Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal's web site, www.SLEEPinFairfax.org, provides information about the organization's efforts to get later start times at Fairfax County high schools and middle schools. The site contains information about the group and its mission, a fact sheet on adolescents and sleep, and a petition to sign for those supporting later start times at secondary schools.

SLEEP is a grassroots organization started by two Fairfax County parents concerned about the early start times of the county’s secondary schools. Years ago, a Fairfax County Public Schools Task Force studying school start times concluded that later start times would benefit adolescents. There is a large body of research which supports the Task Force’s finding, saying that teenagers’ natural sleep patterns make it difficult for them to go to sleep and wake up early. Currently, however, most county high schools begin at 7:20 am, and adolescents are often going to school sleep-deprived.

This matter touches all of our children. Learn as much as possible about it! SLEEP's web site is a great place to start.

Thanks to a grant awarded to our school, the threat of inhalant abuse will have a new focus. At our April PTA meeting, Frost Safety and Security expert Shannon Shaner gave us a timely overview of both the threat and the focus.

Inhalant abuse is the deliberate inhalation by "sniffing" or "huffing" fumes, vapors, or gases from common household and commercial products for the purpose of "getting high."
There are literally hundreds of products that can be abused -- and lots of them can cause brain damage and/or death.

Over 2.1 million kids, ages 12 - 17, have used an inhalant to get high, according to the Alliance for Consumer Education. It's a problem in our community. What can we parents do?

• Know the Primary Signs!
• Know the Less Obvious Signs!
• Know What to Do In an Emergency!

Lots more information is available. Please try to check it out!

• Inhalant Abuse: What You Should Know is an online class designed especially for parents. Check it out at the Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition's site.
• The Virginia Department of Health has a huge amount of information on many health-related topics! Here's the Department's information specifically on inhalant abuse.
• And please be sure to check out the wealth of information at the DC-based Alliance for Consumer Education's site, Inhalant.org.