News from Student Services
Nature Hill SMORE Addition
News from Student Services
Nature Hill Student Services Staff:
Brenda Barker, 6-8th School Counselor barkerb@oasd.org
Peihua Reinke, 5-6th grade School Counselor reinkep@oasd.org
Nicole Mara, School Social Worker maran@oasd.org
Heather Olwig, School Psychologist olwigh@oasd.org
Does your student need some support and want to schedule a meeting with someone from Student Services?
Parents/Guardians, please share this link with your student(s). The purpose of this link is to allow students to request a meeting with one of the student services team members. This link is a confidential link that will only be viewed by the student services team. If you have concerns or would like to request that your child is seen by one of the SST members, please send an email to the individual you wish to connect with.
Link to request form: https://forms.gle/cBkR8SBZxP17a6pV8
October is National Bullying Awareness Month
UNITY DAY!
Show your support! Wear something orange October 21st!
On October 21st is Unity Day, which is a chance for our students and staff to stand up for kindness, inclusion and acceptance, and stand up against bullying. This is represented by wearing the color orange on this day. ‘Upstanders’ refer to people who don’t just stand by to watch bullying occur, but ‘stand up’ to it by seeking help or speaking up. Wear your favorite orange clothing on October 21st and stand up against bullying!
Tips to address Bullying
What can Parents and Guardians do?
- Talk to your child and try to get more information. If they have specific details write them down. Ask open ended questions to try to find out if it is bullying or social conflict.
- Contact your child’s teacher or the school as soon as possible if it is happening at school. The sooner we can address the bullying the better. For peer conflict, we can discuss strategies with your child or have a mediation to have the students to work through the disagreement.
- Help empower your child. It is never your child’s fault if they get bullied. Offering strategies like looking and acting confident, using humor, staying calm and walking away, or telling an adult can give them skills to move forward.
- Encourage your child to stand up for others if they see bullying occur. They can also help by telling an adult if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe intervening.
What can Students do?
- Tell people in a direct and clear way if it is bothering them
- Stand up for others if they are being bullied
- Look and act confident
- Stay calm and try to walk away from the situation
- Use humor
- Tell an adult. If they try to handle the bullying on their own and it does not stop, adult intervention is advised
What will the School do?
- Staff members will talk to the student to assess the situation
- Staff can work with the student on empowerment strategies and skill building (communication, problem solving, emotional regulation, decision making)
- Use of Restorative Justice conference/Conflict Resolution
- Provide activities that build relationships and community - Circle of Power and Respect
- If it is bullying it will be referred to the Principal and administrative action will be taken
What is Mental Health?
Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act and has an impact on our emotional well-being. How we handle stress, make decisions, and interact with others are all pieces of our mental health. If we experience mental health struggles our mood, behaviors and thinking may be impacted. Mental health problems are common but with help, we can get support to improve our emotional health.
You may have noticed the phone numbers on the back of your student's name badges. These numbers for the crisis text line and the suicide hotline allow for our students to reach out for support if needed and develop coping skills to get through the tough times of the tween and teen years.
Crisis Text Line
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Parents United
Parents United is a coalition with local school districts. Their goal is to empower/help parents become effective advocates and informed decision makers. They provide educational workshops frequently featuring experts in various fields presenting on many topics. Events have been scheduled for 2020-21! As we begin the school year, 25 participants will be allowed to attend in person. A virtual attendance option will be available through Zoom. Please indicate how you will attend when you register. And please make note of our the in person location at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel this year.
Click here for our 2020-21 Event Brochure
LifeStriders
Opportunities For Your Family
This organization's mission is ensure something often overlooked at, such as shoes and winter boots, never is a barrier in a child's attendance or self-esteem. The organization provides shoes/boots and socks to any child who is signed up to do so. This process is confidential and is facilitated through your child(ren)'s school social worker. If interested, please reach out to Nicole Mara (maran@oasd.org) with questions on how to get signed up.
Do you live in Waukesha County and want help with Christmas presents for your student(s)? Complete the application for the Waukesha County Christmas Clearing Council by clicking on this link: http://www.christmasclearingcouncil.org/get-help.html . Complete the application before November 16th 2020.
To qualify for the program, you must live in Waukesha County, have placement of your student(s), and your income must meet qualifications. Special circumstances are considered. More information is provided in regards to qualification in the link above.
If you have questions, please call their office directly between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday to Friday at (262) 896-3390 or you can contact your school’s social worker.
More information will be coming at a later date about holiday support in Jefferson and Dodge County.