June 19, 2009

Barrington 220 enlists feedback, creates task force to stem teen suicide and related concerns
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Spurred by recent tragedies, the Barrington 220 School District will accelerate its longstanding efforts to thwart suicide and substance abuse among adolescent students. This summer, a task force of nearly 60 parents, area leaders, health and religious organizations as well as staff and administrators are busy developing action plans for a series of public programs to address teen suicide and related social-emotional issues.

These new community-wide initiatives based on national and regional best practices will launch in early September. Click here or at the right to hear a brief podcast conversation with Superintendent of Schools Tom Leonard about this important work.

Parents and residents can also submit their suggestions, concerns or questions about this topic to icare@cusd220.org. Although the anticipated volume of e-mail messages to this address will preclude a reply to each person, all remarks will remain unedited and will be reviewed in their entirety by members of the task force.

Until June 30, the school district is also assisting the Healthier Barrington initiative in gathering community responses to a simple survey that will evaluate and guide development of these new programs. Parents can follow this link to a concise and easy online survey. Participants can complete the survey anonymously, with all responses to be objectively reported later this summer.