During the Catasauqua Communities That Care meeting Feb. 18, Shelley Keffer, Catasauqua Area School District coordinator of student services, said she and Jen Staib, Center for Humanistic Change mentor, have been having conversations about the safety concerns and dangers of social media usage among youth. Keffer noted the popular site Roblox was a focus of their conversation.

It was noted Roblox has been involved in a number of alleged safety incidents involving children being contacted by potentially threatening adults. Additionally, prolonged social media usage has been shown to have an adverse affect on child development.

Keffer and Staib discussed the possibility of holding a parent education event with informational sessions. These sessions could include information about social media, mental health, drugs, etc.

The coalition members agreed social media and online dangers are important topics of discussion, which many parents could benefit from learning more about, particularly how to implement the proper safeguards. They also noted the importance of reaching the parents early, particularly at the elementary-school level, so they can be on top of things as their children start exploring more of the internet.

It was noted the informational fair should also include childcare services and refreshments to alleviate these concerns for parents. Additionally, it was noted having portions of the event recorded for families who could not attend would be beneficial.

There was discussion about where to find the keynote speakers for each of the educational sessions and how the group could fund the event.

Leanne Debrosse, with Valley Youth House, noted VYH is offering a similar program this year regarding youth and technology.

Amy Dymond-Jones, Catasauqua Middle School counselor and CTC coordinator, reported vaping presentations have been scheduled for students in grades 6-8. Tara Roseman, Catasauqua High School counselor, said she will gauge interest in similar presentations at the high school.

Dymond-Jones also reported the SAVE Promise Club and STARS Club combined for an antidestructive decision event Feb. 11. This gathering brought together CMS and CHS students, who worked together to make posters and have conversations about making good decisions. Dymond-Jones noted it was a successful event.

Another successful event, according to Dymond-Jones, was the recent Coffee with Counselors event at CMS. She noted a handful of parents came out to chat with her and the other counselor, Stacey Carpenter, as well as Staib. She said they had really good conversation and shared some resources with the parents.

With regard to enhancing students’ mental health, Dymond-Jones reported Salisbury Behavioral Health/RHA is getting through its waitlist with the additional staff added. It was also reported other resources include Treatment Trends, Preventative Measures, Holcom, Kids Peace and Thrive Works.

Dymond-Jones noted the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is officially underway in the district. The Bigs had a kickoff event Feb. 12, and the first match day was Feb. 19. She noted there are currently seven pairs for this inaugural year for the program in CASD.

Additionally, she said, the Girls on the Run program is being implemented at Sheckler Elementary School.

Lois Reed, Catasauqua Community Cares Program coordinator, reported they are sending out 115 student backpacks every week. She noted there was a lot of four-day weekends in January and February, so they are working to restock for the upcoming Easter break.

It was noted the distribution of valentine cards for students to give out to their peers was a success, and they are already buying cards for next year.

Pastor Brian Riedy, of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church, said he has been in contact with Union Lutheran Church, Schnecksville, and they are interested in helping provide Easter baskets for the CASD students.

There was discussion about Linton’s Closet at CMS. The initiative started with just a few shoes or clothing items in case a student needed something during the day. It was noted the closet has grown to include more spare clothing, socks and shoes for staff to share with students on an as-needed basis.

Julie Miller, of Clean Organize Repeat, has been helping clean out the space and maximize the efficiency of the space. She noted there is more potential for the space and asked if the other district schools have similar initiatives. It was reported the nurse at Sheckler usually has some clothing items, and CHS has the Catty Closet, which is primarily nicer clothes for students who need them for job interviews and similar meetings.

It was reported one of the biggest issues is finding storage space within the district.

Coalition members also discussed the possibility of having more clothing drives and opening the spaces up to students to try and reach as many as possible to make sure the items are getting out where needed.

The CTC members were pleased to have a few new faces attend the meeting, primarily Kim Flueso, K-12 career connections coordinator, with Lucy, CASD therapy dog. The mood in the room instantly lifted as Lucy made her way around the room to introduce herself to the rest of the coalition.

The next Catasauqua CTC meeting is set for 7:45 a.m. March 18 in the district administration board room, 201 N. 14th St.