Page 1 In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter School Social Worker Week STAR Academy - SEL Brain Injury Awareness Month Self Harm Awareness #SEL Day Student Support Services Spotlight STAR at United Nations Community News In this Issue March 2023 Happy Belated School Social Worker Week! We want to make sure that our social workers know how much they are appreciated and valued. Their numbers are few but they do SO MUCH for our students and their families across our district. Please take a moment to thank your social worker next time you see them!
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 School Social Workers Page 2 On Tuesday 3.7.23 some School Social Workers attended the State of the Child Conference at Wayne Community College. We got to listen to amazing speakers and attended sessions that trained us on topics related to youth drug trends, vaping, gangs, identifying the markers of stress, vicarious trauma, and burn-out. We also enjoyed vendors and their resources they were giving out. Some of the resources were related to mental health across Guilford county and across NC. Anthony Reid, a professor from Meredith College was a guest speaker at the March school social worker's PLC meeting. He presented on Life Haccs to self-care. As student support staff, we all experience burnout, second hand trauma and many times a lack of self-care. Life stands for Living Intentional Fulfillment Everyday and how do you plan everyday to care for yourself and others? By having Health Applications Creating Care-based Synthesis (Haccs). How do you synthesize or bring them into your daily activities? By having care based activities that are effective, consistent and will yield long term gains. Set SMART goals for self-care and focus on all your senses. Create an activity list organized around different parts of your life and break it up into the areas so it doesn't look as big. Some examples could be: Work, Physical Fitness, Emotional Life, Relationships and Communities. Most importantly, start today! Make your life a living document, a lifelong journey of experiences and celebrations of achievements. Submitted by: Katie Stephenson, School Social Worker Submitted by: Kim Baker, School Social Worker
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 STAR Academy - SEL STAR Academy is happy to welcome Dawn Bizzell and her team from The Legal Kid Foundation to our school for the duration of the school year and moving forward. There was no better time to start this program with our school than during SEL Week! We started with our current middle school students in the hopes of expanding to high school in the near future. This program targets SEL skills as it emphasizes the importance of these skills for the whole child in both the school environment and in their own lives. As their brochure states, “Social-emotional skills provide children with the perspective and flexibility necessary to function at a high level even when faced with uncertainty, change, pressure, stress, and other school and life challenges”. The Legal Kid Foundation comes into schools and provides a range of activities that are fun and engaging to help kids in the following areas: • Setting expectations for behavior in a group setting • Making responsible decisions aligned with personal values • Connecting with peers • Establishing positive relationships • Reducing risky behaviors This program further teaches mindfulness, coping skills, communication skills, relaxation techniques, empathy, building self-esteem and resilience, teamwork, and more! Thursday, March 9th was our middle schoolers’ first experience with Ms. Bizzell, who was accompanied by another Lead Ambassador, Mr. Graham. With the introduction to the program, what better way to set the stage for connecting with peers and working together as a team than having the students play a Jeopardy game about our legal system (which is the backdrop for the students learning about their rights and the rights of others)? The students were divided into two groups and each provided a buzzer. Taking turns, they got to choose a topic, amount, and tried to guess the answer. The students did a great job in supporting each other, actively participating, and even knew more than I even thought, which I found impressive! In turn, what they did not know became a learning experience, not only in content, but also understanding that there is no shame in not knowing everything up front, that we can all learn from one another - a recurring theme in SEL. Each team was given a prize at the end, well deserved for their efforts in this relaxed and fun morning. We are all looking forward to what is in store ahead with this program, and I plan to keep our Student Services staff posted! *Information used by permission from Dawn Bizzell, M.S. (2023) Page 3 The Legal Kid Foundation: SEL Program Serving STAR Academy Submitted by: Jennifer Vaughn, School Counselor
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 Health Services Page 4 Submitted by: Holly Price, Health Services Specialist
HCHS Events Family Engagement Night HCHS held a Family Engagement Night in February to bring the school community together and highlight all the great classes, programs, and opportunities we offer. It was very successful! We had an amazing turnout! In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 School News For this year's Purple Star service project, the Coats Erwin Middle School counseling team coordinated a collection of items for care packages. These items will be taken to Military Missions In Action where they will be packaged and sent to deployed troops. Page 5 Submitted by Kathryn Englander, School Counselor Submitted by Courtney Osborne, School Counselor
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 Page 6 School News We have school wide implementation of PurposeFULL People and it is loved by students and staff. We are using the Tree of Choices to guide students to help themselves cope in and out of the classroom on the Bulletin board pic attached. We have weekly updates on our department website https://sites.google.com/harnett.k12.nc.us/ desschoolcounseling/home February 22nd Mrs. Pavlic and Mrs. Fortner had the privilege of spending the day in the State Capital, advocating for Harnett County students at the NCSCA Legislative Day. They were able to meet with Superintendent Truitt, several NC House and NC Senate Representatives, and First Lady Cooper to discuss why our schools need more dedicated, statefunded School Counseling positions. On March 3rd, a few of our Student Support Services Team members were able to visit Herbet Akins Middle School in Fuquay Varina. What makes this middle school so special is they opened their doors last fall as a restorative school. We were able to talk with the principal who started the year by incorporating Circle into their staff meetings starting with welcome back and has continued the practice through current PLCs and meetings. The staff has embraced the Circle as a tool and the teachers use it in their classrooms to nurture relationships with their students. After talking with the principal we were able to tour the school and talk to students and teachers about the use of circle and how it has impacted their day to day. Both teachers and students happily informed us that they greatly benefited from circle as a relationship building tool with their teachers and their peers. We were even able to take part in a circle ourselves with a small group of 6th grade students. They shared with us how much circle has benefited them and how much more they feel supported and connected to their middle school than they did at their elementary schools. Submitted by: Beth Fortner, School Counselor Submitted by: Katie Cooney-Schofield, Administrative Assistant for Student Support Services Submitted by: Allie Rodenbucker, School Counselor
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 Page 7 Mental Health Spotlight March 1st kicks off Self-Harm Awareness Month, which brings attention to the common forms and signs of individuals who engage in self-harm. Self-harm, also known as self-injury, mutilation, or abuse, occurs when someone repeatedly harms themselves on purpose in a way that is impulsive and not intended to be lethal (MHA, 2023). It is important to note that if an individual is engaging in self-harm, this does not mean that they are attempting suicide; however, the risk of suicide is higher in individuals who selfinjure. Common Forms of Self-Harm Cutting, pinching, hitting oneself/banging head, withholding food from themselves, burning skin, scab picking, and hair pulling. Other forms of self-injury include excessive scratching to the point of drawing blood, infecting oneself, inserting objects into body openings, drinking something harmful, and breaking bones purposefully (MHA, 2023). Warning signs Scars, unexplained frequent injuries, including cuts and burns, having sharp objects on hand, low self-esteem, difficulty handling feelings, saying they feel helpless, hopeless, or worthless, relationship problems or avoidance of relationships, poor functioning at work, school, or home. Art-Based Strategies/Alternatives Butterfly Drawing Draw a butterfly on the place(s) of self-harm (or put on a temporary butterfly tattoo) and if the butterfly fades without selfharming, it means that the butterfly lived and has flown away, providing a sense of achievement. Alternatively, if unable to avoid engaging in self-harm until the butterfly fades, the butterfly is washed off and can be started again by drawing a new one. Recovery Bracelet First, make a bracelet or necklace out of the beads. For every week self-harm is avoided, a charm can be added that holds significance. For example: Each week can signify saving a butterfly. For every butterfly saved, a butterfly charm or a special bead can be added to the beaded bracelet/necklace. This offers a way of keeping count of how many weeks of success and a way to celebrate those big wins each week. Helpful Resources Harnett County Schools Mental Health Support Team Site HCS MHST Suicide Prevention toolkit Mental Health America- Self-Injury, Cutting, Self-Harm, or Self-Mutilation Crisis Text Line *If you notice any of these warning signs in your buildings, please alert the student support staff ASAP. Self-Harm Awareness The Warning Signs and Art- Based Strategies/Alternatives Submitted by: Amanda Sambets and Jenae’ Cox, Mental Health Support Specialists
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 #SELday Uplifting Hearts, Connecting Minds National SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Day was Friday, March 10th, 2023. SEL skills are essential and provide well researched benefits for students’ academic performance, social & emotional skills, and attitudes about self and school. These skills begin as young as preschool and continue until high school graduation and beyond. Harnett County Schools joins with schools across the country and world in promoting the long-term benefits for students and how integrating these skills into their daily lives increases their chances for long-term success! DES students participate in a writing assignment in their class that focuses on team-building and following instructions. The classroom teacher integrates SEL learning with core curriculum standards helping students learn this valuable life skill. Lessons and information learned is posted throughout the school to integrate social and emotional learning throughout the school day! SHES integrates SEL into students’ daily activities. Classroom teachers, school staff, and counselors work together to include decision-making, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills into the students’ daily routines. HMS students begin their week on Mondays by integrating SEL activities into their classrooms. Students learn how to work together and use this to help shape their week and increase academic engagement. Middle school students struggle with discovering who they are and how they fit in with their peers. Social and emotional learning helps to teach students about themselves and how to work collaboratively with their classmates. CES integrates SEL by beginning their day singing about their feelings as a whole class. Even the Spanish teacher sings the s o n g s i n S p a n i s h t o incorporate this into their curriculum and day! This activity builds community and increases social & emotional vocabulary. Teachers also include SEL anchor charts in their classrooms to refer to throughout the day and school year. HCHS is the first high school to begin integrating social emotional learning throughout the school day. Students receive SEL instruction on Wednesdays in their core classes. These skills students are learning are necessary for their future careers and lives. Employers routinely rate interpersonal skills as a top priority for employment. Page 8 Submitted by: Natalie McCurley, Student Support Services Coordinator
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 Page 9 Student Support Services Spotlight Submitted by: Katie Cooney-Schofield, Administrative Assistant for Student Support Services
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 Did you know that the majority of Spanish-speaking households in HCS are from Honduras? Two students from Star Academy, Toby Hayes and Noly Oriental, were chosen to represent Honduras at the largest and most prestigious Model UN conference in the world, held in New York City, March 10-13, 2023. During the 2021–22 school year, Star Academy began its inaugural Model United Nations club with faculty advisors Mrs. Kim Winslow and Mr. Bryan Brown. Model United Nations, more commonly referred to as "Model UN" or "MUN," is an extracurricular activity in which students act as UN delegates and simulate UN committees. The United Nations (UN) is a group of sovereign countries that have pledged to collaborate to avoid and end conflicts. The UN also works to improve social conditions by promoting international cooperation, economic development, public health, environmental protection, and human rights. Students who participated in the Model UN club learned a great deal about the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), whose primary goal is to provide food security for all people by eradicating hunger, eliminating poverty, and ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources. Students were interested in this committee, especially since STAR Academy has opened an onsite food pantry which has served many students and their families. Toby and Noly attended meetings with the diplomatic representatives of Honduras, including UN and NGO leaders, for dynamic question-and-answer sessions. This conference provided student delegates from 70 countries with an immersive experience in the world of international affairs, problem solving, and diplomacy. We are extremely proud of Toby and Noly for representing Star Academy and HCS! While in NY, students also had the opportunity to attend a Broadway show, visit the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum, go to Times Square, window shop, and eat some of the best food NY has to offer! If your school is interested in starting a Model UN club, please contact Kim Winslow for more information @ [email protected]. Family Engagement Spotlight Star Academy Students Attend Conference at the United Nations Submitted by: Kim Winslow, Lead Family Engagement Specialist Page 10
In the Loop Student Support Services Newsletter March 2023 Page 11 Community News