Thinking About You
LES Weekly Social-Emotional Update * May 21, 2020
Hello LES Families!
Welcome back to LES' weekly social-emotional newsletter! It was great to see so many friendly LES faces in this week's Monday Message! Thank you to those students (and families!) who took the time to record a Flipgrid video. Whether it was the weather, a joke or our LES send off, we appreciated connecting with you! In fact, we got so much positive feedback that we've decided to do it again for next week!! Here's all you have to do to record a video to be included in next Tuesday's Morning Message:
Be a Part of our Morning News Crew!
Using the Flipgrid link below, record one of 7 parts of the Tuesday Message! We can't wait to hear your jokes, weather reports and of course our LES send-off. Please submit your videos by Sunday, May 24 at noon. Please contact Mrs. Wall (mwall@ltps.org) with any questions. Click on this link to record: https://flipgrid.com/a14c8f43 (Use the arrow in the top right hand corner to see the drop down menu of topics.)
You have all proven that although this time of social distancing may be difficult, it doesn't isolate us from one another. Let's keep that connection strong - and know that we are here for you for whatever support you might need. Everyone here at LES is wishing you a very happy Memorial Day! #LawrenceStrong
Social/Emotional Read Aloud
Rachel's Day in the Garden
Coping Skill of the Week
It's important to try lots of different coping skills in order to find the ones that work best for you. Our list of coping skills from the last few weeks is growing! They include: find one good thing that happens each day and write it down, talk to someone you trust, wrap up in blanket or pillow fort, picture the people you care about, do a kindness for someone by writing a letter or baking a cake, focus on the positive by thinking positive thoughts or listing your positive qualities, and take a deep breath. The more coping skills we have to help us thru difficult times, the more resilient we will be. Learn more about the 5 Coping Skills Styles (with a handy checklist) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TjAYs7RBuM&feature=youtu.be. (Credit: Coping Skills for Kids)
Practice Mindfulness with Kira Willey's Mindful Moments!
You can also practice more mindfulness with Kira in her new "Zen Sessions," which will be released weekly on You Tube. The first one, linked below, focuses on kindness, and incorporates music, mindfulness and fun to help us cope with our BIG feelings.
More Ways to Practice Mindfulness
COVID-19 Time Capsule
Journaling. Writing down our thoughts and feelings is a great way to be in the moment, and therefore is a great mindfulness activity. The COVID-19 Time Capsule (linked below) is a helpful guide to help children record their thoughts and feelings during this eventful time - in history and in their lives! Writing and talking about their feelings can also help them process these emotions and can even give them an opportunity to highlight the strengths that they have shown and the strategies that they have learned.
Parent Resources
Helpful webinars. As social distancing continues, our emotions, and those of everyone in our household, change daily (and maybe even from hour to hour!) If you'd like some ideas to help you manage and cope with these difficult feelings (both your own and your child's), here is a helpful webinar presented by Sage Thrive entitled "Dealing with Difficult Emotions in Adults and Children in the Time of Covid." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkh640si75c&feature=youtu.be
An additional webinar entitled "Practical Advice for Helping Students Learn at Home" will be added to their website this week. Check our their website at https://www.sagethrivetoday.com/resource-center/ for more webinar topics and links to podcasts to support the mental health of teens and young adults.
Community Support
New Beginnings Community Center for Wellbeing - 2538 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville. Food Pantry distribution every Thursday from 4-6 pm. No registration or ID is required. All social distancing guidelines, along with masks/gloves, will be practiced. (If you are able to donate to the food pantry, please contact them at 609-510-5633 or check out their website at www.nbcommunity.org.)
HomeFront - 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrenceville. Food pantry distributes from the side loading dock on Mondays from 11am-2pm, Tuesdays from 3pm-6pm and Thursdays from 11am-2pm. 609-989-9417 or e-mail homefront@homefrontnj.org
Lawrence Community Center - 295 Eggerts Crossing Road, Lawrenceville. Food pantry distributes on the first and third Thursday of each month. (609) 883-3379
Melissa Wall, School Counselor
Email: mwall@ltps.org
Website: www.ltps.org
Phone: (609)759-1616
Twitter: @MelissaWallLES