Videos

May 7th is Fentanyl Awareness Day.

Now in its third year, National Fentanyl Awareness Day brings together individuals, parents, teachers, corporations, influencers, community groups, and government entities to help put an end to this emergency.

Last year, over 70,000 Americans fatally overdosed on illegally made fentanyl. Fentanyl is now found in fake pills and many street drugs, but users are often unaware that their drugs contain the potent opioid. This is an urgent public health crisis that puts all of us, and our loved ones, at risk. We all must play a role in preventing further tragedies.

Responding to Bullying

October is Bullying Prevention Month, but it is never the wrong time to add a new tool to the toolbox! We hope that our students will always seek help from a trusted adult when or if they feel like they are being bullied, but having assertiveness strategies and skills will often allow them to handle situations with confidence and prevent escalation. The video below is one such strategy.

At SCW, we work to build and nurture a compassionate community. Every student should feel safe, welcome, and free and ready to learn when they come to school. Growth and development at this age happens fast, and students learn and practice new social skills almost every day. Mistakes happen. While at SCW rude or mean behavior is far more often a singular bad choice than a true pattern of bullying, we want to be proactive in our efforts to impart skills that support resilience.

Keeping the lines of communication open between you and your student, and between home and school, can make all the difference for a student who has had a bad peer interaction. Never hesitate to call if you have a concern.

While this video references high school students, the information also applies to students at the middle school level. You will notice that many resources use girls in their examples; boys also expereince sucidal thoughts.

There are MANY, MANY resources available online if you want to learn more. We will post additional content from time to time, but we hope you feel comfortable calling your school counselor, pediatrician, private therapist, or other trusted resourse for additional assistance with specific questions. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the closest emergency room right away. The 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline is also available 24/7.

Taking a few moments at the beginning of the day to center ourselves or pausing to calm our bodies and thoughts when under stress pays big dividends.

There are many resources available on YouTube if you or your student would like to explore the practice of mediation. As with any new skill, meditation may feel awkward and silly when you first begin to experiment with it. Stick with it for a week or two to see whether it will be a tool for you. People typically begin to feel benefits after a week or two of daily practice. Just 5 minutes a day can make a difference, but there are longer guided mediations available if you find you are enjoying it.

Fight, Flight Freeze Response.

This is a nice explanation of the Fight-Flight-Freeze Response. We all experience some level of this at times; it may be more intense for people who have experienced trauma or are experiencing chronic stress.

Techniques for reganing control.

These are techniques that student easily learn and use. Practicing any technique at times when we are not under stress makes them more accessible when we are under stress and really need them.

This one speaks for itself.

Check out "Child Mind Institue" online for additional resources.

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