SCHOOL COUNSELOR CONNECTIONS
DECEMBER 2020
December to Remember
This has definitely been a year we will remember! Who would have known teachers and students would wear masks to school, social distance and teach and learn virtually?
"December to Remember" is a common phrase however this December will truly be one to remember. This year has been one of the most challenging years for many of us. Let's reflect and accept what 2020 has brought us. There is an abundance of positives over the negatives.
Guidance Lessons this month will focus on Acceptance. SEL/Self Awareness, Identifying One's Emotions and Have A Growth Mindset.
Please don't hesitate to contact me.
Roxanne Contreras- School Counselor
Cedars International Academy Schools
8416 North IH 35
Austin, TX 78753
(512) 419-1551
December Focus-Generosity and Empathy
The more we empathize with others, the more generous we become.
Here are some ideas from "The ONE thing"
#1: The gift of a spotless home
Cleaning a home is a time-consuming job. And there aren’t very many of us who find the act of mopping a floor or scrubbing a toilet to be a particularly enjoyable way to spend our time once the workday ends. This is where your gift can save the day. Consider purchasing a weekly, bi-weekly or even one-time deep cleaning for the person in your life who could really enjoy spending those three or four hours on a Saturday on themselves instead of tackling dirty floors.
#2: The gift of a pristine yard
Sure, we all love the great outdoors: grilling, gardening, dipping our toes in the pool. But there’s nothing enjoyable about our Home Owner’s Association’s telling us we need to tend to the jungle outside our door. If you know someone who wastes whole Sundays mowing, trimming, and edging – gift them with a lawn service. That way, they can spend their Sunday enjoying their yard with family and friends, instead of knee deep in weeds.
#3: The gift of a great meal
There are plenty of times we go out of our way to give people the gift of food, be it when a loved one is sick or there are new parents in your life. But let’s face it – who wouldn’t enjoy eating a meal that they don’t have to prepare, cook and clean-up afterward? There are multiple choices for gifting free time in the form of a meal, whether it’s by giving a gift certificate to a delivery service, chef-prepared meal or even a local restaurant. The gift of time may never be appreciated more than by the person that can sit with their family after eating rather than watching from afar while cleaning up a dirty kitchen.
#4: The gift of peace
Sometimes what a person could really use is as simple as some quality time. And this is an easy fix for a gift giving guru like yourself! A gift card or money designated for babysitting or eldercare goes a long way toward showing the loved ones in your life how much they deserve some time to themselves. If you aren’t sure if the recipient has a regular sitter, you could alternatively offer to take on the supervisory role for a few hours or even overnight so your loved one can experience the gift of a lazy morning. Just make sure to be proactive about setting up time to follow through on the gift so that your recipient doesn’t have to remind you about the help you gifted.
#5: The gift of all the little things
We all have things we need to get done but often find ourselves with too few hours to accomplish everything we want. Dry cleaning, grocery shopping or even taking Fido to the groomer for a trim — all of these things are necessary chores in our daily lives that often go undone when our lives get too busy. By gifting a few hours of an errand or personal assistant service, you can gift your loved one with the freedom to decide what tasks they can take off their own plate.
Operation Blue Santa
Operation Blue Santa 2020 Applications
We do not serve unincorporated Travis County, Hays or Williamson or Bastrop Counties, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Cedar Park, or Leander. You must apply directly with those programs.
We serve families that have children 14 and younger. (We provide gifts for the Children and food for the family.)
Assistance could be from Blue Santa, a Private Sponsor or a Gift Card.
Applying does not guarantee you will receive assistance.
Please only apply for your own household and children listed on the application must reside in that household.
You can call Blue Santa at (512)974-5800 to check on the status of your application. This line will be open until December 7, 2020. You will need to know the phone number you used to apply.
It is my responsibility to notify the Operation Blue Santa program of any information changes on my application (especially my address) before December 1, 2020.
Operation Blue Santa Phone: (512) 974-2583 or Email bluesanta@austintexas.gov
Travis County Sherrif's Office
Application Information
"This is a Community Event for the Community by the Community"
The Brown Santa program provides assistance to families in Travis County who live outside the geographical city limits of Austin.
Every family will receive the following:
- Holiday Food Box
- Toy Box: Children ages 0-14 years of age receives 2 gifts, 2 books, 1 stuffed animal, 1 puzzle and a family board game.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Only one application per household needs to be submitted.
- If you move to another residence after you have submitted your application, call Brown Santa at 512-24-SANTA (512-247-2682) or email traviscountybrownsanta@gmail.com.
1. The household is at or below the minimum poverty guidelines as established by the U.S. government; or extenuating circumstances within the family has caused substantial inconvenience to be able to provide for basic necessities. If you are a recipient of WIC, EBT, SNAP or MAP you can bring those ID cards with you when you apply.
2. To apply you must live outside the city limits of Austin in the unincorporated areas of Travis County.
To apply for assistance, you need to have two proofs of address
- (1) an identification with a picture and
- (2) proof of your address, such as a utility bill, lease or insurance card (WIC, EBT, Medicad, MAP, etc.). You can only apply for your own household and the children listed on the application must reside in that household. If there is more than one family in one residence, every person in that household needs to be listed on the application. One application per household. Proof of age must be provided for all children (school records or shot records).
3. Families MUST apply by the deadline date of each year. Application deadline: MONDAY, December 7, 2020.
4. Families that sign up will receive assistance from Brown Santa unless they receive a call from a Brown Santa staff member stating otherwise.
5. A text message or email will be sent to each recipient advising the date, time and location of delivery. It is very important that the recipient arrive to their designated delivery date/time one hour before the scheduled delivery time as there is only the one date/time for each location.
6. Recipients CANNOT go to the warehouse to pick up their Christmas package.
ONLINE APPLICATION
As a safety measure due to COVID-19, this year's application proces will be online ONLY.
Social and Emotional Learning
Find and share resources for creating a healthy school culture by helping students develop skills to manage their emotions, resolve conflicts, and make responsible decisions.
How to Strengthen Relationships With Older Students Online
During remote instruction, finding authentic moments of connection can be challenging, especially with middle and high school students. Here are five ways to strengthen relationships in virtual settings.
6 Exercises to Get to Know Your Students Better—and Increase Their Engagement
Celebrating your middle and high school students' unique identities can bolster connections and improve performance in school.
Why Ages 2-7 Matter So Much for Brain Development
Rich experiences—from play to the arts and relationships—fundamentally shape a young child’s development.
In this video series, we explore how educators can guide all students, regardless of their developmental starting points, to become productive and engaged learners.
- 1.Bringing the Science of Learning Into Classrooms
- 2.The Science of Learning and Development
- 3.Getting Started With Trauma-Informed Practices
Getting in Tune to Soothe the Nervous System
Singing or humming can be a simple way to get the whole classroom recentered when things are out of hand.
Social Emotional Learning for Families
The Imagine Neighborhood is a podcast designed to help children and grown-ups grow their social-emotional skills.
What is social-emotional learning?
You may have heard of social-emotional learning, or SEL, in the same context with emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and 'people skills.' And we all know that these are important.
SEL is a way that we can build up those skills and learn how to manage big emotions, build relationships and empathy, and solve problems. These are just a few of the social-emotional skills that can help kids and grown-ups communicate better, manage their conflicts, and solve problems together.
How does the show work?
In The Imagine Neighborhood, we use stories, music, and activities to help kids and grown-ups talk about big feelings and solve problems together.
No one gives a toddler a book and expects them to immediately know how to read. Reading is a skill that’s taught—the same is true with social and emotional skills like sharing, making friends, or empathizing with someone else’s feelings. And we give grown-ups extra tools, like activities and conversation starters, that match the topic of each show.
The Imagine Neighborhood is based on the award-winning SEL curriculum, Second Step. Created by Committee for Children, Second Step reaches more than 15 million kids around the world every year.
Do I need to listen with my child?
We love it when grown-ups listen with their children and talk together about the stories in the show. But we also understand that it might be hard to find time. You can sign up for our mailing list here, and for each episode launch, you’ll get a description of each show, the topics covered, and some conversation-starting questions to get the ball rolling.
Do Good December 2020
Self Care-Take care of yourself
Support and Resources for Families
Holiday Assistance Program
https://foundcom.org/holiday-assistance-program-longhorn-catholics-friends/
Get Help | Central Texas Food Bank
Austin coronavirus: City expands COVID-19 rent assistance
For more information visit www.austintexas.gov/RENT
Latest Austin Texas Rent Assistance Programs
https://www.rentassistance.us/ci/tx-austin
General Assistance And Referral - TACAA
https://tacaa.org/general-assistance-and-referral
Resources for Renters: Help Paying Your Rent/Utilities ...
http://www.austintexas.gov/page/resources-renters-help-paying-your-rentutilities
Utility Assistance - Travis County
https://www.traviscountytx.gov/health-human-services/individuals-families/utility-assistance
Travis County assistance programs - Need Help Paying Bills
https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/travis_county_assistance_progr.html#:~:text=Zion%20Church%20Community%20Assistance%20Center,(512)%20478%2D7243.
Emergency assistance Travis County | Austin
https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/emergency_assistance_travis_co.html
Military and Veterans Resources
https://militarybenefits.info/resources/
Legal Help - Resources for New Immigrants
https://library.austintexas.gov/nip/legal-help
Mental Health for Children
ttps://www.austinchildguidance.org/
Mental Health Resource from Texas State University
Visit the TxSSC Mental Health Resources for Schools FolderSpecial Education
Resources for Families of Children with… | Texas Parent to ...
www.txp2p.org › resources › resources
National Domestic Violence Hotline
RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
Domestic Violence | Survivor Resources | Live Your Dream
www.liveyourdream.org › get-help › domestic-violence...
https://www.traviscountytx.gov/dro/helpful-resources
COVID-19 Resources for Individuals and Families | USDA-FNS https://www.fns.usda.gov/disaster/pandemic/covid-19/resources-individuals-families
Supporting Families During COVID-19 | Child Mind Institute
https://childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents/
Resources for Helping Kids and Parents Cope Amidst COVID-19