Bridges Area Learning Center
Weekly Reflections - Oct 29 2017
Dear Team,
Some of these considerations include where is it ok to be outside around a strip mall with elementary schools behind us and several business next to us, where is it ok to park, how does lunch and breakfast work in a school without a cafeteria, where can students go when a break is needed from class, when are needed support staff available and where can they be accessed, how do online classes work, what is it like having bathrooms in classes, when can the lounge be accessed and by who, what is a day like without bells, when do I talk to a teacher about difficulties, when do I talk to a support staff when need . . . .
These considerations and many more are all a part of the work that our outstanding teachers and support staff do on a daily basis that is different than a traditional setting and a major reason why Bridges has been a successful small setting. We have new students coming into Bridges every week and helping them acclimate to a non-traditional setting takes work. I am so appreciative and impressed with all of our staff in the effectiveness of this work that helps students feel better about school which results in them connecting to school more strongly. Ultimately, this work goes a long way to supporting our mission of helping our students make successful progress toward acquiring their high school diploma, leading to gainful employment or post-secondary education.
Warm Regards,
David Brown
@davidwbrown39
@Bridges_ALC
#WeArePLSAS
Did you know
… that Prior Lake-Savage area schools operating levy is one of the lowest in our area? Even if voters approve the levy increase (Q2), our levy will still be among the lowest and lower than the 7-county metro average. And if voters approve the funds to add space for our growing enrollment (Q1), we’ll need more funding to operate, staff, equip and run the schools.
Did you know
… that Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools is a popular and growing school district?
· Since 2000, we have averaged more than 225 additional students per year.
· Most of our schools are already at or over capacity, and more families keep moving in.
· Projections indicate our growth will continue, with more than 2,100 additional K-12 students anticipated in our schools in the next ten years.
This week at a glance
- BSAT - 730am
- IEP Meeting - 3pm
Tuesday
- Admin meeting - 830am @ DSC
Wednesday
- Student Intake @ 3pm
Thursday
- BILT Team meeting - 730am
- STRIVE @ 1145
Teacher Corner: Chris Nelson - Art & Phy Ed
I can hardly believe that the end of the quarter is in sight! The beginning of the school year has flown by and what started out as a massive group of new students has become part of the Bridges family.
It is so rewarding to see those new students find a home with us at Bridges. For me, witnessing that shift is one of the best parts of my job. I already have a few favorite stories of success to share:
One of our new students is a girl who came from the high school. Attendance became an issue for her. She said she would make it to the school parking lot each day, but couldn't force herself to leave her car because of the anxiety she felt towards the massive, faceless crowd that awaited within. Through acquaintances she heard about Bridges and checked it out. She quickly realized it might be the place for her and enrolled. She said she now looks forward to attending school. She doesn’t feel judged for “not being like everybody else”. She said she now has no doubt she will graduate.
We also have a young man who recently moved from a smaller community in the state where the high school consisted of about only 200 students. When he moved it became a nerve wracking prospect to start at PLHS. His family felt that online school would be a better solution than attending one of the biggest high schools in the state, but after attempting online school, he realized that he needed more socialization. This past summer he learned about Bridges and enrolled. He has now found a perfect fit with us.
It is so rewarding to be a part of the solution for these kids. They now can receive the education that they deserve. For many students, Bridges is the answer they have been looking for.
First EVER alumni reunion!!
Recent Grads!
Bridges Recent Alumni Visits
Bridges alumni helping to share the facts @ conferences
Brando taking a break from work to check in
Gage stopping by to get info about our alumni event
Maddy checking in before heading out to basic training
Student Support Staff: Erik Elsberry - Therapist
Assumptions
We have to make numerous assumptions on the fly every day. In order to provide the best services for our youth, we must form, assess, and act on hypotheses seamlessly. We use our training, experience, knowledge of a child’s history and patterns, as well as intuition to formulate these educated guesses. If you have survived a considerable period of time working with high-risk populations, odds are that your assumptions have a favorable track record.
Even the best of us are off at times. We might assume a student needs space from the class, based on our surmountable wealth of knowledge and experience, and it turns out the student really needs unwavering support. It happens. Sometimes, we misjudge. We then recalculate, repair, and continue ahead. One of the most important things we can do is to acknowledge when our assumptions are off-base. No one likes a know-it-all.
What’s the function?
For adolescents (and humans in general), mental health afflictions have a variety of presentations. Those of us who know our DSM V lingo will recognize that irritability can be a symptom of depression in young people. True, and irritability can be a symptom of a host of other mental health conditions, or even the sideways presentation of someone having a bad day. Or maybe they stubbed their toe.
Adolescents can be frustrating, and it can be easy to get wrapped up in their dynamics. Especially when we get to know them, their patterns can seem predictable, and their antics can feel more personal. Even for the kids we know best, it is important to ask ourselves, “What’s the function?” Or, “What could be the function of this behavior?” We must resist that urge to go all in on our assumptions being correct 100% of the time. Our assumptions often influence our interventions, and if our assumptions are off, then our interventions are less likely to be successful. See below for a visual example how external presentations and mental health conditions can be related.
My background as a family therapist suggests that it is okay for us to fall back on our “soft skills” when we’re unsure how to proceed. Validate. Avoid criticism (no matter how outlandish the problem). Follow up. These things can be combined with maintaining healthy boundaries, as well. Validating their feelings in the moment does not mean that you support their behaviors. There are various interventions for different mental health conditions, but at the core of them all is the relationship we cultivate with others.
We are all more connected than ever, and with new research and developments coming out seemingly non-stop, it can feel overwhelming to create enough headspace for all the various things to know about teens and mental health (let alone education). With the power invested in me by the State of Minnesota, I hereby give you permission to release the noise and used headspace you don’t find helpful, and to instead return to the skills that made you a great educator in the first place. Feel free to see me for official permission forms.*
*Permission forms hold no legal meaning or value.
Erik Elsberry, MA, LMFT
Therapist, Scott County Mental Health Center