2022-23
Parent Monthly Newsletter
My Retirement Letter
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It is with mixed emotions that I share with you that I will be retiring on June 1st. As I prepare to retire, I find myself reflecting on the four decades I’ve worked as a social worker, 21 years of which I’ve worked in South Brunswick. After serving in the role of Child Study Team Social Worker at Crossroads North Middle School for one year, I was given the opportunity to transition into this same role at Monmouth Junction and I eagerly took it, as working with elementary students has always been my passion. Two years later, I was given yet another opportunity to move into the counselor position and I jumped at the chance!
Over these last two decades, I have worked with, interacted with and gotten to know a myriad of children and families. All of these experiences and all of you have enriched me both professionally and personally.
Thank you for allowing me to guide, help, listen to and care for your children. I know raising children is a challenging endeavor. I have strived to be your partner in promoting your children's academic success and social and emotional growth. It has been an honor to assist you in your struggles and join in your celebrations. Getting to know and work alongside so many of you has deepened my knowledge of myself.
It has truly been a pleasure working with all of your children. Over the years, I have seen so much growth in them during my classroom lessons on social/emotional skills, some of whom I have also worked with individually and or in small groups. I hope they all continue to learn to recognize and manage their feelings, express their needs, make safe and healthy choices, find their passions, keep dreaming and playing, develop fulfilling relationships, and are always kind to themselves and others. Their daily smiles, warm hugs and laughter will remain with me forever.
I have had an incredibly gratifying career and for that and more, I am deeply appreciative. Beginning to pack up my office has uncovered many memories: some remembered with heartache and sadness and others with pleasure and great satisfaction. All will reside in my heart!
Wishing you and your families the best of everything always.
Warmly,
Lynne Scaglia, LCSW
MJ Counselor
P.S. Now it is time for me to enter the next phase of my life, focusing on my family and first grandchild, who just turned one!
May-June 2023
Hello MJ Parents/Guardians!
As we approach summer, my focus in lessons and conversations with students has focused on teaching children the strategies they need to use to stay safe over the summer. In our personal safety lessons, children learn to differentiate between trusted adults, acquaintances, and strangers. They learn what to do if they are approached by a stranger and which strangers may be helpful to them if they are in trouble such as if they are lost in a shopping mall- a security officer, a salesperson with an ID tag, or an Information Booth personnel. These lessons focus on teaching children that their inner feelings and instincts can warn them of danger. Children are taught that it is okay to say “No” and “Go Tell” a trusted adult if someone wants to touch them in an inappropriate way or a way that makes them uncomfortable. Make sure your child knows who his “Trusted Adults” are, your complete address, and a telephone number where you can be easily reached. Please review with your child the safety tips included in the following links below:
Safety Rules for Children/Safety Tips for Parents
KidSmartz: Parenting Tips for Preventing Abduction
If you would like to learn more about the Personal Safety lessons, I invite you to explore the grade-level pages or simply click the links below:
Finally, as this is my final newsletter before I retire, I’d like to close by celebrating all of the achievements your children have accomplished during this school year. Like you, I am extremely proud of them. I also congratulate all of our fifth graders as they move up to middle school and prepare themselves for the next chapter in their lives. I truly wish you and your family a safe, happy, and healthy summer, and wish you all the best Always!
Warmly,
Lynne Scaglia, LCSW
MJ Counselor
April is Autism Acceptance Month
at Monmouth Junction School
Dear MJ Families,
Throughout April, our school will recognize Autism Awareness…but with a twist. Instead of calling it Autism Awareness, we are calling it Autism Acceptance month. That’s because we want our students not only to be aware of and learn about autism but also to value our differences & be accepting of children and adults with autism in our community.
To kick off the month, on Tuesday, April 11, I will share a video-recorded morning message and read a story called, My Friend Has Autism. The story helps children develop a better understanding of autism and how to embrace/recognize the value we ALL have as individuals; it teaches the importance of focusing on each other’s strengths, and seeing others through “eyes of kindness” instead of judgment. Feel free to view my video share by clicking on this link.
During the week, all classes will also view and discuss the video entitled, Marvelous Max. You can view it by clicking here.
On Thursday, April 13, kindly have your child wear a blue T-shirt as it will be “Light it up Blue” Day at MJ! In the afternoon, we will treat students to a Whole School Assembly that serves to remind students of our school slogan, “We take care of one another at Monmouth Junction School!” Our fourth and fifth-grade peer mediators will introduce themselves and review CARES-- Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-control-- and how we show respect. They will remind students that when we all use CARES, our words and actions are kind and helpful and that they help us all to be friends! The Peer Mediators will also then lead us all in singing a song called “Stop! Cool Down,” a fun way of teaching students how to stop and notice their feelings before reacting. I invite you to click here to listen to a recording of this catchy song!
Later in the month, all classes will also be visited by either our principal, Mr. Scheese, my counseling intern, Mrs. Bandali, or by me for another book share, the Linda Kranz book, You Be You, a charming story about a little fish who learns that there is value and beauty in differences and that being unique is what makes him special. At MJ, we are always striving to help our students focus on the notion that just like the fish in the book, although we are all different and unique, we always swim together!
To further cement this learning and show our unity and inclusion of everyone at MJ, Mrs. Ward has offered to work with all classes to give each student the opportunity to paint and design a unique “fish rock.” Once everyone has created their fish rock, they will all be added to our butterfly garden at the front of our school. A special thank you goes to the MJ PTO for generously supporting this initiative by purchasing the river rocks and paint for all MJ students.
While multiple events will be taking place throughout the month in classrooms and throughout our school, there are a few more dates in particular that you should know about!
See the calendar outline below for a list of our Autism Acceptance Spirit Week Days, taking place during the last week of April:
Please Mark Your Calendar!
April 24th: Celebrate how amazing it is that our minds work in different ways by wearing your favorite hat!
April 25th: Together Everyone Accomplishes More: Wear your favorite sports team attire.
April 26th: Super Hero Day! Wear a shirt with your favorite Super Hero on it or a shirt that shows your superpowers!
April 27th: Neurodiversity Thursday - To celebrate the beauty in the diverse spectrum of the human mind! Wear a Tie Dye shirt.
April 28th: Sensory Friendly Friday - Dress in your most Comfy Clothes!
Warmly,
Mrs. Scaglia, MJ Counselor
March 2023
Hello MJ Parents!
As you know, I visit classrooms to offer lessons and work with students to provide them with direct social-emotional instruction. I enhance our school district's counseling curriculum with mindfulness concepts & positive psychology strategies, in an effort to build resilience and social-emotional competency within all of your children.
Recently, I’ve been visiting classrooms to deliver lessons to teach and remind students of the CARES and how we use them to take care of ourselves and others, to follow our school slogan, “We take care of one another at Monmouth Junction school!” I invite you to click below to read a letter I’ve written to share details of the lesson at each grade level:
Cooperation-First Grade
Assertion-Fourth Grade
Responsibility-Second Grade
Empathy-Third Grade
Self-Control-Kindergarten
In third grade, we also finished a series of Conflict Resolution Lessons that empower children with critical life skills they can use to navigate their relationships in healthy ways throughout life.
For a summary of these Conflict Resolution Lessons, click here. If you would like to learn more about the conflict resolution strategies that were taught during these lessons, click here.
And finally, I met with fifth graders to prepare them to get ready to set off for middle school! During these lessons, we focused on the following two topics:
In these fifth-grade lessons, we focused on everyone’s right to be treated with respect and our responsibility to take care of ourselves & others when we are the target or witness hurtful behavior. For a detailed description of these lessons, I invite you to click on the links above.
If you would like to learn more about the lessons and curriculum I have been delivering, I invite you to explore the grade level pages that can be found here on my MJ Parent SEL Resource Website.
Warmly,
Lynne Scaglia, LCSW
MJ School Counselor
February, 2023
Hello MJ Parents & Guardians,
There was a lot of Social Emotional learning going on during the month of January. I’ve continued to focus on building students’ capacity to recognize their own feelings & the feelings of others. I’ve also been introducing students to a variety of strategies they can use when confronted with challenging situations & emotions. To see some of these coping strategies, I invite you to view a photo of a “Calm Down” hallway bulletin board that I created for students as a daily reminder of these effective self-management tools. I also invite you to view two recent weekly Mindful Monday videos. In the first one, I visit with a cameo appearance from my cat, Cookie, to share with students the "Glitter Jar" analogy, explaining what happens to our brains when we experience difficult emotions. I also share the "Just Breathe" video, where elementary students demonstrate how to cope & calm down by taking deep breaths & the powerful impact of mindful breathing! The second Mindful Monday Share highlighted a book, Cool Cats, Calm Kids, that I have shared with students in a novel way, through a Bitmoji Classroom, also linked below. I encourage you to check it out with your child, even if cats are not your favorite!
Monmouth Junction’s Coping Strategy Bulletin Board
Just Breathe Mindful Monday Video (5 minutes)
Cool Cats Calm Kids Mindful Monday Video (3 minutes)
Mrs. Scaglia’s Cool Cat Corner Bitmoji Classroom
Finally, I also recently shared a book with all students, B is for Breathe. This book serves as a wonderful reminder of the variety of coping strategies that we can all use to calm ourselves and the importance of being self-aware and knowing which coping tools work best for us in various situations. Feel free to share this book with your children at home as well. Here’s the link: B is for Breathe (Book Share 5.5 minutes) Simply open the Google slide, click the link to the book in the center of the page, and then hit READ TO ME in the upper right.
To learn more about the lessons I have been delivering, I invite you to explore the grade level pages that can be found here on my MJ Parent SEL Resource Website. For a quick glance, click below on the links for a snapshot of some of the social emotional concepts being covered during recent lessons:
Self-Awareness & Self-Management- Expressing Emotions through the use of I-messages
Responsible Decision Making-Tattling vs Reporting
Relationship Skills-Conflict Resolution Strategies
Should you be looking for ways to teach your child how to handle unpleasant emotions, here are a few suggestions:
Remind your child to take a few deep breaths when he or she is faced with a difficult situation.
When your child becomes frustrated, encourage him/her to think through a problem.
Help your child to use “I messages” & to clearly express his or her feelings in words that are not hurtful. Help your child practice the following three part “I-message” format:
“I feel ____ when you____. I want you to ___.”
Let your child know it’s okay to be angry but not okay to hurt others with their words or actions.
Model calmness. The best way to teach children how to effectively deal with anger or conflict & use good listening skills is to show them through your example.
Point out & praise your child when you notice him/her communicating & handling emotions appropriately.
Do Role Plays at home with your child. Give him/her opportunities to practice. Use real life situations/examples of things that often cause him/her to feel angry to reinforce your child’s understanding of how to recognize, process & resolve their anger.
Let’s remember, when we work together to teach children to act in kind & respectful ways, children not only like who they are, and are liked by others, they also help to create a more peaceful world!
Warmly,
Lynne Scaglia, LCSW
MJ Counselor
December 2022
Dear MJ Parents,
As we approach Thanksgiving, we are encouraged & reminded to think about things we feel grateful for. Research in the field of Positive Psychology has revealed, though, that when we cultivate the habit of finding daily gratitude, our happiness actually increases! With this in mind, we will be doing a whole school Gratitude Activity to remind all of us how valuable it is to have an “Attitude of Gratitude” every day!
As you may recall, each class at Monmouth Junction has a “Buddy Class” that they do various activities with throughout the year. Buddy classes will be meeting up to engage in an activity centered around the topic of gratitude. On November 21st, students were introduced to this concept in their classes via my four minute Mindful Monday Video share. You are invited to watch it by clicking here: Gratitude Rocket Kids Video with my Intro
Students learn that gratitude is a feeling we have when we focus on what’s good in our lives & are being thankful for the things we have. It’s pausing to notice & appreciate the things & people in our lives that we sometimes take for granted, like having a place to live, food to eat, clean water to drink & our good friends & family members. Things we may feel grateful for may be tangible, like a book, or something intangible, like a smile from a loved one.
After learning about gratitude, students will be directed to think of a trusted adult at Monmouth Junction School that they are thankful for. The students will write the names of these adults on one leaf that will be displayed on a “MJ School Gratitude Tree,” and also another leaf that will be given to that staff member, with the two simple, yet powerful words, “You Matter!” Receiving this leaf will surely let them know that they are appreciated.
Some may wonder why gratitude is so important. Well, when we make the expression of gratitude a regular practice, we train our brain to shift to a positive mindset more efficiently and maintain a more optimistic outlook. When we share our gratitude with others, tell them we appreciate them & the things they have done for us, everyone’s happiness increases!
Finally, I thought I would share a Gratitude Choice Board with you. It is designed to give you fun opportunities to practice Gratitude with your children at home. Here you will find a collection of optional extension activities you can engage in this month or at a later date, anytime that works for your family.
Click here for link to a Gratitude Choice Board Enjoy!
Warmly, Mrs. Scaglia, MJ Counselor
November 2022
Hello MJ Parents!
Since the start of the school year, I have been visiting classrooms to offer lessons and work with students to provide them with direct social emotional instruction. During this time, I have been enhancing our school district's counseling curriculum with mindfulness concepts & positive psychology strategies, in an effort to build resilience and social emotional competency within all of the MJ students.
If you would like to learn more about the lessons I deliver, I invite you to explore the grade level pages that can be found here on my MJ Parent SEL Resource Website. As you know, social & emotional learning (SEL) begins at home. You are key in helping your child develop these critical life skills. You can model the kinds of skills, attitudes and behaviors you want your child to master. When social emotional skills are reinforced at home, it sends the message that these skills are meant to be used all the time, not just in school. As a school counselor, I’m often asked how parents can support their child’s social & emotional development. I’m asked questions like: “What can I do at home to help my child become better at managing their emotions?” & “How can I help my child make friends & navigate conflicts they have with their friends & siblings?”
Well, there are countless times throughout the day when you can reinforce & practice these skills with your child. For example, at meal time you can work on communication skills simply by engaging them in conversation & asking them a few questions about their day, maintaining eye contact with them & listening to their answers. You can also increase their self-awareness by helping them to connect their own body language (arms crossed, looking down, eyebrows close together) with their emotions & then encouraging them to say how they feel. Helping them to build their emotional vocabulary will help them recognize their feelings & enable them to effectively manage their emotions and reactions & make good decisions.
Each Monday, I share a different school wide short video message with a focus on one aspect of mindfulness practice or social emotional learning. My Mindful Monday video shares are intended to offer students a bite-sized weekly reminder of the value in practicing social emotional skills, just as they would practice academic skills.
Finally, for more practical parenting resources and information on the counseling curriculum, I welcome you to explore my website. As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Lynne Scaglia, LCSW
MJ School Counselor
732-329-6981 ext 3657