Welcome to Mrs. Groody's Page

Hello! My name is Diane Groody and I am the “Student Assistance Specialist” in the Cashmere District. I work with students and parents on issues such as substance abuse, stress management, social skills, relationships and mental health concerns. Please call me if you have questions or need information about healthy child or teen development, or if you need support concerning your student.
I am available for appointments with parents or other concerned individuals at the high school on Mondays and Tuesdays. Please call me to arrange a meeting at 782-2914 or email dgroody@cashmere.wednet.edu.
Here are a few websites that give information on parenting teens:
www.TheAntiDrug.com	www.jointogether.org	www.imdrugfree.com	www.samhsa.gov

The Parent Chronicles, "Do you Speak Teen?" at
http://www.mediacampaign.org/parent_chronicles/index.html

Time to Act : "How to tell if your teen is using and taking action to intervene."

Tips for parents:

School can be stressful for your child. Here are some things you can do to help your student deal with his/her life:

-Emotionally connect with your child. Give your child extra attention and consideration. Keeping the lines of communication open and encouraging discussion is key. Be there to listen and share your own school experiences.

-Be alert to signs of stress. These signs may present as anxiety, aggressive behavior, stomachaches/headaches or a desire to stay home from school and other activities.

-Consult with teachers and staff. If you know your child is going through a hard time at school or has come into conflict with peers, make sure teachers and other school staff are in the loop.

Feelings don't need to be "fixed." Instead, focus on helping your child understand and deal with his/her experiences. If signs of stress don't seem to be subsiding after a few weeks, consider consulting a professional who has special experience working with youth.

Attention Parents:

The Washington Healthy Youth Survey indicates that youth start experimenting with smoking around 5th or 6th grade. A person
this age can get addicted to nicotine after only 3 cigarettes. Young smokers are 15 times more likely than non-smokers to use
illegal drugs.

The physical changes in the brain and body as a result of tobacco use make learning and concentration more difficult. Smokers
are more frequently absent from school due to colds and bronchitis. They do much worse academically. 32% of smokers
report doing no homework after school, as compared to only 8% of non-smokers.

Normal attention span for an adult is 8-14 minutes, For children it is 6-10 minutes, Attention span for a deprived tobacco user
is under 4 minutes!

Even if you are a tobacco user yourself, make clear rules and consequences for any tobacco use by your youth. Start letting
them know you disapprove of tobacco use when they are in elementary school.