Horace Mann Student Services Center
#TakeCAREofYOU
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU21
Week of June 1st: As we head into summer, we want to remind you to be thoughtful in your decision making and how it affects your personal safety. Your digital footprint is one part of this. Here is some advice from teens about things to keep in mind with regards to social media.
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU20
Week of May 24th: It is the things we have to work for the hardest that gives us the greatest sense of accomplishment. The difficulties of life allow us to grow…..because you can’t have a rainbow without any rain.
Watch to see how this college football player turns heads as he shares what he values most in life. What is it that matters to you? Allow this video to inspire you to go for the hard stuff.
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU19
Week of May 17th
Sometimes we over look the personal power that each one of us has in creating a positive and encouraging environment. A part of our human nature is that we need each other. When we are intentional about noticing others and presenting our best selves in those simple everyday interactions, we create a ripple effect of positivity that expands beyond us. You are the secret sauce to our school community!
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU18
Week of May 3: Who is someone you admire? Look up to? Find courageous? You may not know it, but a hero could be sitting beside you. A hero could be the one looking you back in the mirror. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you can do GREAT things! YOU.....CAN.....DO.....GREAT.....THINGS!
Check out this heroic act: A Boy Who Saved 17 Lives
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU17
Week of April 19: Do you ever feel like anxiety when taking tests is hindering your true ability from shining? Although some test anxiety is normal, there are things you can do to lessen its intensity. Today we talk about strategies to manage test anxiety. A few simple tips can help you keep calm and doing your best!
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU16
Week of April 12: Spring Break has come and gone and 4th quarter here! Even though the end of the school year is near, we always need to remember our skills for being together. Respect is at the top of that list. Respect means you accept someone for who they are, even if they are different than you or if you don’t agree with them. We hope you enjoy the video below that offers an interesting perspective.
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU15
Week of April 6th: Need a little inspiration? The video below tells the story of a man named Clint and the challenge that he faced. Notice his feelings at different points of his story as he tells what happened. Many kids we have talked to can relate to this. Know that you are not alone and that we are here to help you when the road to life gets rocky.
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYou14
Week of March 21st: As we approach the end of the quarter, we approach a time where many of us tend to feel some level of stress as we face deadlines and even sometimes having missing assignments looming in front of us. When pressure gets excessive, we can feel the effects of that stress weighing us down, much like lugging a backpack that's becoming heavier by the minute. Too much stress is difficult, but following some simple practices can restore balance to your life and lighten your load.
Problems stay problems until they are dealt with. There is nothing too big to deal with.
Loom Video: #TakeCAREofYOU13
Week of March 15th: Anxiety is an emotion that each one of us experiences from time to time. It’s what drives us to study for a test so we can perform well. Or practice our speech before we say it out loud to an audience. Some anxiety is normal and to be expected. But, when you have a lot of it, it can affect your day to day activities and functioning. There may be an impulse to avoid the thing that is causing you anxiety, however that is not the best decision. The best thing you can do is become aware of what causes your anxiety, confront it in a healthy way, and develop coping strategies so that when it comes on you have tools to help manage it.
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCAREofYOU11
Week of February 22nd: It has almost been a year since the Safer at Home order was put into place. Next week, our classrooms will be fuller than they have been since March 2020! Celebrate how far we have come! We invite to you embrace where you are in this exact moment. To take a moment to be present. To pause and breath. To listen. Find the birds chirping. Notice the sky clearing. Sing songs of happiness for this day is meant to celebrate!
LOOM #TakeCAREofYOU10
Week of February 15th: Are you managing your time well? Are you happy with your performance this year? Here are on tips to help:
Time Management Tips:
Make a to do list (everyday. It feels good to cross things off once they are complete).
Use a daily planner to keep track of your homework and other commitments.
Break large projects down into smaller parts and work on them over time instead of all at once. This is much more affective than avoiding a hard task!
Complete tasks that take 5 minutes or less right away.
Avoid distractions and find a quiet working place. (If you know your phone or tv is going to distract you, put it away or remove yourself from the area. You can return to it later.)
Do the most important items on your to do list first.
Take movement breaks.
Avoid multitasking and focus on one task at a time.
Wake up and go to bed at the same time everyday. (Your body needs to go to bed way before midnight!)
Say NO to events or things that are getting in the way of you completing your schoolwork.
Reward yourself with something you enjoy once you have completed your to do list.
***Find one way you can improve what you are already doing and build from there. No one can master ten new skills at a time. If you don’t know where to start, ask for help.***
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCAREofYOU9
Week of February 8th: People feel more confident and more able to manage their emotions when they feel supported. Our friends, families, and communities form supportive units to help us do well and grow, manage our stressors, and build positive relationships.
Who is your support system? Look around and take into consideration those individuals that help you to strive to be better. Think of members from your immediate and extended family, family friends, coaches, mentors, teachers, or religious leaders that encourage you to be your best self. When facing moments of difficulty, having a tough conversation with someone who cares about you can make all the difference. No one can do life alone!
Click HERE to learn about the 4 different types of social support all people need.
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCAREofYOU8
Week of February 1st: Mindset is your mental attitude. Do you view the world with a fixed mindset....believing that things are just the way they are and that they can't change? Or, do you have a growth mindset....one that takes failures as opportunities for growth....to learn....to become better?
Henry Ford's quote says it all: the way you think drives your attitude and can either be your leading force for success or something that holds you back from greatness. You have the power to change it all!
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCAREofYOU7
Weeks of January 18th & 25th: As we move into the new year, it is a great time to set new goals. Take the time to reset yourself and evaluate your priorities. Reflect on how you want to improve and make tiny steps along the way. Instead of focusing on your destination, pay attention to the process. Watch the video attached to find some ideas for new year resolutions or make up your own.
Try to be a little better today than you were yesterday!
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCareofYOU6
Week of January 11th: Change is constant and inevitable. Our ability to adapt to change builds our resilience, our ability to bounce back from difficult situations. Watch the video below for some tips on how to deal with change!
3 Tips to Help Deal with Change
Remember to put your best foot forward!
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCAREofYOU5
Week of December 21: As 2020 comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to acknowledge all of your hard work over the last year. To say you have been challenged over the last year is an understatement. Be proud of how far you have come. Acknowledge your successes, learn from your failures, and keep going! We wish you all the best as we close out 2020 and start a new year.
"Don't let what you can't do stop you from what you can do." - John Wooden
LOOM VIDEO: #TakeCAREofYOU4
Week of December 14: This year has brought a number of mental health challenges for everyone. If you are recognizing sad, lonely, or even angry feelings in yourself, reach out. Ask for help. From your parents. Your teachers. Your friends. Family members. From us. Talk to someone. Don’t stay silent. Ask for help.
A North High student invites our community to break the silence on mental health challenges by expressing yourself through artwork and poetry. Check out the Vividly Project for details on how to participate.
You can find information on more healthy coping strategies under the Resources tab on the counseling website. The most important thing is to not hold those difficult feelings in. Ask for help. We are here to help.
LOOM VIDEO:#TakeCAREofYOU3
Week of December 7: Watch How to Defeat Negative Thinking for suggestions on how to tame negative self-talk. Remember to talk to yourself as you would a friend. Show compassion.
Tell yourself:
1. You can do anything
2. Nothing can stop you
3. You are enough
What is one Positive statement you can give yourself this week?
Week of November 23: Watch the "Salt"-A Thanksgiving Story video and answer the following questions:
What is “salt”?
Why did the family eat the pie even though it was made with salt?
Identify ways you can express the idea of “Thankfulness” or “Gratefulness” in your life no matter the circumstances.
Week of November 16th: Watch the Water Bottle Analogy video and answer the following questions:
1.) What is our "normal" shaking? What is "the water"?
2.) What stressors are in our control? What stressors are NOT?
3.) How do we keep our water level low?
BIG IDEA: "The shaking" is a part of life. There will ALWAYS be shaking. We can't get rid of the shaking, but we can manage the water level in order to cope with our stressors. Schedule in self-care each and every day in order to make sure you are TAKING CARE OF YOU!
Welcome to the Student Services Center
Who's at the HMMS Student Services Center?
Mrs. Thoele Mrs. Zenk Mrs. Polzin Mrs. Lepak
School Counselor School Counselor School Psychologist School Social Worker
cthoele@sasd.net rzenk@sasd.net kpolzin@sasd.net klepak@sasd.net
Students A-L Students M-Z