Nakamura

LAHAINA — Summertime is here today…

Aloha, parents. I realize school is out on summer break. However, there is GOOD NEWS to report to you all. I couldn’t wait until everyone returned for the new school year.

LIS went through our Self-Study in February of this year. A visiting committee came out to confirm the findings in our Self-Study Report. Well, the results of our hard work are in. I received a letter from the Western Accrediting Commission for Schools (WASC) last Friday. WASC granted Lahaina Intermediate School a six-year term of accreditation with a midterm review. This term will expire on June 30, 2017!

I want to take this time to congratulate our school staff, students, SCC and PTSA for the hard work that went into the Self-Study. We thank the SCC and PTSA for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be present at the visiting committee’s interviews. Thank you, everyone. CONGRATULATIONS!

Parents, May’s parent message stated, “Be safe…” During the summer break, your children have a lot of free time. I would like to share with you a dangerous trend that is hitting many of our adolescents and older teens.

There was a very informative article in the December 2010 issue of Aloha Care that is worth revisiting. The title of the article was, “Is Your Teen Using Your Drugs?” The article starts off with, “New Dealer On The Block: Your Medicine Cabinet.”

The term “Pharm Party” refers to teens sharing prescription drugs with each other by pouring their pills from your medicine cabinets into a large party bowl. The content of this bowl is referred to as “trail mix.” Many teens think it is okay to take these pills because a doctor prescribed them. They don’t realize the hidden danger of combining the chemicals of pills as they take their turn, popping pills from the party bowl.

There may be a delay in feeling the effects of certain prescriptions. The delayed chemical reaction may have teens thinking that they need to try another pill from the bowl, not realizing that they are further endangering their safety. This party game has the potential of serious injury or death. By the time someone stops breathing, it may be too late.

What can you do to prevent an accidental death of a child? Talk to your child about drugs and peer pressure; pay attention to song lyrics and the content in movies in which drugs are glamorized; oversee your child’s activity on social networks such as Facebook; get rid of all prescription drugs no longer needed; check your child for any unusual behavior and seek advice from your family doctor; and finally, check your child’s bags.

Many parents feel they are invading their children’s privacy by checking their bags. I believe that privacy goes only so far as long as your child is a minor. While they are minors, YOU are responsible for them and their actions. You have the right to check. Exercise your rights. If you do find pills in your child’s bag and they don’t belong to him/her, call the Parent Line for parental support at 1-800-816-1222 Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Parents, enjoy the summer with your children and, really, BE SAFE. IMUA!