Helpful Community Resources for you and your family

Courtesy of your PTA Parent Education Team

Common Sense Media

Website:  http://www.commonsensemedia.org

• Should my child really go see that movie?
• My kid is a texting expert, but I have no idea how it even works!
• Social networks, cell phones, video games: how much is too much?

Common Sense Media is here to help. This respected non-profit organization is an invaluable resource for parents and educators; Common Sense Media offers everything from reviews & ratings of movies & video games to info and helpful guidelines about videos, music, social networking, & much, much more. Common Sense Media is an Allied Agency of the California State PTA.

Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS)

Website:  http://www.acs-teens.org

• Is my child getting depressed and anxious?
• What's normal, and when is it time to get help?

For more than 30 years, Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) in Palo Alto has helped some 20,000 local teens and their families. In a collaborative partnership with other local resources and our schools, ACS provides potentially life-saving and life-enhancing services, including free student counseling at all our PAUSD middle and high schools, along with affordable assessment, treatment and education programs for teens and families, as well as a comprehensive substance abuse programs.

Palo Alto Drug and Alcohol Collaborative

Website:  http://www.padacc.org

• How do I Begin To Talk To My Child About Drugs and Alcohol?
• What's the reality about marijuana, alcohol and other drug usage by our young people in Palo Alto? What's really going on?

The respected Palo Alto Drug and Alcohol Collaborative is here to help teens and parents! www.padacc.org This broad-based community collaborative conducts extensive surveying of students at Palo Alto and Gunn High Schools and Jordan, Terman and JLS Middle Schools. Last year, in partnership with students and the parents, and the Palo Alto Unified School District, more than 5,000 of own Palo Alto middle school and high school students participated in PADACC's wide-ranging "social norms" survey, covering such important health issues as alcohol, marijuana and bullying. Read the complete results of the Palo Alto Drug and Alcohol Community Collaborative "Reality Check" survey at www.PADACC.org This non-profit group includes mental health experts, government leaders, counselors, educators, law enforcement, parents. youth, and many other concerned and dedicated community members.

Youth Community Service (YCS)

Website:  http://www.youthcommunityservice.org

• Service Learning? What's that?
• I'd like my child to learn more about helping others, but I'm not sure how to start.
• Our family would like to be of service to our community. Where do we begin?

Youth Community Service (YCS) is a wonderful family resource in Palo Alto. Through a wide range of opportunities, this wonderful non-profit works collaboratively with our schools and many agencies to give kids and families many unique experiences that are both fun and deeply meaningful. YCS is a great way to make friends, explore different life-experiences and make a positive difference, for your family and for others too!

Challenge Success

Website:  http://www.challengesuccess.org

• I feel like my child is overscheduled, overstressed and I don't know what to do?
• My child is feeling the pressure to succeed, and I'm feeling it too. With so much homework, it's hard to find a healthy balance. I feel like our family life, and even my child's well-being is sometimes being compromised
• This is not what I remember from my childhood, and not what I want for my child, but how can I change anything?

Challenge Success is here to help make positive changes for youth, schools, families and our society. This pioneering non-profit, based at Stanford University, is focused on changing our collective view of success for our youth, beyond just college admissions, GPAs and Advanced Placement Classes. Led by innovative co-founders Denise Clark Pope, Dr. Madeline Levine and Jim Lobdell, this research-based, multi-faceted program is helping schools and families across the U-S to work together collaboratively to help all children thrive. www.challengesuccess.org

Girls Leadership Institute (GLI)

Website:  http://www.girlsleadership.org

The Girls Leadership Institute inspires girls to be true to themselves. We teach the practices of emotional intelligence, assertive self-expression and healthy relationships, giving girls the skills and confidence to live as leaders. We work with girls, their families, and school communities through our camps, after-school programs and in-school resources.

Palo Alto PTA

Website:  http://www.info.paloaltopta.org

For many more regional parent education services, events and resources, please visit www.info.paloaltopta.org