Parent night 3/18 - social host liability & student survey results

March 18th date set for Social Host Liability,

Student Health Survey event for Parents

 Parents grades 4 to 12 asked to attend

7 pm Medfield High School Auditorium 

The respected “Be a Parent, Not a Pal,” social host/parental liability seminar is being paired with a presentation on the results of the most recent  MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey in an event starting at 7 p.m. March 18 in the High School auditorium. Medfield Cares About Prevention, MCAP, the event sponsor, is urging all parents of children ages 10-20 to attend.

The health survey measured a broad range of wellness, mental health, substance use and other behavioral topics for students across the region. 1,450 Medfield public school students currently in grades 7-12 completed the survey and key findings from those results are broken out for the March presentation.

The social host liability portion will feature Jay Campbell, presenting the multi-media program for parents called "Be a Parent, Not a Pal," explaining the Massachusetts Social Host Law. The program explores the legal implications and potentially devastating physical and financial consequences of allowing those under the age of 21 to possess alcoholic beverages or drink in your home. The presentation features past examples of those hurt in underage drinking incidents as well as of hosts prosecuted under the Social Host Law – examples of what has happened to good kids and well-intentioned parents who made bad decisions.

While the vast majority of students reported feeling safe in Medfield schools and having adults in their lives they can talk to about important things, many reported feelings of sadness and great stress. Too many reported attempting to manage feelings of hopelessness or anxiety in harmful ways. Bullying continues to be an issue, with one-in-four reporting being bullied within the previous 12 months, despite efforts by the schools to address bullying at all levels.

Although the majority of students indicated they had not used alcohol or marijuana in

the 30 days prior to the survey, there was a concerning level of high-risk, binge drinking reported among those who had. The reported ease of access to alcohol and marijuana for our teenagers was also concerning, and something that should be of great interest to parents.

 Hear more about what students have to say and learn how as the adults in their

lives we must help them learn the skills to navigate these eventful years. Please join Medfield parents, elected officials, business owners, clergy, Parks and Rec members, school administrators, our Chief of Police, youth outreach workers, and representatives from Norfolk DA Michael W. Morrissey’s office for this important event.

For more information about MCAP and Jay Campbell, visit their websites at

www.medfieldcares.org  and www.jaycampbell.net.