Dear Fifth Grade Parents:

I do not have to tell you of the pressures that confront our children each day regarding drug and alcohol abuse. They hear and read about it everywhere and unfortunately it has become an ever-growing presence for all of us.

We are delighted to be able to offer our fifth grade class the opportunity to participate in the D.A.R.E. program beginning on Tuesday, September 15, 1998. A program with a national reputation for excellence, D.A.R.E. attempts to help our children deal with the social pressures they increasingly feel as they grow up. It deals with issues such as safety, drug and alcohol use and self-esteem. The program gives children the tools and information they need "to build the willpower and belief in themselves that they will need to stay on track."

The students meet on Tuesdays from 8:30-9:15 in their classroom with Officer Mayor from the Warwick Police Department and Mrs. Goldstein. The program will last for approximately 17 weeks.

The D.A.R.E. program has been included in out Grade 5 Health and Safety curriculum for several years. We feel it provides our students with valuable information as well as self-confidence. It has proven to be a valuable experience for our students.