OPERATION OF D.A.R.E. PROGRAM

Elementary portion consists of two sections.  The core lessons, given to the fifth grade involve a ten (10) week program.  In this program the D.A.R.E. Officer visits individual fifth grade classes once a week for ten (10) weeks, with each class lasting fifty (50) minutes.  They are given lessons that include the following topics:

1. Peer Pressure
2. Ways to say "NO"
3. Decision Making
4. Self-Esteem
5. Assertiveness
6. Consequences
7. Managing Anger
8. Alternatives to Drug Abuse
9. Forming Support Groups

The emphasis of the program is to assist students to recognize and resist the many subtle pressures that influence them to experiment with alcohol and drugs.  We try to focus on feelings related to self-esteem, interpersonal and communication skills, along with decision-making and positive alternatives to drug abuse behavior.

The second portion of the elementary D.A.R.E. program is aimed at the K-4 student.  The D.A.R.E. Officer during his visits to the 5^th grade, schedules visitation lessons for the younger grades.  Topics include:

1. Potential danger in the misuse of drugs, medicine and other substances.
2. Danger stranger
3. Ways to be safe
4. Feelings
5. Learning to say "NO"

These visits are usually fifteen to twenty minutes in duration and are done three to four times per class within the seventeen-week schedule.

The Middle School D.A.R.E. program focuses on strategies for conflict resolution and violence prevention.  The students are educated about the personal and social consequences of substance abuse, violence and gang involvement.  This is a ten-day program that is conducted in conjunction with the middle school health program.  The student receives homework every night, a vocabulary quiz, along with a final exam.  The program is concluded with each student giving a D.A.R.E. to be, personal commitment.  All components of the ten-day program count towards each student’s individual health grade.

For additional information, you can call the Youth Bureau at 973-633-3549 or email  Detective Sergeant Charles Ahearn, Coordinator D.A.R.E. Program/Commander Youth Bureau.