In this issue...

You can find information on the following topics below.

• TBRI Learning Opportunities to Explore
  
• Lessons from the Field: Concurrent Teaching
  
• A Grant Opportunity For Healthy Schools
  
• A link to the video of the middle- and high school PALS training

To students who made the time to attend the PALS training, to high school PALS who really advocated for middle school PALS voices, to PALS teachers and counselors who are making the time to re-envision programs to meet their school's current needs, and to all of the counselors, student support staff, teachers, and administrators at each school who really see PALS as a tool to keep students feeling safe, seen, and engaged at school--even when school looks unlike any other school year in anyone's lifetime, THANK YOU.

PALS wouldn't be PALS without all of you. In fact, PALS wouldn't be. More than half of AISD students are in schools with a PALS presence. Of all volunteer and mentoring programs, we provide the greatest number of highly-trained mentors to our schools. So, THANK YOU!

With sincere love and gratitude,

The PALS Fam

We saw PALS from just about every PALS school attend over the three scheduled iterations of the training. PALS from Akins, Anderson, Ann Richards, Akins, Bowie, Crockett, Dobie, Eastside Memorial, Gorzycki, Lamar, LASA, LBJ, McCallum, Northeast, and Travis all came together to get to know each other and support one another in learning, taking risks, and having fun.

You can find each of these in the HCP, so I won't put the full descriptions here. Just know that the following learning opportunities are coming up this month. The workshops around mindfulness and regulation might be useful for guiding your PALS as they meet with PALees.

• Course: LSS.44264 Trust Based Relational Intervention
  Section: 96142 Trust Based Relational Intervention Deeper Dive: Using Experiential Activities in Nature to Promote Mindfulness and Regulation
  Dates: November 12, 2020 to November 12, 2020
  Time: November 12, 2020 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
  
• Course: LSS.44264 Trust Based Relational Intervention
  Section: 96128 Trust Based Relational Intervention Overview Virtual Learning Series: Correcting
  Dates: November 17, 2020 to November 17, 2020
  Time: November 17, 2020 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
  
• Course: LSS.44264 Trust Based Relational Intervention
  Section: 96127 Trust Based Relational Intervention Overview Virtual Learning Series: Empowering
  Dates: November 10, 2020 to November 10, 2020
  Time: November 10, 2020 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
  
• Course: LSS.44264 Trust Based Relational Intervention
  Section: 96139 Trust Based Relational Intervention Deeper Dive: Hacking the Brain - Regulation Through Brain Science
  Dates: November 5, 2020 to November 5, 2020
  Time: November 5, 2020 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
  
• Course: LSS.44264 Trust Based Relational Intervention
  Section: 96124 Trust Based Relational Intervention Overview Virtual Learning Series: Connecting
  Dates: November 4, 2020 to November 4, 2020
  Time: November 4, 2020 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

You may also be interested in checking out a workshop called Lessons from the Field: Concurrent Teaching. This is not a PALS-specific training, but it might be helpful to see real AISD teachers successfully sorting out the logistics of concurrent teaching. It may be enlightening or validating!

Finally, I know that some service projects seem like they can really save the world, but getting the resources to actually DO THE THING can be nearly impossible. Below is a grant opportunity for folks looking to improve school health. If you have another area on which you'd like to focus, please reach out to Ryan O'Donnell at the Office of Innovation and Development. He can help you figure out if there's a grant to help your PALS realize their big ideas.

Applications for the Texas Department of State Health Services Reaching for Excellence in Texas School Health Grant are now being accepted. This opportunity aims to support new school-based projects that focus on nutrition, physical activity, or injury prevention while engaging with students, families, and the community.

Application Deadline: November 22, 2020

Award Amount: up to $4,500

Eligibility: Eligible applicants include PK-12 educators. Anyone interested should visit the website to read the guidelines and view the application.

How to Apply: Applications are accepted online at https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth/awards.shtm

To search for additional campus grant opportunities on our Austin ISD Grants Database, go to www.austinisd.org/oid/grants-fundraising/grant-database.

For more information or assistance, contact Texas DSHS at schoolhealth@dshs.texas.gov or Ryan O’Donnell at ryan.odonnell@austinisd.org (AISD Office of Innovation and Development).