Issue 3
March 2009

Issue 4
March 2009

Creating Lasting Family Connections

This program is free of charge, but will require an investment of time and energy on the part of parents and youth.  There are three training modules for youth and three training modules for parents that total ten (10) hours of total training.  Each of these modules are independent of each other and can be taken in any order.  You may take one module or all three according to your families or your personal needs.  Listed below you will find a short description of each module:

• Developing Positive Parental Influences -   Participants can expect to develop a great awareness of chemical use, abuse, and dependency.  They will also review effective approaches to prevention, develop an understanding of intervention, referral procedures, and treatment options.  Participants examine personal and group feelings, attitudes regarding alcohol and drug issues, an in-depth look at the dynamics of chemical dependency, as well as, the effects on families, and effective prevention approaches.
   

• Raising Resilient Youth – helps parents in fostering and developing an effective family atmosphere that facilitates healthy relationships.  Participants examine effective parenting skills, practice communication and interaction skills including expressing feelings, listening, and non-judgmental acceptance of others.  Parents are also trained to develop effective methods for expressing clear expectations and consequences with their children.
   

• Getting Real – (Youth and Parent Components are conducted in separate conferences)   It promotes skills of self-awareness and mutual respect.  The module focuses on combining thoughts, feelings, and behavior in a way which leaders to powerful and meaningful message transmission.  It helps promote insights and experiences which help us to become great listeners to others who may be struggling with communication.  Role-play is used to help implement and practice skills being taught in the class.
   

• Developing Independence and Responsibility – Youth are asked to examine their current level of personal responsibility in their family life, with an eye toward developing personal independence and responsibility for adulthood.  Youth gain a deepened sense of fulfillment in their family life when they are treated with respect and expected to behave in a healthy, responsible and developmentally appropriate manner.
   

• Developing a Positive Response – Training is designed to encourage youth to examine their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skills regarding alcohol and drug issues.  This module focuses on helping young people become aware of their deepest wishes for their own personal health, their relationships with their peers and family members, and their yearning for success.  Youth will begin to build a foundation for increasing their skills in communication.

Positive Behavior Support

Sixty district staff (teachers, administration, support staff, etc.) will be trained in PBS to assist in developing comprehensive school conduct and discipline policies.  The goal is to create a single school culture regarding conduct behaviors and enhance consistent enforcement of those policies.  Students will be rewarded for positive behaviors with incentives.  Each building has developed their own motto and logo for this program.
 

Project Success

Project Success is a selective and indicated program designed to prevent and reduce substance use and abuse among high risk, multi-problem adolescents.   Project Success counselors use the following intervention strategies:  information dissemination, normative and prevention education, problem identification and referral, community based process and environmental approaches.  In addition, resistance and social competency skills, such as communication, decision making, stress and anger management, problem solving and resisting peer pressure are taught.  The counselors primarily work with adolescents individually and in small groups; conduct prevention/education discussions and programs, train school staff, coordinate the substance abuse services and policies of the school and refer and follow-up with students and families needing substance abuse treatment.  It links the school to the community’s continuum of care.
 

Holly Grishkevich
Ohio Licensed Social Worker
West Elementary

Hello, my name is Holly Grishkevich, and I am the Social Worker for West Elementary in the Buckeye Local School District.  I am really enjoying my experience in Adena.  The staff, students and the building have been wonderful.  This school has such a great environment to further the education for its students; I am glad to be a part of it.  I knew when I started college that I wanted to be a social worker.  I have always wanted to have a rewarding career of helping and empowering people.  This career has really helped me pursue my goal.  Also when I first graduated college, I was a substitute teacher  This experience helped me to realize that I definitely wanted to be a part of the school system.  I am thankful for this opportunity at West Elementary.

Janis Maderia
Ohio Licensed Professional Counselor
South Elementary

Many of you may already know me since I am a life-long resident of this area.  I graduated from Smithfield High School (a very long time ago).  My husband, Jim, graduated from Warren Consolidated High School.  We have been married for almost 43 years and have three children and five grandchildren.  Our three children graduated from South, Southwest, and Buckeye Local.  I’ve seen Buckeye go though many changes into what it is today.

I graduated from Ohio University in 1990 (after being married half my life) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.  In 1993, I graduated with a Master’s of Education in Guidance and Counseling degree.  I was licensed in 1994 as a Licensed Professional Counselor.

I taught classes and worked in various capacities at West Virginia Northern Community College for fifteen years; I also taught at Jefferson Community College.  Also, I have a private counseling business known as Beatitudes Counseling.

The Beatitudes Counseling office is in the annex building of Meadowbrook Church of God where I am an active member.  I lead a women’s discussion group once a month and also a children’s program on Wednesday evenings.

I love being at South Elementary.  I am here to help your child succeed in school, and learn skills that will benefit him/her throughout life.  If you have any questions or would like to speak with me, please call the school and we will schedule an appointment.

Bruce Pickens
Ohio Licensed Social Worker
North Elementary / North Middle

The purpose of this article is to introduce myself to you on a persona and professional basis.  As Bill Cosby once said, “I started out as a child.”  I grew up on our family owned dairy farm located in Northeastern Belmont County, in a community known as Scotch Ridge.  Our farm has been passed from generation to generation beginning over 200 years ago.

After graduating from Mt. Pleasant High School, I attended Ohio University where I received a bachelor degree majoring in Social Work.  Why Social Work, you might ask…growing up in a rural Appalachian environment, I was surrounded by families who were living in poverty, vulnerable and struggling to meet the basic needs of daily living.  I thought that with training in the social work field, I would be better equipped to help improve the lives of my friends and neighbors.  As a social worker, I would be free to work in many different areas including direct practice, community organization, administration, advocacy, education, policy development and implementation.  I could help people from all age groups, from various cultures, and from various ethnic backgrounds.  (Perfect!)

While I have informal experience working with children in church and summer camp settings, in my thirty plus years since college, I have had the opportunity to help a full range of persons including those struggling with addictions, the frail elderly, as well as troubled youth.  My most recent position was working as a contracted licensed social worker with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.  My primary role was to work closely with families and the court system in Ohio County to preserve family connections while at the same time maintaining the safety of the child and the safety of the community.

On a more personal note, I am a former foster parent and currently the proud father of a son and daughter.  My son works as the Executive Chef at Belmont Hills Country Club in St. Clairsville and my daughter has been working at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, D.C.  I love “county living” so I maintain my home in the middle of our family farm.

As an alumni and resident of Buckeye Local, I am ever excited by the opportunity to continue to strive to meet the ever growing needs of our community.

Anita Westling is a graduate of Buckeye South High School and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wheeling Jesuit College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.  Mrs. Westling is an Ohio Licensed Social Worker.  Mrs. Westling is currently the licensed social worker for both Northwest Elementary School and SouthWest Middle School.  Her professional experience includes providing direct client care to at-risk children and adolescents.  She completed an internship with a local rehabilitation center that provides specialized treatment and preschool services to children with disabilities.