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I M I T I CHILE MEXICALI
AND NOW INDONESIA* '
THEY'RE ALL HAPPENING
UNDER W H O 'S
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Students evacuate a school as a drill for a natural disaster.
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Do I need a counselor?
We all have life stressors, especially in today's complex world. Balancing your
home, work, and spiritual life can be overwhelming.
Internal coping skills can get us through a crisis or change; however, we may not
have the resources to overcome in the most effective way.
Deciding if counseling is right for you can be a tough decision. It may initially
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Substance Abuse Education
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Making Our Schools Safe
Preparing for natural
disasters
S usan C astillo
Given the recent ca­
tastrophes in Haiti and
Chile, it is well worth not­
ing that April is Earth­
q u ak e and T su n am i
Awareness Month. The safety o f our stu­
dents and staff is paramount, and you should
know that public schools in Oregon are do­
ing everything they can to prepare our people
and buildings in the event o f a natural disas­
ter.
We all know that the Northwest is one o f
the most seismically active regions in the
world. So all our public schools are required,
at least twice a year, to instruct and drill
students on emergency procedures such as
"Drop, Cover, Hold."
The key to preparedness is practice, so
that kids can respond quickly and without
panicking when it really counts. In some o f
our coastal communities, schools also prac­
tice tsunami evacuation drills.
There is still much work to do to make sure
by
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Grief Counseling
Phobias
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Healing from Past Hurts
H o d g e C o m p re h e n s iv e C o u n s e lin g S e r v ic e
P ro v id in g cognitive b e h a v io ra l services fro m a B ib lical
p erspective w ith sound psychological prin cip les.
our school buildings are safe in the event o f
an earthquake.
The average Oregon school is 46 years
old, and while seismic upgrades have been
completed over the years, many buildings
are not as safe as they need to be.
In fact, a 2007 report from the Department
o f Oregon Geology and Mineral Industries
found that there are 274 public schools across
our state considered to be at highest risk in
the event o f an earthquake.
Earlier this year, Oregon took a step in the
right direction by distributing $7.5 million in
Seismic Rehabi litation Grants to a number o f
education and emergency services build­
ings, including 12 public school buildings
from Beaverton to Lakeview. Another $7.5
million will be granted in the second round o f
applications.
We continue to work toward a long-term
plan to ensure that our school buildings are
made safer.
To access more information and resources,
please visit the Oregon Departm ent o f
Education's "Quake-Safe Schools" webpage
at ode.state.or.us.
Susan Castillo is the Oregon Superinten­
dent o f Public Instruction.
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