The Moorestown Township Public Schools are committed to the social and emotional well-being of all in our schools. To that end, we have been researching and learning about the influence of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) on children, young people and adults.  We ask you to engage with us in the act of learning more about what makes us all tick. It is our hope that sharing resources with you will bring greater consistency to experiences students have at school and at home. As we grow, this site will grow!

2024-2025

From the Childmind Institute

Happier Holidays, Less Stress 

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, the calendar is full of special events and cherished family traditions. But the excitement and break from routines can be overwhelming for children, especially those who have emotional and behavioral challenges. And that can make everyone in the family stressed.

This week, we have ideas on how to make the holidays kid-friendly. One way is anticipating what might be an issue at family gatherings for kids with autism, anxiety, ADHD, or other issues, and planning ahead to avoid conflicts and meltdowns. If you’re traveling, we have suggestions from experts and families on how to make it less challenging, with specific tips for airports and road trips. And it helps to manage your own expectations of what a successful holiday looks like (especially if you’re grieving or going through a divorce). Finally, with a little help, the holidays can be a great chance for kids to get some practice expressing gratitude.

— Michelle Shih, Managing Editor

2023-2024

Taking care of ourselves and others comes with challenges.  Sometimes those challenges feel beyond our capacity or knowledge, especially when it comes to self-harm and suicidal thoughts.  We are providing the resources below as a beginning point for our families.  Reach out to your child's school counselor/case manager if you have concerns you would like to share. Please remember if you or a loved one are in imminent danger, call 911.

Child Mind Institute: When a child threatens suicide or talks about dying, it’s important to take them seriously.

https://childmind.org/topics/suicide-self-harm/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Research shows people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way. Findings suggest acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce rather than increase suicidal ideation.

https://988lifeline.org/promote-national-suicide-prevention-month/

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. https://namiburlingtonnj.org/

MTPS Care Solace: We are committed to the well-being of our students, staff, and families to create a safe and healthy learning environment. In support of our ongoing commitment, we partnered with Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care for our community. https://www.mtps.com/student/care_solace

2022-2023

We celebrate the resilience and spark of the human spirit as we continue to rebuild in this post-pandemic time.  That said, there are still bumps in the road and periods of struggle.  If you or any member of your family is struggling with mental health well- being or substance use, please connect with help via MTPS Care Solace .  Students have access to support in the building via their school counselor as well. Just reach out.

September 2021

“How are you feeling?”  In his 2019 book, Permission to Feel, Marc Brackett challenges us to shift the conversation we have with one another, and most especially, with children and young people from, “How are you?”  to a question that elicits more specific responses than, “Fine.” 

As we launch the 2021-2022 school year, it has never been more important to have and sustain communication with our children.  One of the things that we gained from our pandemic cocoons was the time to have leisurely and meaningful conversations with our family over breakfast, lunch and dinner. Re-engaging with the lightning pace of school, after-school activities, sports, jobs and whatever else is on your child’s and family’s plate bears inspection. If you can’t find the time and  space for a meal together each day, do make sure to clear time and space each day to check in with yourself and your child(ren).  If you can’t do that, tag in someone who knows your child and family. Children who feel heard and seen have a much easier time with making healthy transitions when a trusted adult is there for them to speak with about whatever is on their mind.

Should you notice things about your child that cause concern or about which you believe you need some additional information, reach out to your child’s school counselor for assistance.  We are here to ensure that your child has a successful transition into the school year and a healthy experience with that transition. It all starts with a question that will open the door to meaningful conversation.  “How are you feeling? Tell me more.”

https://childmind.org/topics/connect-to-care/ 

Mental Health Care for children can be confusing. Childmind.org has created a resource to help families navigate when seeking care.

October 2020

With one month under our belts, we must remember to take care of ourselves and our children.  Remember the Fours Pillars of Health: nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management.  Directly below are recent podcasts from mental health professionals for you to consider.   Please take a few minutes to check out the rest of the resources on our site. Most importantly, look for the joy and laughter in life!

June 2020

When major events happen in our world, we are left with the question: How do we have meaningful and productive conversations with children and young people about this?  We are providing you with a document that has resources for you to use at home and in the classroom. Civil Unrest and Anti-Racism Resources

"Why Taking Care of Your Own Well-Being Is Good for Others"

In celebration of International SEL Day, I'd like to acknowledge our splendid school community, all of you staying at home to take care of your families, all of our healthcare workers who are on the front line taking care of all of us, and to all of the humans out there keeping the shelves stocked and the world on its axis. To you the message of the Duty of Self Care is imperative. On this International SEL Day, please do something to take care of yourself! Read the article below from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley and learn about a different kind of contagion...

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_taking_care_of_your_own_well_being_helps_others