Middle School Moments
May 1, 2020
From the Desk of Mrs. McCoy
Welcome to another beautiful day and I pray that you are all staying healthy and safe in this unprecedented pandemic season. I also hope and pray that our families recovering from damage to their homes are hanging in there! You are being prayed for! It has been such a blessing watching our families rally around you. That is the benefit of being in the family of God!
I shared with you in a recent communication that I am in the habit of being thankful and recording those things in a journal to keep my eyes focused HEAVENWARD. Some of you asked what method or program I use. There are several ways I accomplish that, but one is just to simply list what God has given me that I am grateful for. But as I thought about it more, the mental process I go through when I have a devotion time is something I began doing as a young person and have just carried it on. I don’t really think about it much anymore.
I follow the acronym A-C-T-S
A - Acknowledge God for who HE is and adore HIM for being my Creator and Savior. Psalms 18:2-3 says, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised."
C- Confess the things to Him that separate me from HIM - sin
1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and will forgive our sins. He is faithful and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
T - Thanksgiving - Because HE died for me and I am UNWORTHY, I am thankful so I tell God that and thank HIM for all of my blessings. I also thank Him for the hard things I am going through. He taught me to do that and tells us in scripture to thank HIM in the storms of life. We are certainly getting to do that now, aren’t we?
Psalms 9:1 says, "I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds."
S - Supplication - This is where I bring petitions to God that I want to ask HIM and I want my focus to be on asking things that honor our good God. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." And in John 14:13, "Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
This is simple and a good habit to form, but it keeps my focus on Christ alone. I hope you develop a plan to stay in communication with God through prayer.
I want to share some details of things to come as we get closer to ending this unprecedented year.
May Madness Virtual Talent Show - entries for the first round are due by midnight on Saturday, May 2nd. Don’t miss it! We want Middle School to be represented well.
Class awards will be announced by teachers to students on Monday, May 11th in their Google Hangout times. The actual certificates will be put in the bags you pick up when we clean out lockers.
As we begin this last month of school, remind your children to get the work turned in so they can receive credit. We understand this has been different and difficult for some while others are soaring. Our teachers are available. They have created content that is meaningful and are trying to have fair assessments. They will work with anyone that wants their help. Let's finish strong! I am proud of how our SBA family has rallied in this situation.
Friday, May 15th is the last day for new instruction in classes.
The next week, May 18th-22nd, will be a week of wrap-up activities and making sure all classwork is turned in to the teachers.
Be Encouraged
May Madness Virtual Talent Show
Silverdale Center Updates
Yearbook Pictures Wanted
Student Assistance Program
How Do You Help Your Child In Unpredictable Times?
I don’t have to tell all of you that we are in unprecedented times. Things change daily and sometimes hourly. Then, we have tornadoes. As adults, we struggle with the why and how of all that is happening. Our kids are looking to us to give them stability and answers to their questions. One thing to remember is that your children may be grieving and that is ok. If you are seeing unusual behavior out of your children, it very well could be because they are grieving. Below are the stages of grief:
1. Shock/denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Talk to them about how they are feeling. Open conversation is important. It really can help lessen the amount of anxiety your children feel if you are honest and use accurate terminology. Give them time to talk and ask questions so they feel supported. Also, turning off the TV and limiting computer time can give children a greater sense of control. Encourage play time. Playing not only helps children feel safe and secure, but it gives them an outlet to share thoughts and feelings that are difficult to describe with words. For older children and teens, exercise is a great source or dealing with stress and anxiety. Right now, getting out and moving as a family can be a key factor in dealing with all family members' stress.
Put together an action plan. Children need to know that actions are being taken to ensure and maintain their own safety. Create a family response plan. Children benefit from finding ways to turn their feelings and fears in to actions.
The biggest way to handle the “new normal” is to turn to the Lord. This is the perfect time to start or continue family Bible study and prayer, teaching your children that God is good and He loves us. We don’t know why viruses and tornadoes are happening around us, but God is going to use this for His glory.
Please remember that the Student Assistance Program is still available via phone or video conferencing sessions. If you would like for us to see or speak with your child, please fill out the SAP Parent Permission Form. You can also call our Dalton office at 706-272-6558 to make an appointment.
It is our privilege to care for your children! Please don’t hesitate to email or call at any time.
Praying for all of you!
Rachel Houghton
Joshua 1:9 says to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Please make plans to join the athletic department for our Spring Athletic Forum via Zoom (Further information will be following) on Monday, May 4th at 6:30 pm. We will be giving an update on The Silverdale Center and answering any questions that you might have pertaining to upcoming seasons.
Password: SBA2020
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Football for middle school
All those interested in playing football for Fall 2020, please contact Coach Elsea for more information.
Volleyball for high school
If you are interested in trying out for High School Volleyball (current 8th grade), please contact Coach Marcus to be added to her contact list for encouragement and workout plans. Tryout dates are TBD.
As the CDC continues to study the effects of COVID-19 as well as the transmission of this illness, they are uncovering more and more about this illness. What researchers have found to be true is that "a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms." Thus, COVID-19 can spread between people interacting in close proximity (ie, coughing, sneezing, or even speaking). Therefore, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. One piece of advice I would like to give each of you is to get a mask if you have not already done so.
Since we are all wearing masks when venturing out nowadays, it’s important we know how to disinfect our cloth masks. Here are a couple of ways you can disinfect your DIY face masks:
Disinfect in Washing Machine
Disinfect in Sink
Disinfect with an Iron
Here is the link for more details on Anne’s Covid Corner: Disinfecting Your DIY Face Mask
Anne Widener
School Nurse
FAX - 423.892.2147
Get Signed up for Summer Camps Now
Registration for Silverdale Summer Camps 2020 is open! Our camps offer opportunities for discovery and growth in academics, athletics, the arts, and of course, the outdoors.There's a little something for everyone. We've added some new camps this year, so you're going to want to check it out. Grab a friend and register now. It's going to be a great summer!