Miner Mondays
Placerita Jr. High School - March 11, 2019
This Week at Placerita
I know it is hard to believe but we only have two weeks left in this quarter which ends on March 22. Feel free your students to spend some time this week making sure they are all caught up with work for grades.
On Monday this week, the 8th graders will be attending the DFY in SCV Drug Prevention Program during the day.
On Wednesday 7th Grade students will receive the registration guide for selecting their electives for next year. On the morning of March 19, while the 8th graders are at Hart, they will be meeting to make those selections.
Thursday is a District wide Minimum Day for Professional Development. School will dismiss at 12:00 Noon. All of us are going in many different directions. We are having PD for Classified staff here at Placerita Starting at 12:30 in Tanner Hall.
Friday is POTATO BAR! Thanks to everyone that signed up. We are almost full on the list. Check the list as you sign in on Monday and see what else we need.
ASB will also have a Brunch Activity on Friday.
As a reminder for next week we will have our annual visit from our Japanese students on Monday, March 18th. Let's give them a big Placerita welcome! We will have 11 students visiting this year. ASB will be their hosts throughout the day.
We will also be having a Parents and Student Empowerment evening at Placerita on March 20. See the flyer below for more information.
Don't forget... As a reminder from last week...
Club H. O. T. is feeding the homeless again!
PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY DRIVE (SANDWICH BAGGIES TOO!)
“Sandwich”, a local SCV not for profit organization, has a heartfelt and simple mission to feed the homeless. Every other week they place 250 sandwiches in the hands of less fortunate individuals. That’s a lot of PB & J and sandwich bags too! How can you help? Please consider donating the following to make a difference in the lives of many.
Peanut butter (15 ounces or larger/any style/any brand)
Jelly (15 ounces or larger/any flavor/any brand)
Sandwich bags (zip lock style/ 50+ bags)
All donations should be delivered to room 604 by FRIDAY, March 15. Thank you!
**For NJHS service hours, please consider donating a “3-pack” (1 of each item) for an hour of service. Maximum of 2 hours can be awarded for 6 total items.**
**Sandwich making will take place on Monday, 3/18 from 2:45 – 3:30 and on Tuesday, 3/19 from 2:45 – 3:30 in room 604. Service hours can be earned. You MUST sign up ahead of time to participate in this event. Space is limited. Listen to MMTV for announcements.**
Tuesday and Wednesday
Hart Auditorium and Spanish at Tanner Hall.
Thursday
District wide PD Day
Friday
10 Reasons Teens Have So Much Anxiety Today
We've created an environment that fosters anxiety rather than resilience.
Posted Nov 03, 2017
Source: Fotolia
The New York Times recently published an article called, "Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety?" The author chronicled several teens' battle with anxiety over the course of a few years.
The article questioned why we're seeing such a rise in anxiety among today's youth. As a psychotherapist, college lecturer, and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do, I agree that anxiety is a widespread issue among adolescents. It's the most common reason people of all ages enter my therapy office.
Some young people are overachieving perfectionists with a crippling fear of failure. Others worry so much about what their peers think of them that they're unable to function.
Some have endured rough circumstances throughout their young lives. But others have stable families, supportive parents, and plenty of resources.
I suspect the rise in anxiety reflects several societal changes and cultural shifts we've seen over the past couple of decades. Here are the top 10 reasons:
1. Electronics offer an unhealthy escape.
Constant access to digital devices lets kids escape uncomfortable emotions like boredom, loneliness, or sadness by immersing themselves in games when they are in the car or by chatting on social media when they are sent to their rooms.
And now we're seeing what happens when an entire generation has spent their childhoods avoiding discomfort. Their electronics replaced opportunities to develop mental strength, and they didn't gain the coping skills they need to handle everyday challenges.
Happiness is emphasized so much in our culture that some parents think it's their job to make their kids happy all the time. When a child is sad, his parents cheer him up. Or when she's angry, they calm her down.
Kids grow up believing that if they don't feel happy around the clock, something must be wrong. That creates a lot of inner turmoil. They don't understand that it's normal and healthy to feel sad, frustrated, guilty, disappointed, and angry sometimes, too.
3. Parents are giving unrealistic praise.
Saying things like, "You're the fastest runner on the team," or "You're the smartest kid in your grade," doesn't build self-esteem. Instead, it puts pressure on kids to live up to those labels. That can lead to crippling fear of failure or rejection.
4. Parents are getting caught up in the rat race.
Many parents have become like personal assistants to their teenagers. They work hard to ensure their teens can compete: They hire tutors and private sports coaches and pay for expensive SAT prep courses. They make it their job to help their teens build transcripts that will impress a top school. And they send the message that their teen must excel at everything in order to land a coveted spot at such a college.
5. Kids aren't learning emotional skills.
We emphasize academic preparation and put little effort into teaching kids the emotional skills they need to succeed. In fact, a national survey of first-year college students revealed that 60 percent feel emotionally unprepared for college life.
Knowing how to manage your time, combat stress, and take care of your feelings are key components to living a good life. Without healthy coping skills, it's no wonder teens are feeling anxious over everyday hassles.
6. Parents view themselves as protectors rather than guides.
Somewhere along the line, many parents began believing their role is to help kids grow up with as few emotional and physical scars as possible. They became so overprotective that their kids never practiced dealing with challenges on their own. Consequently, these kids have grown up to believe they're too fragile to cope with the realities of life.
7. Adults don't know to help kids face their fears the right way.
At one end of the spectrum, you'll find parents who push their kids too hard. They force their children to do things that terrify them. On the other end, you'll find parents who don't push kids at all. They let their kids opt out of anything that sounds anxiety-provoking.
Exposure is the best way to conquer fear but only when it's done incrementally. Without practice, gentle nudging, and guidance, kids never gain confidence that they can face their fears head-on.
8. Parents are parenting out of guilt and fear.
Parenting stirs up uncomfortable emotions, like guilt and fear. But rather than let themselves feel those emotions, many parents are changing their parenting habits. So they don't let their kids out of their sight because it stirs up their anxiety, or they feel so guilty saying no to their kids that they back down and give in. Consequently, they teach their kids that uncomfortable emotions are intolerable.
9. Kids aren't being given enough free time to play.
While organized sports and clubs play an important role in kids' lives, adults make and enforce the rules. Unstructured play teaches kids vital skills, like how to manage disagreements without an adult refereeing. And solitary play teaches kids how to be alone with their thoughts and comfortable in their own skin.
10. Family hierarchies are out of whack.
Although kids give the impression that they'd like to be in charge, deep down they know they aren't capable of making good decisions. They want their parents to be leaders—even when there is dissension in the ranks. And when the hierarchy gets muddled—or even flipped upside down—their anxiety skyrockets.
How to Address the Anxiety Epidemic
We've created an environment that fosters anxiety in young people, rather than resilience. And while we can't prevent all anxiety disorders—there's definitely a genetic component—we can do a better job helping kids build the mental muscle they need to stay healthy.
From Psychology Today
Placerita Jr. High School
Email: jturner@hartdistrict.org
Website: www.placeritajuniorhigh.org
Location: 25015 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA, USA
Phone: 661-259-1551
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1506369076295455/
Twitter: @placeritajhs