October 30, 2020

Dear Skykomish Community,

Welcome to fall! Usually by this time many of us are sitting around a fire with friends and family and enjoying a warm beverage. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have shifted gears and many of us are spending our time in isolation and working and learning remotely.

This pandemic has certainly taken its toll on our families, our economy, our students, our teachers and support staff, our District, and everyone’s mental and emotional health. We recognize that remote learning is not ideal and that we all wish to return to “normal” routines and activities.

Each week our District Reopening Committee continues to meet to reevaluate our ability to reopen for face-to-face, in-person instruction and we use a Decision Tree for Provision of In-Person Learning among K-12 Students at Public and Private Schools during the COVID-19 Pandemic released by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Each week we also receive a bulletin from the Public Health—King County (PHSKC) Schools and Childcare Task Force which provides a King County COVID-19 Activity Level recommendation. The current King County COVID-19 Activity Level is High with the following recommendation: “Strongly recommend distance learning.”

We continue to rethink ways that we deliver Remote Learning, both synchronously (Learning led by an instructor at a specified time in real time live), and asynchronously (Learning that occurs independent of teacher presence). We recognize that prolonged screen time is not healthy and that it can cause multiple problems for students.

We have a lot of work ahead of us and we look forward to continuing to partner with you to meet the needs of our students and community. Once again, thank you for supporting our District and for investing in our students and our community during these challenging times. Great things are soon ahead for our students and for all residents of the Skykomish School District!

Sincerely,

Thomas Jay

Superintendent

Sleep Tight

By: Lynne Kelly, Nurse

Chilly nights and shorter days and especially all the screen time we have in our lives right now might be giving some of you trouble with falling asleep. Daylight savings and a change in seasons are often accompanied by a disruption to our bedtime habits and thus our ability to fall asleep. There are several reasons for this, mainly that we finally come indoors much earlier than we do in the spring and summer months. A bedtime routine is critical for humans of all ages.

You may also be hearing more often about “blue light” and how it is bad for our sleep cycle. The consensus from experts is that the blue light that LED screens give off can slow or halt the production of melatonin, the hormone that signals our brain that it is time for bed. Blue light has a shorter wavelength of light than other colors, and it is blue light that is emitted from our LED screens such as computers, phones, and tablets. Not only are our bodies more sensitive to blue light, it suppresses the levels of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin more than any other type of light. Other studies have found that blue wavelengths also suppress delta brainwaves, which induce sleep, and boost alpha wavelengths, which create alertness. Sleep specialists and physicians are recommending a minimum of one hour of no screen time prior to bedtime. For children, two screen-free hours are preferred by most pediatricians.

Some things that you can control:

• Dim lights

• Place your phone outside of the room where you sleep

• Limit exposure to blue light screens

• Limit caffeine after 10am

• Limit alcohol intake, because it may cause you to awaken before morning

• Take a warm shower or bath before bed

• Develop a bedtime routine and make it one you look forward to

• Practice calming breathing exercises

• Warm your feet and hands

• Keep your room cool

• Practice meditating upon a happy place before drifting off to sleep

• Music you find calming with a timer shut off

• If you aren't allergic to scents try using a lavender scent

• Talk to your physician about taking a melatonin supplement

• If you cannot all asleep within 30 minutes, get up and do an activity for 10 minutes

• Another more recent aid for sleep is a weighted blanket. People seem to either love them or hate them. Two years ago I started having terrible insomnia that was hard to live with. Fortunately, I found an instant and easy cure:

  • • I kept my bedroom unheated, and as cool as I could tolerate

    • I used an electric blanket and a mattress cover 30 minutes before bedtime

    • Just before I got into my bed I turned off my electric blanket

    • Finally, I covered with a weighted blanket

Hopefully some of these techniques will work for you and your family if you are having trouble getting good sleep.

Sleep tight!

WATCHING OUT FOR COMMUNICATION ROADBLOCKS

By: Rosemary Mitchell, Intervention Specialist

Daily we communicate in many ways. In 2020, we have learned to communicate additionally through technology. Getting your point across or trying to be understood is difficult enough person-to-person, and even harder sometimes through technology. Using email, texting and social media can be difficult to manage. If we are not careful we can run into communication roadblocks. However, with awareness we can learn new steps to enhance our communication skills to avoid additional everyday stressors that can be avoided by clearly communicating our needs to others in our lives. Here are some steps to take to enhance your awareness:

We Assume People Know What We’re Talking About…

• But they don’t always—so be patient!

• Look for signs that your message was not understood or was taken the wrong way.

• If that’s the case, try again to get your point across.

We Assume People Know What We are Feeling…

• Listening is hard!

• It helps to concentrate on what the other person is saying instead of your own thoughts and ideas.

We Overreact Sometimes to What Other People Say…

• Especially when we disagree!

• Listening does not mean agreeing. Stay calm, try to listen and respond using I-statements so that you can express your point of views.

We Are Not Always Clear About Saying “No.”

• Fence-sitting creates confusion!

• Ask for time to think when you need it.

• Avoid saying “yes” when you want to say “no.”