South Windsor Alliance for Families (SWAFF)
Meeting Minutes – January 15, 2009
1. Call Meeting to Order: Meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Chairperson Clouser.
2. Roll Call:
Members Present:
PeggySue Clouser (Chairperson), Diego Florez, Tom Field, Amanda Gallugi (Vice Chairperson),
Becca Lazinsk, Joann Moriarty, Ryan Obedzinski, Jeff Prague, Karen Romejko, Roseanne Sapula,
Evan Tandy, and Sue Tandy
Members Absent:
Katie Benettieri, Sue Forcellina, Diane Gerber, Tracey Jandreau, Colleen Lyons, Betty MacDonald, Evelyn Marrero, Saagar Pandit, J.T. Samsel, Shaylyn Young
3. Discussion Items:
The Positive Perspectives in Youth & Police program has three more events. January 30 there will be a roundtable discussion with SWHS (South Windsor High School) students and police on underage drinking, binge drinking, drug use and making good choices. February’s program will be a social event to be held at the ice rink. The third program will be a roundtable discussion geared towards middle school students with the subject to be determined at a later date.
The SWHS SADD (Students against Destructive Decisions) will be participating in a program called Jeans for Teens where worn jeans are collected and then donated to homeless teens. An event is planned for May 22 at the Rotary Pavillion. It will be concert made up of music and instrumental groups from SWHS. There will also be videos and messages regarding PeaceJam and its programs.
The police are planning a checkpoint at SWHS in a February-March timeline as well as a sting operation for to ensure the businesses are not selling tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18.
March 16-23 is National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week. There will be public service announcements and handouts at SWHS and TEMS (Timothy Edwards Middle School) covering the use and risks of inhalant involvement.
The date for Smoking Prevention Week at TEMS has been changed to May 4-May 7. After some discussion on the possibility of expanding the program, it was decided to table any further plans until after the results of the Drug Free Communities Grant Student Survey have been released.
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) has adopted “keepin’ it REAL” (kiR) as the New D.A.R.E. junior high/middle school curriculum.
Ryan Obedzinski from ERASE (East of the River Action for Substance Abuse Elimination) and Joann Moriarty, who will be replacing Bonnie Smith also from ERASE will attend the CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) national conference February 9-12 in Maryland. They will attend results-driven workshops, plenary sessions and special events.
The ERASE Student Use Survey report was distributed to SWAFF members for their review only. Sarah Copeland, Research Analyst from ERASE will attend the next SWAFF meeting to discuss the results of the survey to members. This information will then be made public on a date to be decided by the board of education in a forum to the community which will include teachers, students, parents and the media. ERASE will assist in this forum and SWAFF will be the presenting group.
4. Adjournment:
A Motion to adjourn was made at 7:15 p.m. It was seconded and carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy A. Aborn
Recording Secretary
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