May is Mental Health Acceptance Month
Did you know that the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 1 in 6 children aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder annually, and 50% of all lifetime mental health disorders begin before the age of 14? Promoting, supporting, and intervening when necessary in our students' mental health is as important in their development and life-long health outcomes as their physical health is. I feel incredibly fortunate to have our wonderful guidance team Mrs. James and Ms. Asfour to collaborate with in supporting your children.
Psychosomatic symptoms related to stress, anxiety, social difficulties, or life challenges are common in school-aged children, with research indicating that symptoms such as headache, fatigue, GI upset, and back pain are among the most prevalent. Addressing these issues in our student population can be complex. While there may not be a direct physical cause for a student's discomfort that can be "fixed" with medical intervention, the symptoms are physically real and present to them and can be very distressing or disruptive to their days and overall success in and enjoyment of school. If I ever suspect there is something "more" going on with your child that may be contributing to them not feeling their best, please be assured I will reach out to collaborate with you and other members of their team here at Brookside to help them as best as we can. If you have any concerns that social or emotional factors may be influencing your child's physical health or symptoms, please do not hesitate to reach out to me so we can work together to best support them. Mental health is health!
I'll take This or That for 400...
Thank you so much to Mrs. Danielle Fabrizio of The Valley Hospital's Thrive! Program and Community Health Services, who joined our second, third, and fourth graders for some exciting (and competitive!) rounds of Nutrition Jeopardy. We learned a lot, had so much fun, and are very excited for future special events with Valley's community health programs.
Seasonal allergies continue to be a struggle for our more pollen-sensitive students, and even some of those who don't typically experience symptoms on the particularly high pollen-count days. If you have concerns regarding your child's ability to safely and comfortably participate in recess, outdoor PE, or activities like Field Day when pollen counts are high, please call or email me so we can discuss the best options. It is always my goal to keep your kids having fun and with their peers and teachers as much as is possible!
Thank you, Woman's Club of Westwood!
This month, the Woman's Club of Westwood donated much needed clothing supplies to all district health offices to help keep our kids clean and dry after any accidents or spills that occur while at school. Thank you so much to the WWC for your generosity - it is very much appreciated!