Bridges Area Learning Center
Weekly Refelctions
Dear Team,
David Brown
Week at a Glance
Monday, Oct 26 - Intake Meeting - am
Tuesday, Oct 27 - Mr. Brown @ DSC - District Admin Meeting - amWednesday, Oct 28 - All School Meeting @ 11:30am (agenda to follow), Mr. Brown @ Farmington HS - Plato Seminar - 1pm; Staff Meeting - 3pm
Friday, Oct 30 - All School Hot Dog Lunch, School Appropriate Costumes Allowed
Teacher Corner: Alexius Serefeas - English/Science
It’s hard to believe that we’re already six weeks into the school year – it seems like we’ve only just arrived and that the first half of the first quarter flashed by in a blink. However, the passage of time is evident as I see Bridges settling into a rhythm. Students are getting back into the groove of being in school, with less of their summer wildness and more focus on schoolwork. The formerly boisterous first five minutes of class are now moving more easily into preparation and attention as students pick up the pattern. There are fewer groans when projects are assigned, and more questions, more “Should I do it this way,” more “Is this what you’re looking for,” more “How do you want this submitted”? Following the mid-quarter grades and conferences, students are checking their grades, following up on missing assignments and makeup work – putting their noses, if not quite to the grindstone, certainly much closer in. In addition, students who were closed off, perhaps leery of being in close contact with adults again after the break, have begun to open up and discuss their lives as they work through daily trials and tribulations. This transition marks a subtle shift from a group of people to a community.
As the leaves change color outside, the attitudes change within Bridges and become more studious, with more minds firing on all cylinders and arriving ready to learn. It is mid-October, and the school year and the active, everyday process of education are now full swing. It is a rewarding time to be a teacher.
Ethics & Leadership Workshop sponsored by PL Rotary
STRIVE mentorship meeting FULL!
Thanks Mr. Lawson for all the help with set up/take down!
STRIVE is off to a STRONG start!
From the student support team:
Hello Bridges!
My name is Kevin Wagner and I am the social worker here at Bridges. I’d like to take this opportunity to relay some information about depression. Depression is not just something that a few people experience. It is a world-wide epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, about 350 million people suffer from depression world-wide. It is also the leading cause of disability in the world.
Depression is a real, biological disease of the brain and can be caused by many different life-circumstances. People can be born genetically predisposed to depression…it definitely runs in families. Depression can also be caused by physical or emotional trauma, being a victim of a bully, or from a myriad of life events like the end of a relationship, problems with friends, substance use, financial troubles, or the loss of a job.
People with depression are not ‘weak.’ Far from it actually. They are struggling with a disease that can be caused by either genetics, their environment, or both. The following are some signs to look for if you suspect that someone you know may be depressed:
-losing interest in activities that had previously been interesting to them (i.e. hobbies, athletic activities, artistic or intellectual interests) -the person is quick to anger or loses their temper easily -a drastic increase in appetite (usually with high-carb foods, but not always) -a drastic decrease in appetite…weight loss could accompany this as well -an increased tendency to dwell on negative aspects of a person’s life -a lack of hope about the future -verbalizing that they don’t think they will ever feel better -comments relating to suicide or self-harm -cutting -substance use -sleeping all day long -a great deal of difficulty falling asleep…or waking up very early in the morning and not being able to fall back asleep
The more information a person has, the better. If someone you know and/or care about is experiencing some of the above symptoms, encourage them to get help! Depression is a very treatable disease. Most people should not have to live with depression if they are motivated to get help.
Kevin Wagner
MSW, LGSW
kwagner@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
952-226-0849
Positive email!
I so enjoyed working with your students yesterday [at the Ethics Workshop]; I reconnected with some former students and met some new students too! [The] students certainly represented Bridges positively. They demonstrated very businesslike manners; participated in large and small group discussions, and listened attentively. They are to be commended for challenging themselves as they learned in this unique opportunity.
Interesting article on motivation (even beyond the first year) by The Edvocate
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