Minutes

ODAAC Meeting

May 21, 2007

 

 

Members in attendance:  Mike, DeVito,Gary Lindgren, Jayne Percy, Amy Wargo

Staff:  Joan Kreiger, Coordinator

 

Meeting called to order at 7:35 pm by Joan Kreiger, Coordinator.

 

April minutes emailed last month.  No corrections or objections.

 

Correspondence:  Joan read letters of resignation from Louise Weaver and Michelle Colaccio.  Committee members thank them for their service and wish them well in their personal endeavors.  Joan will send Louise a recognition gift.

 

Focus reports: 

Student Outreach:  no report

Community Education on Tobacco:  Joan announced an upcoming workshop on Teen Tobacco Cessation offered by the DPH Institute for Tobacco Education and Training, scheduled for June 6, 2007 1:30 pm -3:45 pm in Newington, CT.  The event is free, but limited to the first 100 registrants.  Joan will forward information to Roni Puleo, school nurse at Amity High School who is active in teen smoking cessation program.

 

Publicity:  Joan indicated that the upcoming ODAAC meetings are listed on the ODAAC webpage of the Town of Orange website. The Committee agreed that minutes should be posted there as well, beginning with this month’s meeting.

 

Underage Drinking Task Force:  Gary reported that the junior prom was incident-free, and the Breathalyzers have been used effectively and consistently.  All students are checked with the Breathalyzer.  The senior prom is scheduled for June at the Omni Hotel.  Students will be checked with Breathalyzer. 

 

Area reports:

Chairman:  absent

DARE/SRO:  absent

School Nurses:  Amy reports that the American Lung Association Breath Express will make stops at Racebrook and Peck Place Schools in May.  Students will be educated about the dangers of smoking, and will have an opportunity to board the bus for hands-on and interactive presentations.  Amy also reported that Turkey Hill School Principal, Colleen Murray, and her son Austin, made compelling presentations to the 6th graders about the importance of wearing bike helmets.  Bikes and helmets were raffled off to students who were encouraged to write a letter to someone they know who doesn’t wear a helmet. 

 

PTA rep:  Joan reported that she made a presentation to the Amity High School PTA on April 19 .  She offered the services and resources of ODAAC to any class or group who would be interested in a presentation.  Joan has been contacted by a few groups to set up presentations.  She also will be a guest speaker in a marketing class, to discuss the way alcohol companies target underage drinking through their marketing strategies.    As always, any youth or adult group is encouraged to contact Joan to make a presentation to their group.

 

Youth Services rep:  Jayne reported that the Woodbridge Youth Services Advisory Board agreed to send a letter of support to the Woodbridge Board of Selectmen, supporting the reinstitution of a full-time school resource officer (SRO) to the high school. 

Additionally, Jayne reported on a collaborative event with 10 SADD high school students and 10 students from Gary’s support group for a field trip to the Adam Kreiger Ropes Challenge Course at Hopkins School in New Haven.  The day long event was a successful exercise in trust, challenge and cooperation. 

 

SCCRAC:  Joan reported that DMHAS 06-07 grant dollars are available for expenditures though June 30, 2007.  Groups are asked to have their receipts to Joan by the end of the fiscal year.  Joan has recently purchased new tobacco and alcohol supplies.  See Joan if you have a specific need or “wish list.”

 

Coordinator’s Report:  The group discussed possible recruitment efforts for new members, as attendance tends to wax and wane, in addition to the 2 resignations this month.  Ideas were:  publish a story in the local papers, with all the meeting dates listed, asking for interested parties to contact the committee; send flyers home in the backpacks of elementary students, with the hopes of attracting members who are vested long-term; keep things status quo, as the small group works well. 

 

Old Business:  Joan reported that she attended an Amity Board of Ed meeting on May 14 and again, stated ODAAC’s position in favor of re-instating the full-time SRO position at the high school.  Before she could hear Dr. Brady’s report on school safety, later in the meeting, she left with the hopes of attending the Orange Town Meeting, to also go on the record, with the same message.  Joan missed the Orange Town meeting by just moments, but has spoken with Jim Zeoli and Ray Stuart (Woodbridge Deputy Police Chief) who will spearhead the efforts at this point, to work with Dr. Brady, the towns’ Boards of Finance to support the SRO position.  Joan received an email from Dr. Brady clarifying the ABOE’s position on the SRO to be that they do not object to the SRO, but do not want it funded from the ABOE budget, but rather, from the towns’ line item budget.

Additionally, Joan has been contacted by The Bulletin regarding an article on school resource officers.

 

New Business:  none

 

Next meeting:  Monday, June 18, 2007 7:30 pm.  (see website for 07-08 meeting dates)