To the Faculty and Staff:
We are beginning a new school year and the second year of the ISSL Social Norms Project. As many of you know the goal of this project is to reduce teen alcohol use and increase student safety. The results from Year One are promising, with the notable exception of the seniors, many schools are seeing modest reductions in alcohol use and drinking and driving. Because the seniors have graduated and the remaining students will have had two full years of exposure to the project, we expect even greater positive impact at the end of this school year.
The role of faculty and staff in this project is critical. Our student survey indicates that the faculty and staff are a very believable source for information about alcohol. What you say to students can reinforce or seriously undermine the positive impact of the social norm messages.
A sample of ISSL faculty/staff was conducted each of the last two years. A comparison of the faculty/staff responses from 2005 compared to 2006 show
1 - Faculty/Staff overestimation of student drinking has declined
| Perceived 30 Day Student Use by ISSL Faculty/Staff |
| Percent of ISSL Faculty/Staff Who Perceive Typical Alcohol Use |
2005 |
2006 |
Direction |
| |
88% |
85% |
 |
2 - Faculty/Staff use of “true norm” statements about student drinking has increased.
| Percentage of ISSL Faculty/Staff Who Use True Norm Statements |
2005 |
2006 |
Direction |
| “Most high school students do not regularly drink alcohol.” |
23% |
34% |
 |
| “Almost every student at your school drinks soda, juice, or water rather than alcohol at social events.” |
15% |
19% |
|
3 - Faculty/Staff use of “false norm” statements about student drinking has decreased.
| Percentage of ISSL Faculty/Staff Who Use False Norm Statements |
2005 |
2006 |
Direction |
| “Most of the students at our school drink alcohol at weekend parties.” |
25% |
20% |
|
“Many of the students at our school drink alcohol and end up getting into trouble.” |
16% |
14% |
|
Congratulations! Please continue talking to your students about your expectations regarding their alcohol use and the true norms of the students attending your school. Throughout the 2006-2007 school year, posters will again be placed in school and cards mailed home describing the positive norms that coincide with reduced alcohol use, fewer DUI, and increased student safety. Messages like these, personalized for each participating school, will appear on the media:
- Chaminade students do not pressure students to drink.
- For Nerinx students, going out is not about alcohol.
- Westminster students do not typically drink when hanging out with friends.
- Four out of five MICDS do not drink and drive.
- Burroughs students do not let alcohol interfere with their academics.
- CDS students make their own choices to avoid alcohol use.
- Villa students respect students who choose not to drink.
- Priory students do not need to drink to have a good time.
- At Visitation, students have many ways to avoid drinking at a party.
- Riding in a car with someone who has been drinking is not cool for TJ students.
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