Dear Parents:
The Putnam Communities That Care (CTC) Coalition is conducting the Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) Survey on beginning April 27. Your child’s class had been selected to participate in this survey. The PNA survey measures alcohol, tobacco, and drug use; the factors that place students at risk for problem behaviors; and the factors that protect students from problem behaviors.
The purpose of the study is to gather the information needed to plan important prevention and intervention programs to combat such problems as alcohol and other drug use and violence in our schools and communities. It will also help us judge the effectiveness of our current prevention and intervention efforts. We can provide a copy of the survey instrument if you would like to review it.
The survey is entirely anonymous. Students will not put their names or any other identifying information on the survey booklet. All results from the study will be presented only in group summary form, like many opinion polls.
Additionally, your child’s participation in the survey is completely voluntary. Each child will be given the option of leaving blank any question that he or she prefers not to answer. You may decline to have your child participate, if you wish. If you do decline, your son or daughter will be allowed to read or participate in some other alternative activity while his or her classmates are taking the survey.
The survey is being conducted under contract with Bach Harrison L.L.C., 116 S 500 E, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102, a nationally known research firm. If you have any questions regarding the study, please contact Bruce Kelly of the Putnam County CTC Coalition at 845-225-4646 ext. 13 or Jacob Trumbo with Bach Harrison L.L.C. at 801-359-2064, ext 112.
Please let me know in writing by April 27, only if you do not wish your son or daughter to participate in the study. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions about this important study.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frances Wills
Superintendent of Schools