Southside Connection
The Official Newsletter of South Garland High School
Principal's Corner
Happy New Year Southside Family!!
Here’s hoping your holiday was safe and restful, and that you are all recharged by relaxation and family time over the holidays. For me and my family, we are most grateful for the time to be together, enjoying each other’s company and feeling the relief of having no homework, deadlines, or pressure to get things done. Just a peaceful, quiet time to let the silence of tranquility enter our lives.
At these times, I am also very aware that our society has become very tense over the course of months in our country. These things and more often leave educators all across our system noticing more and more children with anxiety, whether it be a generalized form, or specific anxieties about events, situations or future events. We do a number of things at school to help with this, including individualized interventions.
You may be asking yourself what I can do to help my child who’s feeling anxious. Here are some of my thoughts, and a few strategies to support children with anxiety, borrowed from the Dallas County Community Health Center.
Help the child focus on their breath, slowly in through their nose and out the mouth. Many traditions around the world use this as a technique to focus, which then helps you become present and focus less on those things which may cause anxiety.
Help the child change their thinking from negative to positive. Sometimes this is as simple as helping them see the glass as half full, or recognizing there may be something positive in a situation that they are seeing as only negative. When we “beat the drum” of what is, it prevents us from seeing what might be. As Richard Bach said in Johnathon Livingston Seagull, “inside every problem is a gift”.
Get your child active. Do something fun, get outside, play a game, fresh air and exercise do a world of good for a body and mind. How often when we’re in a funk do we get outside/inside and exercise, only to come and realize we’re in a far better mindset than before we started the activity? This is a gift you can give a child.
Acknowledge your child’s feelings. This goes for the boys too. Unfortunately in our culture there are a lot of messages which portray feelings and emotions as a sign of weakness. Kids are taught to “be tough”, “suck it up”, “don’t be such a baby” and the like. A caring adult can help a child work through their challenges; “I can see you are worried about that-would you like to talk about it?” usually supports the child to talk about their feelings, and is the rst step in them moving on.
Be a healthy role model for children by taking care of yourself, and acknowledging your own emotions when you are feeling anxious or fearful. They will watch how you handle your own stressors, and that becomes their inner voice when it’s their turn to do the same.
Campus Updates:
Beginning January 11, all students must possess a school issued Identification Card before entry to the building. Students will be required to use their ID Badge to acquire lunch from the cafeteria, and enter any school related activities. The first card is free. Each additional card is $5.
Excessive attendance issues will result in a required meeting with parents. This includes excessive tardiness and unexcused absences.
Remote students who have failed a course for the fall semester are strongly encouraged to return to campus and attend after school and/or virtual tutorials as needed.
Face To Face students are required to attend school each day. Students who are coded F2F are not permitted to participate remotely.
Face To Face students who have failed a course for the fall semester are strongly encouraged to attend after school and/or virtual tutorials as needed.
Communication is key! Please keep us informed of any changes that will affect your child’s success in school.
Hopefully there are a few things in here you have found useful. Welcome back and all the best for a healthy and happy New Year!!
Educational Quote of the Week:
“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.”
-Clay P. Bedford
Tutorial Information
About Us
Email: a003@garlandisd.net
Website: https://www.garlandisdschools.net/sghs
Location: 600 Colonel Drive, Garland, TX, USA
Phone: 972-926-2700
Twitter: @SGHS_Coloners