SSD Lindbergh Schools
March 2022 Community Engagement Newsletter
The best part about working in education is the students. We are so proud of all of our students and would like to highlight one of them below.
Ava Giles
Ava Giles is the recipient of Special School District’s highest student honor, the Rosemary Zander Award. Students who receive this award are honored for their achievements in academics, arts, athletics, communication, vocation training, independent living skills and community service.
Ava was nominated by SSD speech-language pathologist, Cyndra Franquemont, and was selected by the judging committee because of her accomplishments in Girl Scouts, Jazz Lab, participation in symphonic, marching and concert bands, St. Louis Children’s Choir, as well as A+ tutoring.
Mrs. Franquemont has known Ava since her freshman year at Lindbergh High School and attests that Ava has always been a great role model to students, treating all with kindness, concern, and respect. Ava shows everyone the same kindness regardless of their challenges or difficulties and is an exemplary role model.
Ava has participated in the Girl Scouts program for many years. As a Girl Scout, Ava engaged in numerous community service programs such as cleaning creeks and packaging school supplies for those in need. Her dedication to the mission of the Scouting program, "A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency,” is shown through the many activities and community service programs she has performed as a Girl Scout.
Ava has been a devoted student of music and has participated widely in the Lindbergh music program. Currently, she is a member of the Jazz Lab, a position for which she had to audition in order to participate. She has been a member of the symphonic, marching, and concert bands during her entire high school career. Ava also was a member of the Pit Orchestra last year for the school musical. She sees her music as a way to provide beauty and healing to the world.
Another music activity which Ava has engaged in is the very prestigious St. Louis Children’s Choir. She has been a member of the Children’s Choir from 2013 to the present. In order to participate in the choir, students must pass a rigorous audition. In her own words she states, “I participated by singing in the choir with my friends in order to heal mankind”.
Approximately 20 students who show leadership potential participate in a year of training through the Fred Saigh Leadership Program. Ava was nominated and chosen to participate during this school year. The curriculum introduces, fosters and develops leadership skills by involving students in issues that plague the community. At the completion of the program, the students return to their respective schools equipped to campaign for school offices, manage school projects and assume leadership positions. Ava has had many rich experiences through this program this year.
Ava has clocked 50 hours of tutoring by being an assistant during summer band camp and acted as a mentor to younger students.
Ava has received Renaissance Awards for the past 4 years. In 2016/2017, 2018/2019, and 2019/2020, she received an award for perfect attendance and a GPA of 3.5+. In 2021 she was awarded the Kiwanis Club Student of the month for October.
Ava is such an outstanding student in so many areas, a wonderful young lady inside and out who is so caring, kind, and a bright light to the world!
Literacy Connections - Let’s Write by Diana Weber, Instructional Coach
March 17th is Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, ® a national holiday celebrated every third Thursday in March. Every year, millions of people write or tell a young person in their life why they matter and what makes them amazing. This holiday was founded in 1997 to encourage and inspire young people nationwide. The mission of AIKD is to help kids "use their voice and find their sparks." Each young person has different passions. Exploring early can improve their chances of success by helping kids figure out who they are and how to celebrate their passions.
After reading about Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® I took a minute to reflect. As a parent, I think my kids are incredible, but do I tell them how incredible they are enough? I find that it’s easy for me to brag about my kids to my friends when they aren’t around, but do I tell my kids how incredible I think they are through my parental lens? Our kids are AMAZING, WONDERFUL, and INCREDIBLE, but I often find myself overwhelmed by the to-do lists, running every direction but straight to make it to practice, or wherever else their busy schedule dictates, that I often fall short and forget to tell them just how INCREDIBLE I think they are. I realized, in this moment, that I can do better.
The recommended activity to honor this day is to write your child a letter. Simply tell your child what makes him so incredible. Your kids would love to hear about how incredible they are and how much they mean to you. My challenge for this month is to celebrate your child’s awesomeness by writing them a note! Modeling this task of writing and sharing a handwritten note could have a big impact on both self-esteem and literacy skills. I know as a parent, I am guilty of getting so bogged down by the hustle and bustle of the day that I often forget to model basic literacy for my kids, simple things such as writing a handwritten note. Kids learn by observing their surroundings. As I reflect on my own adult habits, I come to the realization that I’m not modeling what literacy at home should look like as often as I’d like to. Removing the technology and replacing it with some common literacy tasks might be just what my children need to connect the importance of writing, reading, and life skills. I challenge you to think about your own literacy habits, are you modeling literacy at home? Do you need a nudge or maybe a challenge for yourself or your household to read, write, and explore a little more? Is it time to put the electronic devices to the side for a bit?
On March 17th I plan to honor Absolutely Incredible Kid Day by writing my kids a note, to say exactly why I think they are incredible, and I challenge you to do the same. In all the chaos right now, maybe we just need to stop and share with our kids how awesome and amazing they are. Here’s to taking a pause and getting back to the basics.
Happy Writing!
Additional Resources
https://campfire.org/absolutely-incredible-kid-day/
https://campfire.org/programs/
LPAC Presents Special Education Resource Fair
Join us on April 9th from 9:00 -12:30 for our first ever Hope, Community & Family Special Education Resource Fair. The event will be held at Concord Elementary School and includes resources from around St. Louis and St. Louis County. Our schedule of events is as follows:
9:00 Families arrive & circulate to view displays/tables
9:50 Welcome and overview to families by District Directors
10:00 Keynote Address - Michelle Levi-Perez
10:15-10:20 Break - families move to classrooms for presentation selected
Breakouts:
10:20-10:50 Breakout #1
10:55-11:25 Breakout #2
11:30-12:00 Breakout #3
12:00-12:30 Wrap up and an opportunity to visit with other families or presenters
Some of our presenters include:
ARC
TASK
Electric Interactions
Starkloff Disability Institute
Youth in Need
CHADS
Attorneys for rights and guardianship
Access 4 All
Chiodini Financial Group
Contact Dr. Joy Doyle (jmdoyle@ssdmo.org) or Dr. Jill Lawson (jlawson@lindberghschools.ws) for further information.
BE PRESENT. BE PEACEFUL. BE AWARE.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness means to actively bring focus to the now. It is having no judgment on your thoughts and feelings about where you are at this moment. Being mindful is to be completely present during an experience, allowing yourself to feel all the feelings and label the sensations you feel during your experiences, giving your attention to another person completely; mindfulness is intended to be a journey toward enlightenment.
How can it help?
The research behind mindfulness is in very early stages and will take time before there are peer-reviewed studies that provide scientific evidence. However, people who use mindfulness have reported many positive effects. They report it reduces anxiety, depression, insomnia, physical pain, addictions, blood pressure and can improve overall health, awareness, mental clarity, brain function, heart health, self-confidence, and mood.
Can I Practice Mindfulness?
When you wake up in the morning, don't reach for your phone. Instead, breathe. As you breathe, bring your awareness to your body and your thoughts. Allow your thoughts to have space in your head. Pay attention to how your body feels at this moment. How is your heart? How is your stomach? How is your head? Does your body change as your thoughts change? Some important steps to practicing mindfulness are:
1. Set a clear intention: what do you want to accomplish? What do you want your outcome to be?
2. Slow down, take a pause - so often we run on auto-pilot, letting our muscle memory move us through the day. Find ways to slow your auto-pilot down and allow your slower thinking to take over.
3. Practice gratitude - show gratitude for all you have in your life.
4. Check-in often using your senses to determine how your body is feeling.
5. Breathe.
Bringing Mindfulness to your House-
Mindfulness is a tool you can share with your children for everyday use. It may support self-regulation, focus, and positive relationships. Here are some quick and easy ways you can add mindfulness to your house:
1. Mindful breathing
2. Guided meditation or journeys
3. Body scans: do a body self check-in
4. Break bells: a sound that reminds your family to pause
5. Gratitude journals
Community Events
March 1-April 15 The Rep-Imaginary Theater Company Virtual Theater Showcase
Gain access to Tomas and the Library Lady and Puss in Boots
https://www.repstl.org/events/detail/imaginary-theatre-company-svod-showcase
March 8-10-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Fox Theater
https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/charlie
March 11-Mom/Son Lego Night at the Manchester Park Building
https://www.stlsprout.com/calendar/todays-events/eventdetail/222149/-/mom-son-lego-night
March 16-Clay Classes at Laumeier Park
https://www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/clay-classes
March 18-Wren/Chickadee house building at Lone Elk Park- 1-2pm
https://www.stlsprout.com/calendar/todays-events/eventdetail/208224/-/wren-chickadee-house-building
March 26-Geo-Caching at Queeny Park-10:30-12:00
https://www.stlsprout.com/calendar/todays-events/eventdetail/208218/-/geocaching-101
Sundays-Open Play at Urban Fort-Soulard 8:30am-2:00pm
https://www.urbanfortplay.com/play-time
Family and Community Engagement
Spotlight
Mental Health First Aid Training for SSD Families - Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, and others to help adolescents experiencing mental health and/or addictions challenge or crisis. It is designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.
Nationally this course is valued at $170; due to a grant from Missouri's Department of Mental Health and a collaboration with the Ferguson Community Center, you have the opportunity to attend at no cost.
Saturday, March 19th from 9 – 1:30 PM at Ferguson Community Center. 1050 Smith Ave, Ferguson, MO 63135
Space is limited. To register click here. Registration will close on Monday, March 7th or when all seats are filled.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Opportunity
If you are interested in becoming a Youth Mental Health First Aider. please complete one of the forms below begin registering for the event. After submitting the information on this form, you will receive an email inviting you to complete the user registration for the course on Saturday, March 19th at 9 AM at the Ferguson Community Center. (Please note: There is limited seating available for this training. You will be notified by email when you are enrolled.)
For Families, go to this Google link to register: https://forms.gle/28CzBcceYgadDhJk6
Family Resources Available
Did you know…. "The Missouri Division of Developmental Disabilities provides services for individuals with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, and epilepsy,” as noted on the Department of Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities website. A wide array of resources are available free of charge to eligible families including webinars, direct case management, job coaching, grants for funding, Medicaid resources, insurance resources, as well as a host of other tools for families to access. To determine qualifications for direct case management, "Intake staff at our Regional and Satellite offices review medical, school, psychological or other records to find documentation of those conditions and limitations. Often, Regional office staff will conduct an assessment if a recent evaluation of functional ability is not available. All of that information is used to determine if the individual meets the legal and regulatory requirements of the Division."
For more information about how the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities can help your family, check out the application linked below and the webpage https://dmh.mo.gov/dev-disabilities.
Developmental Disabilities | dmh.mo.gov
Albany Satellite Office. 809 N. 13th St. Albany, MO 64402 660-771-6100 Fax: 660-771-6198. Central Missouri Regional Office. 900 W. Nifong Blvd., Ste. 200
dmh.mo.gov
https://www.sos.mo.gov/cmsimages/adrules/csr/current/9csr/9c45-2a.pdf
Rules of Department of Mental Health - Missouri
JOHN R. A (6/30/20) SHCROFT CODE OF STATE REGULATIONS 1 Secretary of State Rules of Department of Mental Health Division 45—Division of Developmental Disabilities
Kelly Education
Virtual Workshop: Meeting your child’s needs using Charting the LifeCourse Tools in the IEP process
When: Tue, March 15, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Description: Your child’s school Individual Education Plan (IEP) can be intimidating and overwhelming at times. Find out how to utilize LifeCourse Tools to help prepare and communicate effectively with your child’s IEP team to determine the most successful goals and interventions to help your child reach their potential.
To register for this workshop, click here: https://SSDPEDA.as.me/CTLCwithSTLARC
PEDA would love your feedback!
Please complete are PEDA Communications survey here: PEDA Survey
THE SUMMER RESOURCE PACKET IS HERE!
Get tips and tricks to making this your child’s best summer yet.
To access The Summer Resource Packet, click here: PEDA 2022 Summer Resource Packet
To access the YouTube Video of our recent Summer Resource Fair, click here: https://youtu.be/VVeYDiL8ykM
Lunch & Learn with SSD
Special School District’s Family and Community Outreach, Social Work, Communications, and Parent Education and Diversity Awareness (PEDA) departments have teamed up to offer a virtual Lunch & Learn series for SSD families and stakeholders. The series, which will involve community organizations sharing information about their work, will take place on the first Wednesday of each month during the 2021-22 school year, from 11:30 AM - Noon.
Representatives from nine community organizations will participate in order to increase awareness about their agency and make connections with those in our SSD community who may benefit from their programs and services.
We hope to "virtually" see you there!
Organizations represented in the Lunch & Learn series include:
- St. Louis ARC – April 6
- St. Louis County Library – May 4
Special School District of St. Louis County
Email: jmdoyle@ssdmo.org
Website: ssdmo.org
Phone: 314-989-8463