Happy Holidays

As adults, we often feel our level of stress rise with the expectations of the holiday season.  Our kids feel that stress, too.  For families who live with mental illness or neuropsychological differences, the impact of the holidays can feel even heavier, even amidst  the joy and thanksgiving of the season.  

The American Academy of Pediatrics has several recommendations for families:

• During the busy holiday time, try to keep household routines the same. Stick to your child's usual sleep and mealtime schedules when you can, which may reduce stress and help your family enjoy the holidays.

• Take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. Children and adolescents are affected by the emotional well-being of their parents and caregivers. Coping with stress successfully can help children learn how to handle stress better, too.

• Make a plan to focus on one thing at a time. Try a few ideas to balance the hustle and bustle of things like shopping, cooking, and family get-togethers during the holidays: Stop and pay attention to what is happening at the moment, focus your attention on one thing about it, and notice how you are feeling at the time. Withhold immediate judgment, and instead be curious about the experience.

• Give to others by making it an annual holiday tradition to share your time and talents with people who have less than you do. For example, if your child is old enough, encourage him or her to join you in volunteering to serve a holiday meal at your local food bank or shelter, or sing at a local nursing home. Help your child write a letter to members of the armed forces stationed abroad who can't be home with their own family during the holidays.

• Remember that many children and adults experience a sense of loss, sadness or isolation during the holidays. It is important to be sensitive to these feelings and ask for help for you, your children, family members or friends if needed.

• Don't feel pressured to over-spend on gifts. Consider making one or two gifts. Help your child make a gift for a parent, grandparent, or other important adults and friends. Chances are, those gifts will be the most treasured ones and will teach your child many important lessons.  

• Most important of all, enjoy the holidays for what they are -- time to enjoy with your family. So, be a family, do things together like sledding or playing board games, and spend time visiting with relatives, neighbors and friends.

These tips may be excerpted or printed in their entirety, with attribution to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
​© 2018 - American Academy of Pediatrics​

Thank You!!

This winter season Hudson collected supplies for Camp Circle Star.  CCS is funded by the Erin Eickmeier Foundation, a local non-profit that serves children with developmental disabilities.  CCS provides an individualized, unique camp experience for children and young adults who might not enjoy a traditional camp setting. Each child receives one-on-one support and a tailored experience to meet their needs.  Check out CampCircleStar.com for more information!  

What does Mindfulness in the Classroom look like?

Check out our Google Community to find information on Mindfulness in the Classroom.

A few years ago the Hudson community engaged in a yearlong discussion of our vision and mission.  These conversations pushed us to refine our beliefs as educators and to focus our efforts on practices that support those beliefs.  As you read our vision and mission, you will see that we believe in the affective development of our students as much as the academic.  To that end, we have a variety of initiatives that drive our focus on our students' social and emotional health. In the months that follow, I will share more information on these practices.

Vision
Hudson Elementary School is a community of independent thinkers who pursue their passions in a joyful learning environment.
Mission
The Hudson School Community is committed to nurturing resilient, lifelong learners.   

3-5 November & December Guidance Lessons

In 3rd, 4th, & 5th grades, our lessons have continued to explore the increasingly complex nature of friendships.  At Hudson we teach expectations of respect and kindness.  However, as children mature, relationships become more complicated.  As adults we often discuss bully behavior with our kids.  Sometimes, though, kids hear the word "bully" and have a picture in their heads of a bigger kid pushing around a smaller kid.

In guidance lessons we have begun talking about relational aggression.  Relational aggression refers to the harm we can do to each other through our words and actions.   Kids identified examples such as purposely excluding someone, eye rolling, spreading rumors, whispering about others, and calling people out.  Usually, adults are not witnesses to these actions or are not aware of the undercurrents of aggression.  Kids can be left feeling powerless. 

Within these discussions, many students recognized that they had participated in relational aggression at one time or another.  This was a powerful realization as most people do not see themselves as "bullies."  Our purpose in these lessons is to help our kids realize the power that they have as individuals and as a group.   Although adults set the tone for the building, our children have the power to ensure that respect is the norm rather than the hope.

As we move forward, we will work together to learn about how to deal with relational aggression and how to avoid participating in it.  I will share more with you in the weeks to come about our restorative practices that seek to build connections among students to ensure a positive, forgiving, and nurturing environment at Hudson. 

K-2 November & December Guidance Lessons

In grades K-2 we continue our work with the Zones of Regulation.  Students are developing language to describe their feelings and  to categorize them into zones.  We are now moving our focus to strategies that help ourselves get into the green zone.  Using resources from Social Thinking, we have been talking about the thoughts that we have that keep us from regulating our behaviors or emotions.  In the coming weeks we will practice sensory strategies that improve focus and regulation.

Mix It Up!

Tuesday October 23^rd Hudson is celebrating Mix It Up Day.  Students will mix it up by sitting with different people at lunch and getting to know someone new.  We will also recognize Mix It Up Day by wearing mixed up clothing! If weather permits, we hope to have lunch outside.

 What is Mix It Up at Lunch Day?

A national campaign launched by Teaching Tolerance over a decade ago, Mix It Up at Lunch Day encourages students to identify, question, and cross social boundaries.  We ask students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch.
It’s a simple act with profound implications. Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misperceptions can fall away.
From teachingtolerance.org

October Guidance Lessons

In K-2 classrooms, our lessons introduced and reviewed the Zones of Regulation.  We categorized emotions that belong in each zone.  In the blue and green zones we feel in control and in the yellow and red zones we feel out of control.  We emphasized that it is normal to experience different zones at different times.  Next time we meet we will practice strategies for getting into the green zone.  These lessons support our students' emotional and behavioral regulation skills.

In third, fourth, and fifth grades, we  are focusing on creating a positive social environment that fosters kindness, compassion and responsibility.  In fourth and fifth grade, we build students' understanding of relational aggression, develop pro-social behaviors and help create a safe social climate.

BJC Weavings Retreat

Weavings creates a safe space for mothers to express their grief while honoring their children and celebrating their forever motherhood. Through this weekend retreat, mothers experience support from a community of other women who have also lost a child, learn new coping tools, and take time to care for themselves. 

WHEN October 26-28, 2018 

WHERE Pallottine Renewal Center Florissant, MO Weavings, available at no cost to the participant, is open to mothers who have experienced the death of a son or daughter at any age, not only those served by BJC Hospice. 

BJC Weavings Retreat

Child Abuse Prevention Program

Each year we invite educators from the Child Abuse Prevention Program to talk with Hudson students about personal safety.  The lessons build upon themselves as students move through grade-levels.  I have attached information that highlights the contents of each presentation.  For additional information, please visit this link;  you will find a video for parents and tips on talking with your children about staying safe.

CAPP educators will visit with students Thursday 9/20 & Friday 9/21.  If you have questions or concerns, please contact me prior to Thursday 9/20.  

The September newsletter from Children's Hospital has useful information for families about social media and digital use.

For the past few years, we have been practicing mindfulness exercises during guidance lessons.  This  year many of our teachers have taken on the challenge of incorporating these practices into the daily lives of our students.  I have put together a Google Community to share resources with staff and invite you to use them as well.
Mindfulness in the Classroom















Image: Heidi Forbes Oste

This thought-provoking article from The Atlantic discusses findings that correlate an increase in our youth's mental health struggles with the advent of the smartphone.  Social emotional skills developed at the elementary level can have far-reaching impacts as children get older.  Common Sense Media provides parents and educators with guidance and tips on helping children navigate social media and the cyberworld.

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

An interesting article from the New York Times echoes the themes in Daniel Pink's Drive.

Which Is Better, Rewards or Punishments? Neither

"Humans are not naturally lazy (it’s not an adaptive trait), and especially not kids. We like to work hard, if we feel like we’re part of a team."

Welcome Back!

We have had a great start to the school year at Hudson!  It is always exciting to see the kids after the long weekend of summer.  By week two, it feels like we never left.

This year students and staff will extend our learning and build our capacity in the work of Restorative Practices, mindfulness, and emotional regulation.  Staff will also have the opportunity to learn more about the impact of trauma on students and how we can support from a trauma-informed lens.  As always, Hudson ROCKS expectations continue to drive our positive behavior intervention sand supports.  You can find additional information on these topics on my website:  Hudson Counselor.
(Please expect the site to be updated by mid-September as WGSD transitions to a new format.)

As the school counselor, I provide services to students, staff, parents, and the community.  Direct services to students include:

• Delivery of school guidance curriculum
• Individual student planning
• Responsive services

In addition to direct services, I collaborate with staff, parents, and the community as we work to nurture curious and joyful learners who feel confident pursuing their passions!  Please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions, concerns, or feedback.