Students at W.F. West High School (grades 9-12) and Chehalis Middle School (grades 6-8) may notice a safety-minded addition to the back of their ASB cards this year.

The QR code for the Chehalis School District Anonymous Security/Safety Reporting Form as well as phone numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Crisis Text Line and National Domestic Violence Hotline are now part of these cards. Many of our students carry their ASB cards with them on a daily basis, so we hope this change gives them important safety information at their fingertips.

Bullying is a safety concern for our schools. The National Bullying Prevention Center estimates about 1 in 5 students are bullied each school year. Bullying can happen in a school setting, as well as outside school and through social media and electronic communications. Bullying affects not just those who are bullied, but witnesses to bullying also report feeling unsafe. We encourage students and parents to report bullying using our Anonymous Security/Safety Reporting Form or our district's Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying reporting form.

Visit the Kids Against Bullying website for more information you and your elementary aged student can use.

Visit the Teens Against Bullying website for more information you and your secondary aged student can use.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 135,000 Washington youth ages 12-17 experience a major depressive episode each year and 85,000 Washington youth ages 12-17 report experiencing serious thoughts of suicide each year.

Keeping Chehalis students safe means not only creating a physically safe environment, but also a place where their social and emotional well-being is a priority.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, we encourage you to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text 988 or use the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.