Jefferson Press
Summer 2020
Just wanted to hope you all have a great Summer and pass along some helpful information throughout the summer.
Enrollment for next year
Have them go to www.boiseschools.org and Our Schools and How to Enroll. Select Online Registration System. http://www.boiseschools.org/cms/one.aspx?pageId=1824421
Thank you for your help. And....See you next fall.
Principal Corner
Fantastic Falcon Community,
I cannot believe that another year has passed and this has certainly been the strangest one that I can remember. I hope that you are finding joy daily and searching for hope to get your family through and to make the most of a very serious and challenging situation. We at the Boise School District have altered all of our Professional Development plans for the summer and are working feverishly at creating “Online classrooms for all grades and subjects for next year in addition to moving forward with our plan to open our schools in August. We will continue to learn and grow together but I do want you to know that there will be many serious options ready for you and your child in the fall so that you can select what may be safest for your particular situation.
We have some changes on our staff for next year. Mrs. O’Meara will be moving to White Pine Elementary and Mrs. Bronson will be moving up to 2nd grade. Mrs. Wiedemeier will be moving from 5th grade to 1st grade, and Mr. Matier will be the teacher for all 5th grade students next year. Mrs. Runner, from Whitney, will be replacing Mrs. Delamarter for Kindergarten who is going to Whitney. We are sad for O’Meara and Delamarters departure but wish them the best of luck with their future endeavors and are excited for the new opportunities for our other teachers in the building.
We are planning on opening the school in accordance with CDC recommendations in August and look forward to greeting our students in NEW ways. It will kill me not to bear hug our kiddos but we will all be safe and careful to progress through each stage of the COVID 19, situation as safely as possible.
In the meantime, you have had more quality time with your children and will continue to hunker down with them for quite some time.
This article from “Love and Logic” seems pretty timely.
“Mommy! Look at me!”
“Daddy! Look at me!”
We’ve all heard this from our kids. We’ve also seen how their faces brighten when we stop what we are doing to notice their interests, unique gifts, or accomplishments. Built into our DNA is a strong desire…a strong need…to be noticed.
Being noticed means that others enjoy us.
Being noticed means that we are valuable and loved.
Being noticed provides hope…even in the midst of very tough times.
Do this at least twice a week:
Say, “I notice that you___________."
Examples include:
•“I notice that you like to play with your cars. I noticed that.”
•“I notice that you like to talk on the phone with your friends.”
•“I notice that you keep your car really clean.”
•“I notice that you like to make things with wood.”
Warning—this can feel weird, particularly to teens who feel obligated to act cool or aloof. That’s okay. If you hear something like, “You are being so weird.” Just smile and reply, “I know,” and give them some space. It will work anyway.
When our kids act like they don’t like being
noticed, it usually means that they need it all the more.
During tough times…like our world is experiencing right now…receiving the reassurance of being noticed goes a long way toward helping our kids cope. It decreases the odds that they will feel compelled to act out in order to gain our attention.
I look forward to seeing all of you in the fall. Stay safe, healthy and find your happiness!
YMCA Day Camps Available
Counselor Information
BSU has also created a website to help with COVID-19 and other health concerns. Check out the Idaho Regional Alcohol Drug Awareness Resource
Greetings Jefferson Families,
This is a stressful, confusing, and wild time for everyone- parents, students, and educators. I miss seeing everyone so much! I wanted to pass on some tips and information to help with stress management at this time. Summer is fast approaching and I hope you can make time for gratitude and finding calm in simple joys as our lives have slowed down a bit. Summer is not cancelled and I hope you find many ways to accept that the universe has sent us a different curriculum for now.
Please feel free to contact me should you need extra support and resources .
Candace Bauer ,School Counselor
208 854 5266
For now Boise Parks and Rec has a wide range virtual classes so you can continue to connect learn and engage:
The library also has many wonderful online opportunities :
https://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/
Protecting Your Family’s Mental Health
It is normal that many parents are concerned about the impact the coronavirus epidemic is having on their emotional health and their children's mental well-being. Kids and teens, too, are expressing their own worries about the impact COVID 19 is having on their lives.
Here is the good news, there are some steps you can take to protect your family's mental health during this very difficult time.
Ask these daily questions:
What am I grateful for today?
Who am I checking on or connecting with today?
What expectations of normal am I letting go of today?
How am I getting outside today?
How am I moving my body today?
What beauty am I creating or letting in today?
What follows below is a condensed version of what Dr. Susan Bartell, a nationally recognized parenting expert, author, and child psychologist, said in her telecast March 24, 2020.
• Know That This Will End- Although right now the pandemic feels endless, we need to remind ourselves and our kids that it won't be. Although we don’t know the specific timeline, the need for social distancing, closures, and the life changes we are currently experiencing aren't permanent. Knowing this makes it much easier to cope.
• Make Social Distancing and Self-Quarantining Manageable- For all of us, social distancing is a temporary fact of life, including business and school closures. For many, mandatory quarantine will be inevitable. Based on conversations I've had with people about COVID-19, these are the two chief concerns causing people to stress and worry. There are five steps (aside from
stockpiling toilet paper) that will make it much easier to cope.
1. Resist the urge to treat this time as a vacation- Wake up each morning at a regular time. Make sure your kids are awake at the same time each morning as well, as if it was a school and work day. Keep a regular routine (bedtime, meal time, etc) as well. This will help both adults and kids feel some normalcy within the disruption and will also make it much easier to transition back to regular life.
2. Create a schedule for yourself and your children for each day- For example, if they need to do schoolwork online, or work sent home by teachers, set aside the same time each day for children to do their homework without distractions. This will be easier with middle and high schoolers because many schools are conducting distance learning.
For younger children, it's up to parents to structure learning time during the day. For adults, a schedule is also important, whether or not you have a job outside the home. With young children at home, this may be challenging. However, creating a daily routine is important for everyone’s mental health, even if it is fully focused around the schedule you create for your kids.
3. Your family's schedule should include physical activity. Social isolating can trigger sad feelings and even depression. Exercise is scientifically known to combat these feelings, so use in-home equipment and find workouts online. If you are not quarantined, take regular walks or bike rides, especially with children- try working out a minimum of three times a week for at least 30 minutes. Set regular, scheduled times for exercise.
4. Limit your family’s exposure to news- It can be tempting to watch 24-hour news during this time. However, it is emotionally healthier to resist the urge to spend many hours watching the news. This can increase anxiety in children and adults. Younger children, in particular, can find the news scary. Set a limit of no more than a couple hours per day for watching and reading about the coronavirus. Do not keep it on in the background at home or in the car.
5. Use technology for social interaction- Don't retreat from social interaction – regular phone and video chatting with close friends and family is important for mental health. Even young children can and should video chat with grandparents, friends and cousins.
• Starting Now, Make Plans Only for the Very Near Future – About Three Days- People are experiencing an enormous amount of anxiety because they aren't sure what will happen a week or a month from now. A temporary but important shift in mindset can significantly alleviate this anxiety. For now, resist the urge to plan trips or activities more than three days in advance. By doing this, you will dramatically reduce anxiety related to decision-making and the question of whether you should cancel plans or not. You will have far fewer decisions to make.
• Rely on Official Health Recommendations to Make Difficult Decisions- It can be immobilizing and painful to have to reconsider attending significant social engagements. Even more difficult is the decision to cancel major events such as a wedding, birthday party, bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah, holiday gathering, or anniversary celebration. While this can still be incredibly sad,
it is easier to rely on the advice of health officials to guide your decision. Remove your own opinion (or the opinion of others) from the decision-making process and rely solely on health and safety recommendations.
• Acknowledge Painful Changes Related to Social Distancing- There have been many stories of emotional loss over the last couple of weeks: a bat mitzvah party canceled, a wedding postponed, baby showers canceled, a 90th birthday party abandoned, countless college graduation ceremonies likely to not happen and college and high school seniors being unable to
complete their final year or experience prom. These decisions are clearly necessary for the health of all, but yet are real losses that have a significant emotional impact. Allow yourself and your kids to talk about sad, frustrated feelings surrounding these losses. In some instances, a child’s strong reaction to a more minor loss (e.g. sadness that a sports season ended early) may seem like too much given the severity of our current circumstances. But, for them, many minor losses and changes could feel very large and scary. Allow space for all feelings, including sadness, anger and frustration. Give yourself and your children time to adjust.
• Know Anxiety or Depression Could Get Worse- Significant life stress, social isolation or the current unpredictability in the world could exacerbate anxiety or cause a resurgence in those who have experienced it in the past. This is true for children, teens, and adults who struggle with anxiety disorders. The risk for depression is particularly high for teens and young adults,
especially when they feel isolated from their friends. If you believe you have a child who is at risk for depression, keep a close eye on them and seek help if necessary.
• Try Not to Pass Your Anxiety on to Your Kids- Adults that struggle with anxiety are likely to find this time particularly difficult. Nonetheless, it is important to do your best not to pass on your worries and fears to your children. We should communicate reasonable concern and enforce responsible social distancing, based on health recommendations. But we shouldn't dwell on worst-case scenarios related to COVID-19 or catastrophize in a way that will cause kids and teens unnecessary worry or fear.
Additional Resources for help:
YOUTH SUPPORT from the Department of Health and Welfare:
During these challenging times, feelings of stress and isolation can be normal. We are available to help by providing you with resources such as the following: Identify needs. Make referrals. Mental health crisis support.
Additional resource help MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00AM-5:00PM AFTER HOURS CRISIS LINE 208-334-0808 OPT 2 IDAHO SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE 208-398-HELP(4357) Covered School Districts Boise West Ada Kuna McCall- Donnelly Horseshoe Bend Basin Mountain Home .
Any questions or concerns regarding COVID-19, please contact the COVID-19 hotline at 888-330-3010 Children's Mental Health 208-334-0981