SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SELF-HARM 

Not all at-risk students are at-risk of self-harm or suicide but there are connections and similarities.
And one in five students DO harm themselves.
This is especially true with regard to those suffering from depression and anxiety.
If you or a child of yours is depressed or anxious, be vigilant.
If you need assistance, I may be able to help.
Contact me: daleyfrank0@gmail.com I’ll respond promptly.

WHAT QUALIFIES AS “AT-RISK?”

Before we can help a person in danger, we have to know who they are.  
“At-risk” students are generally considered to be those who are in danger of failing or dropping out of school. There are signs to indicate that they are not just in “a phase.” 

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE AT-RISK? 

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE AT-RISK?

In some places in North America, almost 50% of students fail or drop out at one point or other. Of those who get to college (or university) 30% more change programs and when they do they usually go to another institution.

WHAT KIND OF SCHOOLS ARE THEY IN? 

Almost any kind: certainly high school, college and university. Even grade school children are at risk if they show indications such as the ones below.

HOW CAN YOU TELL WHO IS AT-RISK?   

Parents sometimes find it difficult to discern  serious trouble from normal teen-age behavior.
No surprise there.

But there are many ways you can determine if a student is at-risk academically or otherwise. 

THE FIRST THREE WAYS to discover those at-risk

Clearly those with diagnosed emotional, psychological or mental disabilities (ADD, ADHD, autism, etc.) are likely to be at-risk.

So those are the first three ways to tell.

But what of those kids who have not been diagnosed?

Thousands of children with problems are undiagnosed, and even those who are often don’t get the help they require. But aside from those obvious circumstances, how else can parents (and the rest of us) tell?

IF THEY…

4. have failed a semester or a whole year.
5. have been struggling in school for years.
6. have low or dropping grades.
7. have lost interest in school.
8. do not like their current program.
9. have some emotional or psychological problem.
10. have weak academic skills and won’t acknowledge  it.
11. do not know how to be a successful student.
OR THEY…
12. “hate” school.
13. are cutting or otherwise harming themselves
14. are suffering from depression.
15. are suffering from anxiety
16. think they are not smart enough for college or university.
17. want to work instead of going to school because they feel so bad.
18. want to change schools or programs but not be able to tell their parents about how they feel because they do not want to disappoint them.
19. can’t speak to their parents about any of this  but you can see there is something wrong.

Then they are at risk.

20. if she is sad or unhappy.

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM

There are many other ways that young people can indicate they are in trouble academically–we’ll get to them in this series– but right now we have to be able to tell who is in danger before we can help him or her.

PARENTS NEED GUIDELINES

Parents need some guidelines. Often a parent who mentions something will get  jumped on by the kid: you are interfering or babying or “It’s none of your business” or, “I’m fine!” Or, “leave me alone!”

But, you can’t solve a problem without identifying it. 

IF YOUR CHILD IS SHOWING ANY OF THE SIGNS IN THE LISTS ABOVE, THEN SHE OR HE IS AT-RISK.

DO THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM?

At-risk students

Sure, they know. And so do you.

They are having trouble in  school and that leads to problems with parents, peers and themselves. They are disappointed  in themselves. They are also confused and frightened. 

However, knowing you have a problem doesn’t mean you can identify it, let alone solve it. That’s what I can help them do. 

LEAVING SCHOOL CAN BE A GOOD IDEA BUT NOT USUALLY

Leaving school and going to work is a good idea--under certain circumstances–but I’m not referring to people or situations like that right  now.(We will get to it.) I’m talking about young people who would benefit from school, who are smart, who should be in (some kind of) school, but are drifting away, losing interest, getting frustrated and depressed. 

• If you are a student, you know who you are.
• If you are a parent or guardian of someone like this, you know it. This is a serious problem. 

I can help you if you are a student or a parent.

Visit Dropout to Dean’s List.

For faster action, Email me for a FREE information and strategy session. 

daleyfrank0@gmail.com 

-Frank

P.S.  If you have known about this problem for some time–or at least suspected something–then isn’t it time you did something about it?
It doesn’t have to end this way. This is either your life or your child’s.
Let me help you.
A FREE half-hour strategy session is an email away.
daleyfrank0@gmail.com