Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Red Ribbon Week

Memo Information

Memo Number
LS-22-023
Memo Date
9/27/2021
Memo Type
Informational
Unit
Learning Services
Regulatory Authority
Response Required
NO
Attention
Federal Programs; Superintendents; Assistant Superintendent; Principals; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators; General Business Managers; Teachers; Gifted & Talented Coordinators; Curriculum Coordinators; Bookkeepers; School Counselors; Techstart Coordinators or Contact Name; Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Child Nutrition Directors/Managers; Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); District Coordinators (ALE; Homeless; ESOL; SDFS & Foster); Parent Involvement Coordinators/Facilitators; CTE Coordinator (COOPs and regular school districts); Facilities / Maintenance Director

Primary Contact Information

Secondary Contact/s Information

Memo Text

Red Ribbon Week – October 23-31, 2021

Red Ribbon Week, which focuses on the education and prevention of drug abuse, is October 23-31. To assist schools with planning activities, the Arkansas Department of Education has created a Red Ribbon Week webpage, available at https://bit.ly/3A7kvRa. The webpage includes multiple resources, such as links and phone numbers to partner organizations.

Opioid Awareness Day

Each year school districts are encouraged to show students the “Chasing the Dragon” documentary that highlights the opioid crisis in America. ADE is excited to partner with Arkansas PBS, the FBI Little Rock office, Arkansas Drug Director Office, and Arkansas Drug Enforcement Administration to create a documentary – “7 Days: The Opioid Crisis in Arkansas” – that highlights the opioid crisis in Arkansas. The documentary captures the stories of Arkansans who struggle with opioid addictions, as well as local experts who explain the impact the crisis is having on the Natural State. To see the trailer, go to https://youtu.be/YWGf3UGwiNk.

 

To bring awareness to this critical issue, school districts are encouraged to participate in a same-day showing of either “7 Days” or “Chasing the Dragon” on Wednesday, October 27 during Red Ribbon Week. Through invitation, local and state law enforcement officers also are available to attend a showing at the school to answer questions and provide information. Because of COVID-19 concerns with assembling students, districts can utilize digital platforms to show the video.

 

School districts who plan to show the video should register at https://forms.gle/bQMv5wnfwRtU4h6YA by October 20.  If a school district would like a DVD of the “7 Days: The Opioid Crisis in Arkansas” documentary to use, instead of the video link that will be available on the ADE Red Ribbon Week webpage, should register by October 8.

ADE will participate by showing “7 Days” to ADE team members at 10 a.m. on October 27, followed by a panel discussion with Secretary Key and representatives from the FBI Little Rock Office, Arkansas Drug Director Office, and Arkansas Drug Enforcement Administration. The showing and panel discussion will be live streamed at https://bit.ly/2XvYiOw.

Hashtag: Districts and schools are encouraged to post pictures of their Red Ribbon Week activities on their websites and social media using #ARRedRibbonWeek.

Stay tuned for more information, and be sure to follow ADE at the links below.

Print Memo

Share this memo