LIFE IN THE MIDDLE ~SEPTEMBER~
A Mental Health and Wellness Newsletter from CMS Counselors
IMPORTANT DATES
September 6 - 10: Suicide Prevention Week
September 8: School Pictures
Welcome back to school, dragons
We are so excited to be starting a new year and are ready for the fresh start! We want to take time this year to cultivate and deepen relationships and design opportunities where adults and students can connect, heal, and build their capacity to support each other. We understand that it's important to create safe, supportive, and equitable learning environments that promote all students’ social and emotional development. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Starting a new school year in uncertain times can bring many emotions, including anxiety. Anxiety is a common feeling of nervousness or worry. When those feelings stop your children from having fun or doing normal activities, they may need help reducing their anxiety.
How to Help
• Breathe. Practice calming breathing together by taking slow, deep breaths.
• Challenge negative or irrational thoughts by having your children ask themselves questions such as “What evidence is there that makes this thought true or not true?” or “If it did happen, what could I do to cope?”
• Plan. Help your children prioritize and break down tasks into smaller, doable steps.
• Be calm. Model confident and calm behavior for your children.
• Establish an at-home routine. Schedule time for homework, fun, meals, and a bedtime routine.
• Support a healthy lifestyle. Provide healthy meals and time for physical activity. Maintain an appropriate curfew so your children get enough sleep.
• Identify thoughts and name emotions. Describe to your children what you observe and ask in a clarifying manner if that is what is occurring. Asking if, rather than telling what, your children are feeling helps them develop greater ability to name and tame their emotions. For example, “I see you frowning and not talking much. Are you feeling sad?”
• Communicate. Set aside time to talk one-on-one with your children. Connect emotionally by listening and giving eye contact. Validate concerns and avoid lecturing.
• Get help. Talk to teachers about any concerns you have about your children. If you are concerned your children have an anxiety disorder, talk with a counselor, doctor, therapist, or other mental health expert.
CMS Activities
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH
In the U.S., a suicide is completed every 14 minutes and is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 10 -24. Females attempt more than 3 times as often as males; males die by suicide more than 4 times that of females. LGBTQ youth are often at a higher risk for suicide than their heterosexual peers. Contrary to myth, talking to your child about suicide does not encourage him/her to commit suicide. We cannot afford to ignore the topic when children’s lives are at stake. Although warning signs may not always be present, they are present more often than not.
Be Familiar with Warning Signs (Arranged in the acronym, FACTS)
Feelings - Hopelessness, worthlessness, despair, emptiness, feeling anxious or trapped - these are examples of feelings that should really concern us.
Actions - includes things like trying to get access to a gun or pills, reckless behaviors, increasing drug or alcohol use, fighting.
Changes – change in attitude, moods or behaviors. Students who were active may become withdrawn, quit athletic teams, stop paying attention to personal appearance, daydream or fall asleep in the classroom or simply cut class.
Threats- can be specific like verbal statements of intent like “I‘m tired of living” or “I’m thinking of killing myself” or worrisome innuendos in writing or other class assignments. They can also be vague such as “You won’t have me around any longer to bother you.” Whether specific or vague, what these threats tell us is that the student is thinking about death or suicide, and that is what escalates our level of concern.
Situation(s)- may serve as triggers for the suicide. Your child’s coping skills may be challenged, and therefore, he/she may not see a viable solution. Situations include events like loss (family divorce, health problems, and economic problems) or death, getting into trouble at home, in school, or with legal authorities, personal losses of things like a break up with a boyfriend/girlfriend; impending changes or uncertainty.
Discussion Points
Discussion Points at School
CMS Staff has been trained in the signs of suicide in teens and is committed to helping all of our students feel like they are important and valued at CMS. We will
- Encourage students to be kind and compassionate towards others,
- Encourage students to talk to a safe adult if they are hurting, or know someone in danger of hurting themselves,
- Help foster positive relationships with trusted adults, and
- Join with you in teaching our students resiliency.
Discussion Points at Home
- Actively listen to your child and validate what they feel.
- Focus on your concern for his/her well – being.
- Convey to him/her that he/she is important to you, and that you love him/her.
- Encourage your child to come to you when he/she (or a friend) is having thoughts of hurting or killing him/herself.
- Don’t be afraid to seek professional help for your child.
In cases of emergency, dial 911 or go to a hospital.
Crisis Numbers:
Suicide Crisis Center Hotline 214. 828.1000
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1.800. 273.TALK (8255)
Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas 866.672.5100
HOPE SQUAD
Hope Squad is a nation-wide initiative, designed to support struggling teens. The purpose of this program is to improve access and availability to appropriate prevention services for youth who are at risk for suicide. The Hope Squad Program functions as a peer support team. The goal is to provide friendship, encouragement, and support for students who may be struggling.
Students are nominated by their peers to participate in Hope Squad. We will kick off the 2021--2022 Hope Squad during September with nominations and a required Parent Meeting for nominated students.
STOPit - Anonymous Reporting System
School Reporting and Response Guidelines
Carroll ISD is committed to ensuring a safe learning environment. Implementing programs that address the emotional and physical well being for all of our students, making personal connections with each student, and providing an anonymous system for reporting potentially dangerous situations are some of the ways we can accomplish this goal. We are pleased to announce that STOPit is now a part of our anonymous reporting efforts.
STOPit is designed to help students, parents and community members anonymously report concerns in our school community. Information about self harm, suicidal thoughts, bullying, harassment, drugs, violence, weapons, theft, or any other potential threat to school safety should be reported.
Anyone in the Carroll Middle School community can make a report, including students, staff, and parents. To ensure that we can respond to threats in a timely way, we request that all reports be made as soon as possible. A sticker with information on how to make a STOPit report was placed on the back of every student's ID before the beginning of the school year. If your student's ID is missing a sticker, they can see Mrs. Brett in the Attendance office. Information can also be found on the CMS Counseling tab of the CMS Website. While web-based reports can be made using a computer, in order to receive a response, it is best to use the STOPit app.
Ms. Mangels, Principal of Carroll Middle School, along with the CMS Counselors, will be responsible for receiving reports from STOPit. Upon receiving an anonymous report, they may take interim measures to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of all parties pending the findings of the investigation.
Remember that STOPit is NOT an emergency reporting system. If you need to report an emergency, please immediately dial 911. Also, please note that while all reports made through STOPit will be answered as expeditiously as possible, there may be a response delay for reports received outside of school hours, over the weekend, or during holidays.
Finally, STOPit is not intended to replace direct contact with school administration or counselors. Please feel free to directly contact Carroll Middle School staff with any issues or concerns you may have. We take your security seriously at Carroll Middle School and we will do everything we can to resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. Together, we can help stop school crises before they happen!
Core Essential Trait for September: Initiative
Taking Initiative is doing the right thing without being told. Students who take initiative are self-starters, proactive, and are persistent in overcoming difficulties that arise in pursuit of a goal. Showing initiative can be a scary and exciting experience. The more you put yourself out there, the more chances you have of getting better grades, making friends, or earning trust with teachers. Furthermore, showing initiative early in life can help forge leadership skills and other talents as you grow and adapt.
How do you show initiative in school? Getting yourself involved in classroom discussions, asking and answering posed questions, putting forth extra effort into projects or homework, and making sure to engage in clubs and afterschool activities is a great way to show initiative in school.
Identifying Our Strengths In Order To Build Success!
How can my child meet with their counselor?
1. Teacher Referral
2. Parent Referral
3. Self Referral
We meet with students for many reasons:
1. Academic - Performance, struggles, test taking strategies, study skills etc.
2. Friendship/ Peer/Social Concerns
3. Personal Concerns
4. Behavioral Concerns
5. Stress/Anxiety
6. Responsive Services - meeting their immediate needs and concerns
If you have a concern and you would like for a counselor to meet with your child, please contact your child's grade level counselor via email or phone.
Thank you!
CMS Counseling Staff
Jane Kea
7th Grade Counselor
8th Grade Counselor
Dawn.Riedl@southlakecarroll.edu
Paula Lynn
7th/8th Grade Counselor
Paula.lynn@southlakecarroll.edu
Website: http://cmscounselor.edublogs.org/
Phone: 817.949.5400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMSDragonsCounselors/