Suicide Awareness Presentation for Parents

On February 21st at 6:00 pm, the public is invited to PHS to hear a presentation from Shandy Longcore, a presenter from Embracing Imperfection. In addition, PHS students will have the option to listen to the presentation the next day at school.

The nature of Mrs. Longcore's talk is sensitive but very worthwhile. she wil speak about suicide prevention and the power of one person making a difference. Research shows that talking about suicide does not cause it. In fact, having discussions and sharing knowledge of resources are important tools for prevention. Mrs. Longcore's message is not solely focused on the event itself; instead, she empowers students to take action, make healthy choices, talk to caring adults, and help each other through kindness and compassion. Immediately following the student assembly, support staff and counselors will be available to talk to students and help them process anything that may surface during the presentation.

You can learn more about Shandy Longcore and her work in suicide prevention by going to her website. https://embracingimperfections.org/

In a message sent to parents, Portland High School Principal Jamie DeWitt said, "While we feel that all students can benefit from the information that Mrs. Longcore has to provide, we also understand that the topic's sensitive nature may be too strong for some students. The PHS students are all invited to attend the assembly, but it is not required. Any student who doesn't wish to attend will remain in their class and attend their regular +1 hour as scheduled."

DeWitt added, "Thank you to the BIONIC group (Believe it or not I care) and Mr. Scheurer for working hard to bring this opportunity to PHS."