Counseling & PBSES Newsletter
Newcastle Elementary
Dear Families,
Longsuffering is a word that comes to mind as we think about where we are in our school year. With 8 weeks to go, many students (and families!) are struggling to maintain motivation in order to "stay strong till the end!" Meanwhile, our global community is trying to persevere and lean into resilience after an exhausting year of fear and unknowns. For the remainder of the school year we will be sharing articles and resources we hope will offer some empathy, perspective, humor, and practical strategy. Something to cling to in these final weeks before summer. We continue to be in this together! #Lionstrong
~Kailey & Alex
Family Resilience
Resources for Families
ISD: Parent Workshop on Reporting Incidents related to Culture and Identity
- Workshop for parents of elementary students: April 27th @ 7:00pm - Register Here
- Workshop for parents of students grade 6-12: April 28th @ 7:00pm - Register Here
IFCB Clothing Events
- Tuesday, May 4th, 1:00-3:00pm
- Tuesday, May 18th, 1:00-3:00pm
Eastside Baby Corner: Car Seat Check Event
Need help with your car seat? Eastside Baby Corner is one of many organizations participating in King County's Car Seat Education and Installation Support. Registration is required. Contact wanday@babycorner.org to register. Issaquah dates include:
- May 15th
- June 19th
- July 24th
- September 25th
nami eastside: peer-to-peer
Mondays & Wednesdays, 5/10 - 6/2, 6:00-8:00pm
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 8-session educational program for adults with mental illness who are looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery. Taught by a trained team of people who've been there, the program includes presentations, discussion, and interactive exercises. Everything is confidential, and NAMI never recommends a specific medical therapy or treatment approach. Note: this class will meet twice per week, on Monday AND Wednesday, over a four week period. Classes are consecutive and each session builds on the knowledge of previous classes, so attending each class is very important. We ask participants to commit to attending every session. Register here.Supporting our AAPI & BIPOC Families
Resources to Use with Students:
Talking to kids about anti-Asian racism:
https://www.rebekahgienapp.com/anti-asian-racism/
Read Alouds to CELEBRATE our AAPI students:
My name is Yoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc6li0jFTfI
Mama's Sari's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSYlkehkNQ
My name is Jar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGCuOEoEXSc
A Different Pond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVTTJUBLLvQ
Taking Care of Ourselves During Times of Racial Stress & Collective Grief:
1. Build or access a support network. You are not alone in dealing with race-related stress and connecting with other people with similar experiences and feelings can help you to successfully navigate racism.
2. Incorporate cultural foods, activities, music, books, and other traditions into your home. For example, take some time for yourself to listen to music that reflect and promote your culture, that make you feel good about yourself.
3. Get some exercise. It can be as simple as going for a walk and enjoying the outside; (OR if you're like me and indoors feels safer right now) a simple 5-10 minutes of stretching or yoga exercises. Being physically active is proven to help reduce and manage stress.
4. Take 10-20 minutes to practice deep breathing exercises or meditation.
5. Journal a. Take 5-10 minutes in the morning, before, bed or both to write down your thoughts and feelings and reflect on your day. b. You can also write down positive affirmations or positive things that happened to you today.
6. Limit your media intake. Be mindful of the media you take in and how long you spend taking it in. The media can be a source of race-related stress, through constant coverage of racial violence. Try disconnecting from social media and news for 15 minutes to one hour today and reflect on how you feel afterwards.
7. Seek out counseling/therapy from therapists who you feel you can relate to or reflect your cultural values to discuss ongoing stressful situations, process complicated feelings, and strengthen your resolve.
8. If spirituality plays an important role in your life, use your belief system to cope with stress. This could involve connecting with other groups or individuals who share your spiritual beliefs, confiding in your spiritual leaders, or participating in your spiritual rituals (e.g., prayer, meditation).
9. Take some time to listen to a podcast that you enjoy. Or watch a funny tv show or funny animal YouTube videos.
Report an Incident of Hate or Bias
Swedish School Based Health Counselors
Coal Creek YMCA LEAP Program
Schoolhouse Rec!
Kailey Mutter
(346) 298-1228