Parents, guardians and other adults can receive valuable training on suicide prevention at an upcoming event presented by the South Whidbey School District at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17 in the South Whidbey High School Library.
For the past several years, the school district has been educating community members and students about this subject with the use of Forefront Suicide Prevention, a program developed by the University of Washington. According to 2012-2016 data on the program’s website, the rate of suicide in Island County was 17.8 per 100,000 people. Since 2017, South Whidbey High School has utilized the program’s teachings.
During the adults-only training on Oct. 17, people will hear about the five steps to save lives, known as the handy acronym LEARN: Look for signs, Empathize and listen, Ask about suicide, Remove the danger, Next steps.
“It’s just an awareness of what to look for if you’re having kids in crisis. We hear so much about the social emotional struggles of students,” said Paul Lagerstedt, the high school’s assistant principal and athletic director.
Lagerstedt, along with a group of other staff members including teachers, counselors and the school nurse, is part of a school Forefront committee. The committee works on creating a large comprehensive document consisting of crisis plans, how to apply the Forefront curriculum and how to handle communication about, and response to, suicide.
Rachelle Bennett, a special education teacher, is also on the Forefront committee. Along with Paula Ludtke, another teacher, she trains a handful of students every year to lead presentations for their peers about suicide prevention.
“They learn to look for signs and symptoms among their own peers, their friends,” Bennett said. “And the biggest piece is the next steps, how to get help for their friend that they’re concerned about.”
Parents and the student body are informed about the presentation before it happens. During the month of December, the trainers present to all advisory classes at the high school. Students can choose to opt out of the presentation if the material is too sensitive.
By attending the upcoming adult training on Oct. 17, parents can learn exactly what is being taught to students with the Forefront curriculum.
Those planning to attend can contact Emmy Atwood with any questions about the event. To RSVP, email eatwood@sw.wednet.edu or call 360-221-6808 extension 5420.
To learn more about the curriculum, visit intheforefront.org.
People struggling with thoughts of suicide can dial 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and receive free and confidential support. A crisis text line is also available at 741741. The Trevor Project, which focuses on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ+ youth, has a phone line that can be reached by calling 1-866-488-7386. The Trans Lifeline, which supports transgender people, can be reached at 1-877-565-8860.
