Red+Ribbon+Week,+October+22-26,+2012

=__2012-13 Red Ribbon Week: __=  Red Ribbon Week will be from October 22-26, 2012. Red Ribbon Week is a time for schools across the nation to honor Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena and other public officials who work to keep our country safe from the negative effects of illegal drugs and substance abuse. Agent Camarena lost his life in 1985 from members of a gang who were dealing with illegal drugs. Schools are given the task of educating students about healthy choices and the dangers involved with substance abuse, strengthen life skills and drug refusal techniques, and increase communication and social bonding to strengthen anti-drug-use attitudes and norms within our community.  The RRISD Guidance and Counseling Department, through a partnership with the Texas National Guard, will be providing red bracelets and red ribbons to each elementary school student in the district to be worn throughout the week.  During Red Ribbon Week this year at LME, we will be honoring our public officials for their service and demonstrating our commitment to making healthy choices with the following:

**__Dress-Up Theme Days __**

 * //Monday (10-22-12) //** -  Make A Difference Day Students can wear red to show their commitment to helping others be healthy and stay safe. Teachers will give each student red ribbons to be worn today to kick off Red Ribbon Week, and red bracelets to be worn throughout the week.

//**Tuesday (10-23-12) **// - Let’s Team Up Against Drugs Students can wear shirts or other apparel from their favorite team and continue to wear their red bracelet to demonstrate their understanding that together we can make better choices when we work as a team.


 * //Wednesday (10-24-12) //** - Hats for Health Students can wear hats and continue to wear their red bracelet to school to pledge that they will make healthy and good choices.


 * //Thursday (10-25-12) //** - Sock It to Drugs Students can wear crazy socks and continue to wear their red bracelet to show that they will walk away from unsafe or unhealthy situations.


 * //Friday (10-26-12) //** - Show your PRIDE by staying safe and being healthy! Students can wear a school shirt or school colors (red and white) and continue to wear their red bracelet to express our school's dedication to being a healthy and safe school!

**__<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other activities... __**
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Bulletin Board: "Healthy choices for healthy lifestyles" ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We will have a bulletin board highlighting healthy lifestyle choices and facts, and a Declaration of Healthy Habits (similar to the Declaration of Independence) that students can sign to proclaim their commitment to making healthy choices in their lives.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Daily Health and Safety Facts ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On our KPAW morning broadcast

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. **<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Class activities: ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Each teacher will be given a list of activities they can choose to do with their class that addresses healthy habits. Examples include writing prompts, such as "why I choose to say 'no' to using illegal drugs" or "healthy choices I will make for my life that will help me as I get older", math problems calculating the cost of healthy foods at the grocery store, and reading activities, like reading nutrition facts to obtain health information about them. Developmentally appropriate classroom guidance lessons on healthy choices, substance use & abuse, and drug refusal techniques will be given in grades 4 and 5 in November.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you all for your participation and support of Red Ribbon Week, and I hope you are able to use this week to have conversations with your children about safe and healthy choices, including drugs and alcohol for the older elementary students. Well wishes to you all for healthy lives and choices. **