The Prevention and Wellness Services (PAWS) Council is a community-school effort to encourage students to engage in a healthy lifestyle, thus avoiding risk behaviors. Membership includes the police, school, human services, county health, parents, church representatives, and, of course, students.
PAWS plans and coordinates after-school and weekend activities and other initiatives and programs. Examples include weekend and evening recreation opportunities for students and parents, Explorer’s Club for our fourth and fifth grade students who do special activities on early release days, parent education programs, various after-school clubs and activities, a high school peer drama group called STAND TALL, a fifth grade AODA curriculum presented by the local police, drug dog searches and a police liaison, character education programs at the elementary schools, a social norms campaign at the middle and high schools, Project Graduation, citizenship opportunities in the community, community forums and a health fair.
Also, PAWS is involved with a variety of Jefferson County organizations aimed at youth. For example, PAWS is an active member of Jefferson County Connections, the Jefferson County ATODA Partnership Council, and the Jefferson County Wraparound Project.
PAWS is now also very involved in our PBIS efforts in all of our buildings. In March of 2011, the district received the “Standing Up for Rural Communities” Award from the Department of Public Instruction for their work with PAWS.
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