can to lessen the impact on students in the meantime. One evening, she stayed past 5 p.m. completing McKinney-Vento paperwork to help a student access housing support. It is a reflection of the care she puts into this work and her commitment to making sure students are not left to navigate difficult situations on their own. Ms. Hytowitz shows up for students the way she would have wanted an adult to show up for her, and they can tell she is genuinely rooting for their success.

Last year, Ms. Hytowitz partnered with Ms. Wilson to teach a peer mentoring class that helped create a culture of mentoring and active listening among students. Mentoring is now an option for students who might normally choose to be a TA, creating more opportunities for students to support one another. She also sets a great example by sharing her journey through her PhD program and modeling what it looks like to work hard, continue learning, and take steps toward personal goals. Ms. Hytowitz hopes that earning her PhD will allow her to do even more to benefit today's high school students. Through her advocacy, mentorship, and commitment to students, she continues to make a meaningful difference in the Lincoln community.

As a reminder, each month we will feature a Portland Public Schools staff member who represents what it means to be a trusted adult. These are the teachers, counselors, coaches, and staff who take the time to connect with students, offer support, and help create a sense of belonging in our schools. Trusted adults are one the single biggest protective factors for youth against early substance misuse and other at-risk behaviors.

By sharing their stories, we hope to celebrate the caring adults who make PPS a place where every student feels seen, supported, and valued.

Know a staff member who goes above and beyond? Click here to nominate a trusted adult in your school to be featured in an upcoming Staff Spotlight!