WHS RISK SURVEY PROMPTS CURRICULUM REVIEW AT SCHOOL

HAMPTON - The results of the Winnacunnet High School Youth Risk
Behavior Survey have prompted school officials to look at the health
curriculum to see if they can do a better job teaching about the
dangers of drugs and alcohol.

The survey, which was taken last year by high school students,
reveals that 71 percent of students have tried alcohol, while 42.6
percent of students smoked marijuana.

It also reveals more students are sexually active, and 39.9 percent
of students had sex with more than one person in the last three months.

Athletic Department Director Carol Dozibrin, who oversees the health
program at the high school, said her department is reviewing the
results to see if it needs to make any changes to the curriculum.

"We need to sit down and look at those results of the survey as a
department and see how we can help our health classes," Dozibrin said.

Currently, the only students who have a mandatory health class are
sophomores, which satisfies the state requirement that all students
must complete a half credit in health education to graduate.

While the school offers other health programs, they are elective.

The curriculum for the mandatory class is based on the state
guidelines and includes lessons on nutrition, sexuality, drugs and
alcohol, mental health and good decision-making.

Dozibrin said one of the things they are looking at is adding a
health and wellness program for the freshman class.

Winnacunnet Principal Randy Zito said a health/wellness component to
the curriculum will be added that will be completely implemented in
Grades 9-12 by 2010.

Winnacunnet High School Director of Guidance Leslie Dolleman said
one of the first things they plan to do with the survey results is
show them to the other districts in SAU 21.

"This is not just a high school issue; it's a community issue,"
Dolleman said. "We all need to be looking at these results."

Dolleman said other schools should also be reviewing their health curriculums.

Mary Bubmis, of the Office of School Health Division in the state
Department of Education, said the state Board of Education created
health course guidelines, but unlike other subjects, the guidelines
are just recommendations. The only thing that is mandatory to be
taught by law is a lesson on sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

Bubmis said districts can pick and choose what to teach or ignore
the guidelines altogether. The result: Students might hear a lot of
information about sex, drugs and alcohol or none at all.

Hampton Academy Middle School Principal Fred Muscara said they just
started a health program for eighth-grade students last year. The
academy also has the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

Seabrook Middle School doesn't currently offer health but will next
year, according to Principal Stanley Shupe. He said the school will
start offering health classes for Grades 5-8 at that time.

"We are in a good position right now because the School Board just
approved a health teacher," Shupe said. "It is an extremely positive step."

And while Hampton and Seabrook are new to health programs, it has
always been a part of the Hampton Falls curriculum.

Lincoln Akerman School Principal Judith A. Deshaies said the school
follows the state standards and guidelines.

"All our kids, Grades 1-8, have health class once a week for half
the school year," Deshaies said.

When the health classes are over, students proceed to a life-skills
class taught by one of the guidance counselors.

Dolleman said sharing the survey results is just the beginning in
the conversation.

"We need to recognize this as a community issue," Dolleman said.
"Students are buying the alcohol somewhere. They are buying the
drugs somewhere. School is just where they go and talk about it. The
most that we can do is educate."