Connecting with the Counselors
A Communication from Robinson Elementary's Counseling Team
October 17, 2021
Perhaps you, like us, are wondering how it is we are finished with our first quarter of the school year? We feel as if the year just began, not that we are a fourth of the way finished!
Last week we spoke about hard things-- specifically suicide. Thank you for your feedback and support of our message. We do not like to make anyone feel uncomfortable, and our aim in sharing is to not only support all of our students-- including your student-- but also to end this stigma around mental illness which makes us uncomfortable. The sooner we are able to see that mental wellness is as important as physical wellness (really a part of our physical wellness), the better.
REPEAT: Please continue to reach out if we can be helpful. All of our contact information can be found at the end of this communication. If you feel our response time has been slower this week, it may have been. We are all doing our very best to answer all needs in our building. If you have reached out without an answer, please send us another email to remind us. We appreciate all you do each day for your children and reminding us of what they may need is a part of that. Thank you.
If you missed last week's communication, you can access it from this link:
Tips to Avoid Offensive Halloween Costumes
Here, then, are three tips when it comes to racist, offensive or culturally insulting costumes this Halloween.
- If in doubt, leave it out.
Cultural appropriation: taking significant elements (symbols, dress, words, practices, etc.) from a culture not your own and removing all original context or meaning. Around Halloween, cultural appropriation often manifests in the form of wearing “costumes” that rely on specific culture signifiers or stereotypes. Dressing up as an ethnicity, race or culture not your own is racist. Educators can use examples of offensive costumes in the news as opportunities to foster constructive, productive dialogue with students. - Be the example you would have wanted.
As much as they might protest that educators do not understand their reality, students watch what educators say and do. Educators are central to creating a safe and affirming learning environment that honors the diverse cultures of their students and the world in which they live. And in today’s hyper-partisan and politically contentious environment, where communities of color feel under siege, students (see Idaho example above) can be further isolated and unwelcome by what they see and hear in their school and classroom. - Would you wear the costume in front of people from that group?
If not, then don’t do it. Does it mock, demean or create fear? We all make mistakes and exercise poor judgment from time to time. A little forethought, or asking a trusted colleague or friend, can go a long way.
Mia Moody-Ramírez, a professor of journalism and public relations at Baylor University, offers the following suggestions when choosing a Halloween costume.
- Avoid dressing in a costume that will reflect another ethnicity or culture.
- Choose something that is fun and tasteful – animals, movie characters (without darkening your skin), ghosts, ghouls, etc.
- If you dress like someone of a different ethnicity/culture, don’t darken your face or emphasize features like eyes, teeth or noses.
- Think about whether the costume will be perceived as tasteful or tasteless.
- Use the grandmother test. If you post it on social media, would your grandmother be proud or disappointed?
RESOURCES:
- A Parents’ Guide to Cultural Appropriation
USAToday.com - Is Your Halloween Costume Offensive?
Vice.com - I Am Not a Costume
Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group
DOES YOUR STUDENT NEED BOOTS OR A COAT?
PTO Robinson Cares Presents:
Winter Gear Drive for Kids!
Kids grow fast and winter gear can get expensive. Winter Gear Drive for Kids is an opportunity for our Robinson community to come together and help all our students be warm this winter. If your child needs Winter Gear, please go to: https://forms.gle/4KWQkq3ifXiCnLXh6
FREE FOOD PANTRY THIS THURSDAY!
Please use the preschool entrance on the south side parking lot of our building.
Included in our pantry this week are:
Fresh fruits, eggs, meats, frozen meals, breakfast items, and more! Thank you to CARITAS for the fresh and frozen food donation.
Thank you to all families who have sent in or dropped off donations for the pantry. If you are interested in supporting the pantry, we can use canned fruit, canned vegetables, feminine hygiene products and easy dinner prep-kits for families.
Thank you for considering!
PUSHOUT: Virtual Screening
The Robinson Equity Group will be hosting a virtual screening of the film Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools on Friday, October 22 at 6:00 pm. After the film, Dr. Shonda Ambers-Phillips, KSD's Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, will lead us in discussion. We invite you and to join us for this event.
Click here to join the zoom meeting.
Please contact Jill Capes and Alicia Stowers, Robinson Equity Group, if you have any questions! We hope you can join us!
REPEAT INFORMATION:
Kirkwood United Methodist Hosting a Panel on Race & Education
Anyone interested is welcome to attend.
Discussions to be held at the church are:
*Racial Justice Panel: Growing up Black in St. Louis-- Sunday, October 24th
*Race, Taxation, and Legislation Panel Discussion-- Sunday, November 7th
ROBINSON EQUITY GROUP(REG) Kids' Book Club
Students in grades 3-5 are invited to read Stamped (For Kids), by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, with their caregivers and join us in discussions led by Robinson educators.
Every other Wednesday
Nov. 3 - Apr. 13
6:30-7:30 pm on Zoom
Books will be lent to families forthe duration of the book club!
QUESTIONS?
MORE INFO AND
SIGN UP HERE: HTTPS://FORMS.GLE/ZRX88RKUMKGVQU729
TAKE SUICIDAL COMMENTS SERIOUSLY
Last month was Suicide Awareness Month. The information shared in our weekly communication in September may have seemed, to some, that it did not apply to our elementary students, but it does. Over the past 5 years we have seen an increase in suicidal thoughts and comments from our students at Robinson. This trend is not unique to our school or district, and it is the reason we are sharing this information. Since the beginning of the school year, we have performed Suicide Risk Assessments every week.
Please take any suicidal comments and/or actions your child says seriously and follow up with an agency (list provided below) or a professional if needed. Some comments we hear are, "I don't want to be here anymore," "I want to be in heaven," and "I want to die." Many times an adult's first idea is to respond to that with, "you don't mean that." We ask you to please pause and, instead ask, "tell me more about that?" This one question can provide you with knowledge of what is behind the statement-- if there a serious threat with a plan, or if this was a poor choice of words to express some other idea. If you are still unsure, please err on the side of caution and call one of the 24 hour/7 day a week hotlines listed below.
Contact Information for 2021-22 School Year
ROBINSON COUNSELING TEAM
Indria Harris
School Counselor, preK-2nd grade
Indria.harris@kirkwoodschools.org
314-213-6100, ext. 4061
School Counselor, 3rd-5th grade
julie.cohen@kirkwoodschools.org
314-213-6100, ext. 4470
Tonya Ampey-Elong
Social Worker, KSD
tonya.ampey@kirkwoodschools.org
314-213-6100, ext. 4042
*At Robinson on Mondays and Wednesdays
Ana Shields
Educational Support Counselor
ana.shields@kirkwoodschools.org
314-213-6100, ext. 4065
*At Robinson all day Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday's until noon