Nevarmore
Ravenscroft School
Ravenscroft School
7409 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC 27615
April 2015
Students complete substance abuse survey
CaseyHarris
Editor
In January, the entire Upper
School, and the eighth grade students, sat in 9:35 advisory period to completed the survey that Peter Bogue, Head of Upper School, introduced to the juniors and seniors earlier in the fall. Part of the Drug and Alcohol Prevention Education Program, the survey was given in a test-like environment, with students required to leave all belongings in the hallway. The Students Attitude and Behavior Survey is provided by Freedom From Chemical Dependency (FCD), an organization that works with schools and communities in the United States and more than fifty different countries around the world to provide substance-abuse prevention services. It is a fifty-question assessment that, according to the FCD website, measures the “students’ actual
attitudes and behavior with regard to alcohol and other drugs, as well as their perceptions of the behavior and attitudes of their schoolmates.” The results are then broken down into a by-grade, by-gender, and by-risk report that includes information on how to communicate the data to students, faculty, and parents. According to Renee Soulis, the FCD correspondent for Ravenscroft School, the survey will “help to quantify at which grade certain substances start to become used by students.” Dr. Susan Perry, Assistant Head of Upper School for Faculty Development and Student Guidance, referred to the survey as a “tool” and a reference, used as a starting point to target Ravenscroft’s program. Perry believes that this survey will be an instrument to identify the drug and alcohol problems that might be occurring in the student body.
An administrator’s input: “Once the data is returned from the FCD, Ravenscroft can then assess developing a strategic plan for alcohol and drug prevention education. We will use the data evidence based research called the ‘social norms model’ to help open a new era in creating a healthy school community and reducing student use and abuse of substances. We want to be one of the schools that embrace this approach. As community we are committed to doing everything we can to address one of the most significant threats to our students’ lives and our school community’s health.” - Susan Perry
Assistant Head of Upper School for Faculty Development and Student Guidance
Artwork by Morgan Shuey, ‘ 15, used as promotional material for SPEAK.
SPEAK day lacks senior turnout Upper School Administration disappointed by lack of senior student support for event
Emi Myers This
Editor
year’s second annual SPEAK day failed to attract full attendance of the senior class. “Sixty-six out of 119 senior students arrived on time on January 16 for the half day of student led workshops and presentations,” said Amy Lamond, Upper School Administrative Assistant. This attendance record precipitated a grade-wide meeting with Peter Bogue, Head of Upper School, and senior advisors outside of Murphy Hall. Bogue called the meeting
the following Monday, January 20, during the 9:35 period to express his disappointment in the senior class. Students were asked to separate themselves into three groups: students who attended SPEAK, students who did not, and the students who had a hand in organizing the day. Seniors were then asked to reflect on this visual. “Students worked incredibly hard to develop and lead this program committing time well after school for months and by the seniors not showing up, they, maybe unintentionally, signaled to the group that they didn’t care,” said Bogue. His disappointment was ex-
acerbated by the fact that seniors are the “natural leaders of the campus.” Of the 51 absent students, Bogue said he suspects a minority did not attend SPEAK because of legitimate plans but most students thought it was a non-academic day and opted for a long week-
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“Students worked incredibly hard to develop and lead this program committing time well after school for months and by the seniors not showing up, they, maybe unintentionally, signaled to the group that they didn’t care” - Peter Bogue Head of Upper School
end instead of attending the diversity awareness day. Reed Margolis, ‘17 and SPEAK organizer, said, “I believe that a majority of the seniors did not attend because they wanted to take a ‘non-academic half day’ off. They felt like their high school career is almost over; therefore, they feel like their attendance is not needed.”
“The whole point of SPEAK is to raise awareness about diversity and inclusivity issues. If the only people who show up are the people who are already aware, then SPEAK is not serving its purpose. We missed the target audience,” Margolis added. Seniors who were not present missed NC State Professor Rupert Nacost, the opening speaker, 6 student led workshops, and closing performances by a Ravenscroft student and the spoken word group Sacrificial Poets. SPEAK is one of a few student led programs to be a part of Ravenscroft’s board initiated strategic plan to create a more “culturally aware and inclusive community,” said Bogue.