Our goal is to provide our community with education and resources surrounding substance misuse and mental health prevention. We will be using this to highlight our initiatives, educational information, upcoming events, and more!

Teens not getting enough sleep is a huge problem here in America. Distractions are everywhere. Your teen might stay up too late because they watched YouTube videos or scrolled on their favorite social media platform. Thus, they may feel less productive because of a lack of rest. Or, they might have too many obligations such as homework, sports, clubs, and other activities, leaving them with limited time to rest.

What you can do:

• Sleep schedule. Wake up and go to bed at about the same time on school nights and non-school nights. Bedtime and wake time should not differ more than an hour or so from one day to the next.

• Weekends. Don’t sleep in on weekends to “catch up” on sleep. This makes it more likely that you will have problems falling asleep at bedtime.

• Naps. If you are very sleepy during the day, nap for 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon. Don’t nap too long or too late in the afternoon or you will have difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.

• Sunlight. Spend time outside every day, especially in the morning, as exposure to sunlight, or bright light, helps to keep your body’s internal clock on track.

• Exercise. Exercise regularly. Exercising may help you fall asleep and sleep more deeply. If possible, avoid exercise within 4 hours before bedtime.

• Bedroom. Make sure your bedroom is comfortable, quiet, and dark. Make sure also that it is not too warm at night, as sleeping in a room warmer than 75° F will make it hard to sleep.

• Bed. Use your bed only for sleeping. Don’t study, read, or listen to music in your bed.

• Bedtime. Make the 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime a quiet or wind-down time. Relaxing, calm, enjoyable activities such as reading a book or listening to soothing music help your body and mind slow down enough to let you sleep. Do not watch TV, study, exercise, or get involved in “energizing” activities in the 30 minutes before bedtime.

• Snack. Eat regular meals and don’t go to bed hungry. A light snack before bed is a good idea; eating a full meal in the hour before bed is not.

• Caffeine. Avoid eating or drinking products containing caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. These include caffeinated sodas, coffee, tea, and chocolate.

• Alcohol and Smoking. Ingestion of alcohol disrupts sleep and may cause you to awaken throughout the night. Smoking disturbs sleep.

• Don’t drive drowsy. Teenagers are at the highest risk for falling asleep at the wheel, so don’t drive when you haven’t gotten enough sleep. Accidents are likely to happen in the middle of the afternoon as well as at night.

Smile Club members have worked diligently since the end of January to write, rehearse, and film campaign videos with Campbell Media and CCDFA. They volunteered their time after school to record PSA videos about the importance of lockboxes and Deterra bags.

Lockboxes are used to store any type of medication or items that could be harmful to others. They are used to keep children, pets, elderly family members, and more safe from ingesting medication that is not theirs. Other items such as diabetic supplies or unsafe objects can be stored in a lockbox as well. If you have prescription medication that is expired and/or unused, there is more information below about National Take-back Day on Saturday, April 26th. Returning your old medication can prevent the medication from being misused, ingested, etc.

A Deterra bag is used to deactivate and destroy extra medication. This not only keeps everyone safe from extra medication, but it is safer for the environment. They use plant-based packaging and prevent harmful medication from contaminating landfills and water systems. There is a three step process for using a Deterra bag:

1. Tear open the pouch and do not remove inner pods. Place unused medication inside.
2. Fill the pouch halfway with warm water and wait 30 seconds for air to release. Some foaming may occur and is normal.
3. Seal pouch tightly, gently shake and dispose of it in normal trash.

If you or someone you know is in need of a lockbox and/or a Deterra bag, please reach out to Ms. Sharp or Ms. Queen. Lockboxes and Deterra bags are also available from the Campbell County Drug-Free Alliance. These resources are available to the public for free and contact information is below.

sarah.sharp@bellevue.kyschools.us

celeste.queen@bellevue.kyschools.us

859-341-2473 ext. 660

CCDFA

859-444-8949

Did You Know?

• The shamrock is an Irish symbol that is said to have been popularized by St. Patrick.
• Four-leaf clovers are believed to bring good luck and protection from evil spirits.
• Leprechauns are associated with St. Patrick's Day because they were first written about in old Irish fables.

Do you have a sober ride for St. Patrick’s Day weekend?

With St. Patrick’s Day less than a week away, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reminding everyone to plan out sober rides in advance.

St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated annually on March 17, is known for large festivals, parades, and parties that often include alcohol. Subsequently, it’s a day that typically sees an influx of drunk-driving-related incidents, according to KYTC. Last year, the agency reported 52 crashes statewide related to a drunk driver on St. Patrick’s Day, resulting in 37 injuries and seven fatalities.

“Even one drink can impair the way you drive,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said in an agency press release. “Having a plan in place beforehand to make sure you have a sober ride home is essential because ‘buzzed driving is drunk driving.’”

To mitigate potential tragedies, KYTC recently published a list of safety measures and recommendations related to drunk-driving:

• Remember that it is never OK to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver, plan to use public transportation or a ride booking service to get home safely.
• Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home and use caution if walking while intoxicated. While you may be doing the right thing by not drinking and driving, risks still exist.
• If you see a drunk driver, contact law enforcement. You may dial the Kentucky State Police toll-free line directly at 1-800-222-5555. Callers will remain anonymous and should give a description of the vehicle, location, direction of travel and license number if possible.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
• Wear a seat belt while in a vehicle. It is not only the law; it is the best defense against an impaired driver. Buckling up helps prevent injury and death if involved in a crash.

For more information, see LINK NKY.

The February meal kit was sent home on Tuesday, 2/18. A total of 37 families (174 family members, 83 students) signed up to receive a recipe, prevention information, games, resources, etc.

🌟🚀 Are you ready to build bravery together? The Dinner Table Project is here to help families connect! Each kit includes a delicious recipe and engaging activities to spark fun and family bonding.

🍽️📆 Don't miss out—only 50 kits available! Be sure to register by April 11th and let the adventure begin! Let’s foster positive mental health and prevent substance misuse together. Are you in? Sign-up below! 👇

We all experience situations in which we must work with others to accomplish a goal or task in our lives. Whether we are working with friends or with someone new, we need tools to help us successfully navigate those situations and maintain healthy relationships.

See the video below! 👇

🧠 Brain Booster

The Human Knot: To create a human knot, have your family and/or friends stand in a circle. Then have them reach across to hold hands with 2 different people in the circle while making sure it’s not the person next to them. Each left hand should hold a left hand, and each right hand a right. The goal of the activity is to safely and gently untangle themselves without letting go of the hands they are holding. Everyone should be ready to bend, twist, and move in any way that is required to untangle the human knot. You may need to duck under the hands of other players, step over a pair of hands, or do similar moves to untangle the knot. Everyone will have to work together to “untie” their arms and push themselves to think creatively, communicate with others, and persevere through the challenges along the way. In some cases, everyone may have done their job of knotting together too well and may not be able to unravel their knot, in which case, they can break apart and try again (and talk about how they persevered up until that point)!

🧘🏻‍♀️ Mindful Moments

Peaks and Valleys: See the video below to practice the mindful activity of Peaks and Valleys.

📚 Here are book recommendations to check out for this month's trait:

International Social Emotional Learning Day was March 10th to celebrate the way SEL is “Uplifting Hearts, Connecting Minds.” Studies show SEL reduces stress and promotes self-regulation, self-awareness, social awareness, decision-making, and relationship building. Here are some specific examples of how SEL can positively impacts students:

• Higher levels of empathy
• Increased social confidence
• Better attitude about school
• More responsible decisions
• Better recognition of emotions

When your student is able to recognize difficult emotions and would like help finding a mental health care provider for them, use Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential care coordination service provided by Bellevue Independent Schools:

• Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.
• Visit caresolace.com/bellevue and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

Our goal is for our students to feel uplifted hearts and connected minds!

🍀 March

• 03/17 St. Patrick's Day
• 03/20 BMHS Open House
• 03/21 Spill the Tea
• 03/22 Fighting for Freedom (see below)
• 03/24 A Youth Suicide Prevention Seminar for Parents & Communities (see below)
• 03/31 Sober Week Challenge Begins

☔ April

• Alcohol Awareness Month
• 04/01 Take Down Tobacco Day
• 04/04 Sober Week Challenge Ends
• 04/04 BMHS Prom
• 04/07 Spring Break Begins
• 04/08 Operation Parent Webinar (Launch Don't Crash: Tips to Help Them Fly the Nest)
• 04/11 Spring Break Ends
• 04/15 Dinner Table Project #4
• 04/18 Spill the Tea
• 04/26 National Prescription Take-Back Day

🌷 May

• Mental Health Awareness Month
• 05/01 NKY Youth Mental Health Roundtables with NKCES
• 05/06 Operation Parent Webinar (Parenting in an Addictive World: When to Step In & How to Help)
• 05/15 Mental Health Action Day
• 05/16 Spill the Tea
• 05/20 Snow Make-Up Day (Students attend school)
• 05/23 Last Day of School
• 05/24 Summer Break Begins