Not only do school counselors support students in achieving academic and career success, but they also play a critical role in prevention education and in helping students socially and emotionally.

Conversations matter and connections matter. We gathered the following three tips to empower you to connect with the school counselor or support staff at your child’s school to foster a home-school connection.

Talking to your kids about family values, expectations, and being mindful and balanced before, during, and even after holiday events are both important and valuable.

Prevention education is a collective effort during Red Ribbon Week and beyond. Continued conversations with parents, educators, and counselors help kids say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking.

It’s time to welcome students back to school! These are exciting times! A new school year is a FRESH START for everyone, but especially kids—a blank slate to define who they are and to set goals for this new chapter. Some kids may be making the transition from elementary to middle, which can be a big step. All kids will be making new friends and connecting with peers they haven’t seen all summer, allowing for new experiences, opportunities, and choices.

April is Alcohol Responsibility Month, which is the perfect time to talk with kids about saying “NO” to underage drinking. As we settle into spring, these conversations have never been more important—and they are working! Underage drinking rates are at historically low levels. And together, we hope to keep them moving in the right direction.

This week is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, and next Friday marks the beginning of Alcohol Responsibility Month. Now is the perfect time to start and continue conversations with kids about alcohol and the negative effects of underage drinking on their developing brains using Ask, Listen, Learn resources, of course!

In response to requests from educators, these new online assessments enable you to measure your students’ knowledge before and after engaging with the Ask, Listen, Learn program by having students complete a pre-test and a post-test.

Check out the resources below that you can use with your students to encourage them to say YES to a healthy lifestyle and NO to underage drinking.

One essential partner in schools that can tie these efforts together is school administrators. These educators are such an important part of establishing a school culture that fosters development. So from all of us to you: THANK YOU, PRINCIPALS.