7th Grade Wellness Screening
September 23rd and 25th during Advisory
Contacts for Screening
School Psychologist
School Social Worker
School Counselor
Dates/Schedule Changes
Screening will take place during Advisory on September 23 & 25, 2024
Reference Materials
The SOS video and survey have already been used by other FCPS middle and high schools and have been used at Lake Braddock for several years. Parents are invited to review the materials by accessing the SOS Parent Portal at https://sossignsofsuicide.org/parent. This portal is designed to provide parents with information about suicide prevention efforts, view the SOS videos, and access educational materials which are helpful tools for supporting your child’s mental health wellness.
Opt Out
If you do NOT wish for your student to participate in the 7th grade presentation, please return the opt out form provided to your child on August 26th or complete this google form https://forms.gle/ZUejaUJtYvQmSpia7 no later than September 18, 2024.
Parent Letter
On Monday, August 26, 2024, all 7th grade students will receive a letter to bring home regarding a county-wide initiative to identify and help students who are struggling with depression and possible thoughts of suicide. On September 23 and 25, 2024 all 7th grade students will participate in a presentation and survey about signs of depression in their Advisory class.
The Signs of Suicide (SOS) program consists of an informational video that describes the Acknowledge-Care-Tell (ACT) message, a brief paper survey, and follow-up discussion with counselors and clinical staff (psychologists and social workers). Counselors and clinical staff will also meet individually with any students who score at risk for depression or suicide and notify those students’ parents.
Why is there a county-wide push for depression and suicide screening? According to the 2020-2021 Fairfax County Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 38.1% of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 experienced symptoms of depression in the past year. The rate of students considering suicide was 16.5%, while 6.3% reported they attempted suicide in the past year. In addition to events in recent years that have directly impacted communities within Fairfax County, we want to do our best to keep LBSS students from becoming part of these statistics.
The SOS video and survey have already been used by other FCPS middle and high schools and have been used at Lake Braddock for several years. Parents are invited to review the materials by accessing the SOS Parent Portal at https://sossignsofsuicide.org/parent. This portal is designed to provide parents with information about suicide prevention efforts, view the SOS videos, and access educational materials which are helpful tools for supporting your child’s mental health wellness.
If you do NOT wish for your student to participate in the 7th grade presentation, please return the opt out form provided to your child or complete this google form https://forms.gle/ZUejaUJtYvQmSpia7 no later than September 18, 2024.
Please contact Ms. Melissa Johnson, School Counselor at (703) 426-1049 if you have any questions.