Brief COVID Update
At Lynbrook, we had one positive case of COVID-19 this week. If you are traveling out of the area for vacation, we encourage staff and students to test before returning to school on Monday, April 25, 2022.
PTSA Nominations
According to studies, the number one factor in determining how well a child succeeds in high school is parental involvement and support. Participating in the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is one of the best ways to coordinate that support. If you have the time and energy to serve on the Lynbrook PTSA board, please email lynbrookhsptsa@gmail.com with the role you would like to volunteer for during the 2022-2023 school year.
Parents and students be aware
Recently, a Los Altos High School student died from potential fentanyl poisoning. The reason the term "fentanyl poisoning" is used is because a person may not know they are ingesting the synthetic opioid. Keith Humphrey's PHD research group "predicted that with no additional interventions, more than 1 million people will suffer opioid-related deaths by 2029. That death toll is roughly on par with the number of Americans who have died of COVID, but with nearly half the average age of death."
According to the DEA Drug Fact Sheet, fentanyl "is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin." That means very small amounts can be lethal.
Young people who experiment with drugs are putting themselves at great risk. "Because fentanyl is often mixed into other substances, many individuals consume it without meaning to, which can cause accidental overdoses or deaths. It's important to remember that any pill or drug sold on the internet, on the streets or by a person you know could contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl" (5 Things Everyone Should Know about Fentanyl, University of Colorado Boulder).
After hearing of the tragic loss of the student at Los Altos High School, two parents contacted me this week expressing their concern for teens. They understand that sometimes good kids can make bad choices. Lynbrook is not known to have a pervasive drug culture, but I expect that there are young people experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Because any recreational drug can be laced with fentanyl, a person can ingest the dangerous narcotic without knowing and die. I urge parents and students to educate themselves on the dangers of fentanyl and recreational drug use.
College Admissions Season
May 1 is the deadline for students to respond to acceptance letters. Choosing a college to attend is an important decision. How can a person make a good choice? I found an article by Martha O'Connell, the executive director of Colleges That Change Lives, on the NPR website that students may find helpful. Seniors, how you respond to the choices you have is what matters. Don't think about colleges that didn't choose you. It is their loss, because I know you are amazing.
Have a wonderful spring break,
GO VIKES!
Mrs. Jackson
Principal
follow me on Instagram @lynbrookvikes (help me get to 600 followers before June 1)
