Dear LHS Parent/Family,
This year LHS staff are working to teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. This is part of the district’s ongoing effort to have one another’s back by looking out for one another. Logan High School partners with Nationwide Children’s Hospital using a program called SOS Signs of Suicide to teach students about this difficult topic and encourages them to seek help when needed. These class presentations will be completed in 9th grade World History classes at Logan High School during the months of October and/or December and will be led by a LHS counselor and teacher.
SOS has been used by thousands of schools for over 20 years. Studies have shown that it effectively teaches students about depression and suicide while reducing the number of students’ self-reported suicide attempts.
Through the program, students learn:
that depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help
how to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend
who they can turn to at school for help
In World History classes, 9th grade students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video, students will complete a brief depression screening form. This form cannot provide a diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should seek help from a mental health professional.
At the end of their World History class, 9th grade students will complete an exit slip which asks whether they would like to talk to an adult about any concerns. School support staff will conduct brief meetings with any student asking to talk.
We encourage you to visit www.mindwise.org/parents for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn. A one-page Youth Suicide Prevention handout from SOS is also linked/attached.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in this program, please contact a LHS principal or school counselor..
LHS Principals:
Chad Grow cgrow@lhsd.k12.oh.us
Eli Hacker ehacker@lhsd.k12.oh.us
Andy Rice arice@lhsd.k12.oh.us
Zach Spriggs zspriggs@lhsd.k12.oh.us
LHS Counselors:
Jane Hall janehall@lhsd.k12.oh.us
Michele Schein mschein@lhsd.k12.oh.us
Herb Hufford hhufford@lhsd.k12.oh.us
Sincerely,
Logan High School Administration