2000-03-09 City of Southlake, Texas
MEETING MINUTES
Drug and Alcohol Awareness Committee
Thursday, March 9, 2000
Members Present: Debra Edmondson (Co- Chairperson), Doug Strickland (Co- Chairperson), Rob Glover,
Jacky Brooks - Lawrence, Margaret Melton, Jo Ponder, and Karen Lyman
Members Absent: Gary Fawks, Brad Bartholomew, Sherri Brunson
Ex- Officio Members Present: J.T. Tipton (S.A.D.D. Representative)
Staff Present: Sean Leonard, Court Administrator, Dinah Chancellor- Math/Science Coordinator,
Shelli Siemer - Assistant to the City Manager, Gary Gregg, Police Chief, Vickie Hess -
Miller, Firefighter /Paramedic
Guests Present: Andra Barton, Carroll Elementary School Principal
Agenda Item No. 1. Call to Order
Debra Edmondson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m..
Agenda Item No. 2. Public Forum
There were no items presented by the public.
Agenda Item No. 3. Administrative Comments
There were no administrative comments.
Agenda Item No. 4. Approval of Minutes from theJanuary 11,2000 meeting
Doug Strickland made the motion to approve the minutes from the January 11, 2000 meeting. Jacky
Lawrence seconded the motion. The motion passed with Rob Glover abstaining from the vote.
Agenda Item No. 5. Consideration: Revision of Committee Bylaws
Debra Edmondson stated that this item was discussed back at the November meeting where the committee
suggested revising the Bylaws to amend the meeting schedule to eliminate regular meetings during the
months of June, July, and December. Rob Glover made the motion to approve the revised Bylaws, and
Doug Strickland seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item No. 6. Discussion: Report on status of Every 15 Minutes program
Vickie Hess - Miller reported on the status of the Every 15 Minutes program and she passed out draft
schedules of the two -day event. She has been obtaining materials including, the grim reaper costume, and
a moulage kit. Vickie reviewed the schedule and stated that it allows for the students selected as the
living dead to be added to the schedule with their names and room numbers. Jacky Lawrence asked about
the grade levels for the thirty participants because she believes freshmen and sophomores should be
included in the living dead group. Vickie explained that the emphasis will be on the junior and seniors
because it is a two -year program and the freshmen and sophomores will be involved in the program when
it is completed again in two years. The freshmen and sophomores will be included in student assemblies
to view the crash and the final assembly on the second day. J.T. asked when the 30 volunteers for the
living dead would be notified of their involvement in the program. The volunteers will be selected on
March 30.
Drug & Alcohol Awareness Comm.
Meeting Minutes 3/9/00
Page 2
Jacky Brooks Lawrence asked about how to communicate to the public about this item. There has been
communication to the parents and there will be a meeting for the parents of the living dead students.
Dinah Chancellor reported that there is information on the Every 15 Minutes in the district highlights, on
the web -site, and the PTO newsletter. Rob Glover indicated the need to provide an additional mailing to
the parents. Debra Edmondson thanked Vickie for her hard work on the program.
Agenda Item No. 7. Discussion: Report on meeting with Belita Nelson, Starfish Foundation
Doug Strickland, Rob Glover and Debra Edmondson met with Belita Nelson, founder of the Starfish
foundation. The Starfish Foundation is a non - profit corporation founded by a group of parents, teachers
and students in Plano, Texas in an attempt to fight teenage substance abuse. She speaks around the
country and is the host of a radio program on KRLD at 7:00 p.m. on Sundays. She has personal
experiences with her son who was a senior in high school and a great student who became hooked on
heroin after one incident and is now recovering. Debra Edmondson suggested that we plan a forum in the
fall with Belita Nelson as the speaker. She would conduct the program with students during the day and
parents in the evening. Her program will draw an audience to the forum. The City and CISD budgeted
funds for the committee, which should cover her $1000 speaking fee for the program. Debra Edmondson
would like to see a sub - committee formed to put the program together. Rob Glover said we need to get a
date as soon as possible. Shelli and Dinah will work with Julie on setting a date.
The committee discussed the need to expand activities for the next year. Debra Edmondson suggested the
idea of hosting a round table discussion with the police department to hear what is going on in the
community. Rob Glover suggested including the counselors in the round table discussion and Jo Ponder
suggested inviting the ministers and their staff to the meeting. A special invitation will go out to members
in the community to attend the round table discussion including counselors, resource officers, DARE
officers, PTO Presidents, and ministers and their staff. The discussion will be held during next month's
meeting, which will help develop an action plan to focus on new goals and objectives. Having a map at
the meeting with identification of the location of the heroin related cases in the area would help.
Jacky Lawrence asked about distributing factual information to parents regarding current drug use among
the youth. Debra Edmondson suggested some general statistics over the last year to bring it to the round
table discussion. Gary Gregg will look at numbers.
Agenda Item No. 8. Discussion: Distribution of Information Cards on Alcoholic Beverage Laws for
Minors.
Debra Edmondson reported that it is time to distribute the information cards on the alcoholic beverage
laws for minors again. It can be done in connection with the Every 15 Minutes program. Jacky Lawrence
thinks it should be completed right before graduation and suggested to have it on Friday, May 12. The
committee agreed. Andra Barton volunteered the Carroll Elementary School volunteers to help distribute
the cards. It will be completed before noon. Gary Gregg will order additional cards.
Agenda Item No. 9. Discussion: Report on the appointment of a LCDC as an ex- officio member.
Doug Strickland introduced Andra Barton the Principal at Carroll Elementary School who is an LCDC
and will act as an ex- officio member to the committee. Andra explained her background to the
committee. She graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in psychology and human development with
Drug & Alcohol Awareness Comm.
Meeting Minutes 3/9/00
Page 3
minor in substance abuse studies. She obtained her LCDC (which requires 15 hours of course work and
then two years working as an intern) after working as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Waco. She went
back to school to get her education degree with the emphasis in school administration. It is very difficult
to find a combination of counselor and LCDC together. Andra would love to be a part of the committee.
Agenda Item No. 10. Discussion: Report on pursuing CISD Athletic Department involvement.
Doug Strickland reported that this idea surfaced with Bob Hamilton's idea to bring a professional athlete
to speak to the kids about substance abuse. Unfortunately Bob has resigned from the committee. The
committee agreed to wait on implementing this program because there are other programs being
implemented including the Every 15 Minutes program, the forum and the round table discussion.
Agenda Item No. 11. Discussion: Sub - Committee Reports
• CISD Curriculum sub - committee — Dinah Chancellor discussed the American Drug & Alcohol
Survey and how it is constructed. She passed out a sample of the survey instrument, and copies of the
"Sobering Facts" newsletter. The survey has repetitious questions that monitor truthful and untruthful
responses. This is the third year to administer the survey. An analysis of the survey results and
another "Sobering Facts" newsletter will be completed again this year. Dinah also distributed Region
XI newsletters, which are distributed to the elementary, middle, junior high and high schools, who in
turn, send them to parents.
• Parent/Networking sub - committee — Karen Lyman is resurrecting the sub - committee and is trying
to get two members per campus. The goal is to get an issue of the Parenting Newsletter out at the end
of April, which will become a quarterly publication. The newsletter will include information from
public safety, counselors, and other experts to explain what is going on in the community. The first
issue will highlight the Every 15 Minutes programs.
Agenda Item No. 12 Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Submitted by:
Shelli Siemer, City of Southlake
Approved:
01
ice...
Debra Edmon son,i o- Chairperson Doug Stric Sand, Co- Chairperson