Welcome to the #mindfulAISD newsletter for the week of April 24th. This will serve as a way to highlight the awesome mindfulness work being done across the district as well as offer resources. Have suggestions for material you'd like to see on here? Please email the SEL Mindfulness Specialist: james.butler@austinisd.org

Send James Butler an email with a brief story and/or photo (if you have photo releases for your students). Or if you're on Twitter, use the hashtag #mindfulAISD and I'll post a link to your tweet on the newsletter.

SEL Specialists have hosted Self-Care days for teachers, and some campus leaders have put together resources for self-guided self-care. These have been held in various spaces on campus, including the teachers lounge. I've attached a link for signs if you'd like to do something similar on your campus. Have questions? Please email me, james.butler@austinisd.org or contact your campus SEL Specialist.

*Sign credit: Angela Bailey, SEL Specialist*

Understanding the brain is key to understanding benefits of mindfulness. This video explains different parts of the brain, their purpose, and how we can rewire our brain.

"His approach, taught in a very simple method, creates a bridge between true human potential and the latest scientific theories of neuroplasticity. He explains how thinking in new ways, as well as changing beliefs, can literally rewire one's brain. The premise of his work is founded in his total conviction that every person on this planet has within them, the latent potential of greatness and true unlimited abilities."

*Thanks to Dr. Claude Bonazzo, Research Analyst: AISD Research & Evaluation, for sharing this video.*

Links to all the previous newsletters with a highlight or two from each edition.

Week of April 17 (MindYeti Update & Mindfulness in Middle School PE)

Week of April 10 (8 Principles of Teaching Mindfulness to Teens & Rainbow Walk)

Week of April 3 (Teachers Getting Mindfulness Training & One Minute Practice CE Video)

Week of March 27 (Calm Before Testing Resources)

Week of March 20 (April Mindfulness Challenge & Mindfulness Online Course)

Week of March 6 (Free Mindfulness Program--Smiling Mind & Multilingual Mindfulness)

Week of February 27 (Teacher Testimonial & 7 Tips for those who say they can't meditate)

Week of February 20 (Multilingual Mindfulness & Zen Den YouTube Videos)

Week of February 13 (Mindful Brain Poster & CE credit video w/ Jon Kabat-Zinn)

Week of February 6 (GoNoodle Mindfulness Document & Mindfulness Research Newsletter)

Week of January 30 (Rodriguez ES Mindfulness Studio & Mindful Coloring pages)

Week of January 23 (3 Simple Remedies for Stressed-Out Mind & Kindfulness article)

Week of January 17 (Science of mindfulness & Breathing Sticks activity)

Week of January 9 (SEL in Austin Family Magazine & Link to De-Escalation Strategies Poster)

Week of January 3 (List of mindfulness sites & mindfulness is good for teachers article)

Week of December 12 (List of mindfulness apps & Mindfulness Challenge recap)

Week of December 5 (Scientifically proven song for relaxation & Mindfulness Tour recap)

Week of November 28 (#mindfulAISD YouTube Playlist link)

Week of November 14 (GIFs for deep breathing & Breathing script for HS--Palm the Present Moment by Donald Altman from "The Mindfulness Toolbox")

Week of November 7 (AISD e-Wellness spotlight)

Week of October 31 (Mindfulness Challenge update)

Week of October 24 (Progressive Muscle Relaxation script)

Week of October 17 ("Just Breathe" mindfulness video)

Week of October 10 (Stop Breathe Think App/Site & Curious Not Furious article)

Week of October 3 (Pokemon poses & Mindfulness and the Brain article)

Week of September 26 (Replacing Detention w/ Meditation article & Guided Breathing tracks in Spanish & English)

Week of September 19 (Teacher Self-Care & Connecting Mindfulness w/ SEL: Mind Yeti)

Week of September 12 (KEYE News feature & Helping Teens Destress)

If you haven't filled out the #mindfulAISD Google Form (below) and want to highlight your work and/or receive mindfulness support, please check it out. It only takes about 1 minute to complete. Know someone in AISD interested in mindfulness? Send them this newsletter for them to fill out the Google Form.