Words from Our Students to Home Schools

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Words from Our Students to Home Schools
Point out if you believe a student is using and
try to talk to them about it. My Guidance
Counselor helped me the most at my home school.
I went under the radar for a long time. I
would use in school and on school property. It
wasnt pretty. There was one Social Worker who
helped me out when I got caught. Be open to
dealing with addiction. Maybe help them find
help (treatment, counseling, therapy, etc.).
Help support them and act upon rumors. Look into
it. My Social Worker who was educated in
recovery helped me the most at my home school.
They really talked to me when he caught me and he
acted correctly on that. The biggest
disservice to me at my home school was being
suspended and getting a sports suspension because
I shouldnt have had consequences for being
addicted. I want to tell my home school
that Im sorry for my behaviors, but it really
wasnt my fault. To best support us and treat us
is to listen to us and just love us and offer the
support. The biggest disservice to me at my
home school was enabling my not going to class or
coming to school, and not sending me work when I
was in treatment. Kids who are in active
addiction are hurt! They need help with school
and their home life. Tell them detox isnt bad
and recovery high schools are the best schools I
have ever been to. The School Officer
was the biggest disservice to me at my home
school. Being kicked out of my home school
was a disservice to me. Quick judgments and
being treated like a criminal was the biggest
disservice to me at my home school.
Discipline doesnt work when it comes to
addiction. I was high the whole time at my
home school. Teachers and counselors should
learn the signs of how to spot an actively using
student. No one understood what I was going
through at my home school. I would tell them
that suspending students and yelling at them
doesnt change them, it only gives them another
excuse to use drugs and alcohol. Dont get
mad at us, just try to help us and be
understanding. Being an addict doesnt mean
were bad people or any less people than sober
students. I struggled at my home school due to
my using and I thank all who helped me, reassure
students like us, me, that you are there to help
and eventually they will take it, slowly though.
I was declining physically, academically,
and I was doing many stupid things, and none of
the staff seemed to notice and/or care. Look
for the student(s) that are struggling the most.
Talk to them and support them, not discipline
them. Being ignored was the biggest
disservice to me.
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What Our Students Consider to be Their Biggest
Accomplishments Since Starting at Recovery High
School
Going back to school. Getting clean.
Staying motivated. Being sober. Going
into treatment willingly. Applying to
college. Having almost a year of continuous
sobriety. Being able to walk through fears.
Getting my license. Coaching basketball.
Getting a job. Getting my family back.
Being happy. Honor Roll. Finding good
people. Looking forward to the future. No
grade lower than a B. I care about my life.
Focus on life. On track for a diploma.
Increased self-esteem. Survival skills.
Being the student I shouldve always been.
Enlisted in the Army. A clear head.
Changing behavior. Noticing life. More
positive. Feel smarter and more hopeful.
Getting opportunities. Getting trust back.
Having a life.