Featured Educator- Sanborn Elementary's Susan Hunter Jones
“All my days at school are pretty great; the best days are spent laughing with our students,” says Susan Hunter Jones, a Licensed Social Worker at Sanborn Elementary. Susan takes pride in APS because she believes that the staff at every school are so dedicated to the emotional support of our students. Susan has been in the district for 21 years and elementary students are her primary focus.
“I am honored to be part of a dedicated team who support students’ social and emotional well-being. Social workers join forces every day with psychologists, Board Certified Behavioral Analysts, teachers and administrators with the goal of wrapping our students in support, so they can achieve the best for themselves.”
Susan started a friendship group at Sanborn where students come in groups of six to meet together and learn to develop communication skills. “I aim for the students to have some time to look beyond the classroom and connect with their peers on a more social level.” The groups meet for six weeks at a time and Susan aims to have every student in the school welcomed into the group at some point.
Susan has seen so many changes in her two decades of work at APS. “How we approach students has changed over the years,” she notes. “We now look to identify the strengths in each student and see our children as whole people. We are more connected to their social and emotional health than we have ever been, and this helps set our children up for success.”
While Susan’s positive energy is admirable, she does recognize there are difficult times and situations for everyone. “Even when things get dark and you might be feeling defeated, all you need is one pinprick of light reflecting back on you to give you hope.”
“Finding your voice” is this year’s theme at Sanborn. Susan has fully embraced the concept and encourages students to listen to each other. “Principal DiCarlo has focused us on the power of true and authentic listening. Listening is a really powerful skill and when we are able to achieve it, our students’ voices can be truly heard.”
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Students’ Story- No Idling at Bancroft Elementary
Before the winter break, students from Bancroft Elementary met drivers in the drop-off/ pick-up area of Bancroft to raise awareness of the dangers to the environment of idling automobiles. Fourth graders Romy Obbard and Sofia Rouse took up the cause with their peers, holding posters and handing out a summary of the Massachusetts Idling Law.
“We learned that idling is wrong and people should not idle, because it is not safe for the environment. If you want something to change, you have to get up and do it, because someone else might not. We want people to see what we are doing and realize that they can do this too and save the earth. Someday this (idling) will affect the world and knowing that we did something about it makes me proud.”
Angst: Raising Awareness around Anxiety
Andover Public Schools will hold a special screening of the documentary Angst on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at 7 PM at the Collins Center, 100 Shawsheen Road, to open up a dialogue between local families, community leaders and experts about anxiety and anxiety-related disorders.
The event will feature a viewing of the 56-minute film, followed by an informative panel discussion, led by APS Director of School Social Work Joe Yarid, with special guests Dr. Bubrick, a senior clinical psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Center and Director of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Service at the Child Mind Institute in New York, NY. Click here for more information and to RSVP to the event.
Calling all AHS Seniors!
The deadline for payment for the Class of 2020 yearbook is fast approaching! Families should log on to the Senior E-Funds site to place a yearbook order. The price of the yearbook is $100.00.
If you want a yearbook in June, orders must be placed by the January 15th deadline. Once the final yearbook order is placed, we cannot go back and change it.
Log on to e-funds and order your 2020 Yearbook. Don’t miss out!
