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X16 <br />READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOVEMBER 1, 1983 <br />Evaluation Report - Alcohol and Drug Education in Reading <br />Dr. Wells noted that while this was being called an evaluation report, it comes <br />under the general umbrella of the System's health education program. He added <br />that there are great problems in these areas in the country and that Reading does <br />not escape these problems. He said Reading's program has been under publicized, <br />but is rather unique. <br />Dr. Munnelly added that Reading piloted this program and it has received quite a <br />bit of recognition. He noted that there had been much help from "735•" In <br />introducing Ms. Janice Durham, Director of the Prevention Program at the Youth and <br />Family Resources, Inc, Dr. Munnelly said she had prepared her report to continued <br />updating the School Committee and would be glad to answer questions. (Youth and <br />Family Resources replaced "735`x•) <br />Ms. Durham spoke enthusiastically about the drug and alcohol prevention program, <br />which stresses peer leadership. Peer leaders are High School students who receive <br />nine hours of training and then, on a voluntary basis, instruct students in the lower <br />grades. She said the peer leaders can articulate what they have learned, state the <br />goals of the Program, and can distinguish between circumstances. She added that <br />half of the students expressed an interest in becoming peer educators. The Program <br />is now in its fifth year. <br />Mr. McDonald asked if this Program is part of the "Decisions" course. Dr. Munnelly <br />said it wasn't yet, but they were thinking about it. Mr. Lahood noted that it is <br />integrated into the seventh grade science program, and added that he was quite <br />pleased with the Program. <br />Mr. Allen raised the question of funding, saying that the School Committee, at a <br />future date, should discuss whether the program should be funded from the School <br />budget rather than the Board of Health budget. A general discussion of funding - <br />in Reading and other communities - followed. <br />Also discussed briefly were the resources available to students with problems and <br />the families of these students - both preventative and clinical. <br />Upon the conclusion of the discussion of the Report Chairman Coco thanked Ms.Durham <br />for her presentation. <br />Computer Literacy Plan - Preliminary Draft. <br />Dr. Wells noted that the Computer Literacy Plan distributed to the School Committee <br />was actually a preliminary, or progress, report and that specific recommendations <br />will come later. He said a large Committee, co- chaired by Mr. Lahood and Mr. <br />Papandreou, had been working for nearly a year on a long range, system -wide computer <br />education plan. He added that at the same time a group at the High School is <br />working on different aspects of attaining this goal. <br />Mr. Papandreou, first spokesman for the Computer Literacy Committee (CLC), said <br />that the membership had started at 14 and grown to 23, and was diverse in that <br />there are teachers from various levels and subject areas, as well as administrators. <br />He said the C1C had met with consultants, visited other school systems, and <br />initiated a pilot program, luying the groundwork, for the future. <br />