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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Communities That Care committees continue to discuss goals

At the June 23 Whitehall-Coplay Communities That Care meeting, a small but mighty group of the coalition members forged ahead with discussing committee goals.

There was at least one member from each committee among the six-person contingent present. The three committees revolve around mental health and wellness, substance use prevention and low commitment to schools. Each committee has been working the last few months to set and refine short-term goals to address.

The substance use prevention committee wants to limit the increase in vaping reported in the next Pennsylvania Youth Survey data. School board President William Fonzone reported new proposed legislation targeting flavored vaping sales may help with this goal.

The low commitment to school committee will focus on getting students more involved in social activities and clubs. The committee is proposing distributing a survey to students as a first step to find out what activities would interest students.

Tyrone Fisher, of Big Brothers Big Sisters, noted the organization’s mentorship initiatives have an impact. He said 96% of students report feeling more socially accepted, 96% have increased interest in school and 98% report higher aspirations, according to BBBS quarterly surveys.

BBBS has a presence in the Whitehall-Coplay School District, and the organization is hoping to expand its reach to include the community as well.

There was discussion about the phrasing behind the mental health and wellness committee’s goal. The original wording involved reducing SAP referrals, but the concern was that less people will then be reaching out for help. Ideally, the number of students needing this extra assistance would drop, but the coalition wants the students and teachers to feel comfortable reaching out and making those referrals.

It was suggested exploring a new direction to address students feeling depressed or experiencing low self-esteem. It was noted the district has an Aevidum Club, which aims to combat depression, suicide and other mental health issues for youth.

The committee is considering changing its new goal to have increased membership in the club. It will be discussed further at the next meeting.

In other business, Fonzone reported the district is revamping its reading and math strategies in the younger grades. He is encouraged and excited to see the results of these changes.

Additionally, it was questioned if the CTC wants to have a presence at the annual Coplay Community Days festival. The coalition members also discussed the possibility of getting more informational yard signs and promotional materials made.

The next Whitehall-Coplay CTC meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 28.