North Allegheny's Beyond the Stripes Newsletter
A resource designed to help students and families succeed beyond the classroom
December 2018
What You'll Find In This Email:
Welcome to Beyond the Stripes , a quarterly e-newsletter produced by the North Allegheny School District. Beyond the Stripes  features useful information to help NA Tiger families succeed beyond the classroom.
  • How to Maintain Good Sleep Hygiene
  • Digitally Detox Without Too Much Stress
  • Cyber Safety: Protecting Our Children Online
  • Latest Drug Trends
  • Teen Driver Information Night
Do You Have Good Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene is a variety of practices and habits necessary to have a good night's sleep, resulting in full daytime alertness. Obtaining healthy sleep is necessary for physical and mental health, and can improve productivity and overall quality of life.

Both children and adults can benefit from practicing good sleep habits, so here are a few things you may want to consider to improve your sleep hygiene from the National Sleep Foundation:
  • Limit your daytime naps to 30 minutes.
  • Avoid caffeine close to bedtime.
  • Exercise to promote good quality sleep, even if it's as little as 10 minutes.
  • Steer clear of food that can be disruptive right before sleep. Heavy or rich foods, fatty or fried meals, spicy dishes, citrus fruits, and carbonated drinks can trigger indigestion.
  • Ensure adequate exposure to natural light. Being exposed to the sunlight during the day and darkness at night helps maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
  • Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Read a book or try light stretches. Set a bedtime for your cell phone and put it away at least an hour before you go to bed.
  • Make the sleep environment pleasant and relaxing.
Digitally Detox Without Too Much Stress

According to Parent Toolkit, here are a few ways to digitally detox with your family without adding too much stress to your lives:

  1. Schedule a daily break. Carve out tech-free time each day.
  2. Help your child connect in real life. Create opportunities for your children to bond, in person, with their friends without being glued to a screen.
  3. Have a tech-free room in your home. Keeping technology out of bedrooms is a great idea because it can impact sleep hygiene.
  4. Create a contract with your family. Spell out different rules and ideas of how the whole family will interact with technology.
  5. Make offline empowering. Encourage your child to think of not being available via social media 24/7 as empowering.
Cyber Safety: Protecting Our Children Online

Do you know the warning signs of your child being targeted online? Do you have an online safety plan for your child?

These are just two of the many things parents/guardians must take into consideration as children continue to access electronic devices at home and outside of school.

Click the photo to view an informational brochure from PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro on how to protect your child online.
Are You Up-to-Date On The Latest Drug Trends?
Do you know the difference between bath salts and methamphetamine? Do you know the dangers and risks of e-cigarettes? The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens has a website dedicated to informing teens, teachers, and parents/guardians on drug abuse. Here are a few pages you may want to check out:
Teen Driver Information Night

The PA DUI Associate, Impact Teen Drivers, Connor Johnson Foundation, Pine Township, and Northern Regional Police Department will host a free educational session for parents/guardians and teens on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 7 p.m. at the Marshall Township Community Center. The presentation will feature best practices during the drivers licensing process including Pennsylvania's Graduated Drivers License program and Impact Teen Drivers' "What Do You Consider Lethal?"