KPNewsletter_Summer_2019

Keeping Pace Summer 2019

A publication of Pace School, Learning Redefined

Our mission is to provide educational and therapeutic services that enable any child to thrive.

How do we train our brains?

Mindfulness is simply the practice of training Imagine self-regulation being taught to manage stress, regulate emotions and face the
challenges of the 21st century with optimism,
our brain to be aware of our alongside academics; imagine a whole resilience and compassion.

feelings, our bodies, and generation of children who have

our environment in the Imagine self-regulation enough self-awareness to
present moment. It being taught alongside make thoughtful choices.
is increasingly being academics; imagine a Mindfulness exercises
used in everyday whole generation of children are designed to train
settings such as our brain to have focus,
corporate business- who have enough attention and emotional
es, fitness centers self-awareness to make regulation. Mindfulness
and schools! Within
thoughtful choices. is not only about focus and

educational systems, the ap- paying attention. It is also about

plication of mindfulness practices feeling emotions like pain, fear, anger,

shows an improvement of students’attention frustration and not reacting to them but rath-

and focus, emotional regulation, creativity, and er responding to them. Mindfulness gives us

problem-solving skills. space between our emotions and responses

so we can actually think first. It helps us to be

reflective and not reactive.

When Pace decided to implement a school-

wide mindfulness initiative, Teachers and therapists at Pace taught

the MindUp foundation students about brain function, how

provided the curricu- MindUP gives children their brain responds to stress,
lum, training, and the knowledge and tools
support to make it and different tools to help them
happen. MindUP
is the signature they need to manage stress, understand and better control
program of The Goldie
regulate emotions and their emotions. Incorporating

Inside this issue: face the challenges of mindfulness into the school day
the 21st century. will make lasting improvements to
• Taking Care of Yourself
Hawn Foundation, a not- our student’s well-being.
• A Night to Celebrate
for-profit organization created in
• 2019-20
School Year Theme response to the global epidemic of childhood We believe kids can be mindful and improve their

aggression, anxiety, depression and suicide. learning! We look forward to continuing this

Based firmly in neuroscience, MindUP gives initiative in the 2019-2020 school year.
children the knowledge and tools they need

Taking Care of Yourself

self-care and wellness. The
Pace Mindfulness Commit-
tee organized activities to
provide opportunities for
staff to practice techniques
that could be used with their
students and to participate
in important self-care and
stress management.

There is a saying,“If you want
to take care of others, you must
first take care of yourself.” This is especially true for teachers, behavioral
health professionals, and school staff where the stress of the job can be
overwhelming. There is a growing body of academic research that talks about
the need for self-reflection, self-awareness, and self-care for service-oriented
professionals.

While those who work in the social sector often have a All staff meetings were opened with
high level of passion for their jobs, national research a“Mindful Minute” during which
shows that as many as 50% of all nonprofit employees staff were led through calming and
are burned out or in danger of burnout. Ultimately, focusing activities. Every week
burnout often results in turnover as overworked talent leave staff were given the opportunity to
for new opportunities they hope will provide better balance. participate in after-school sessions
According to the Nonprofit Employment Practices including guided painting, yoga, and
survey, nonprofit turnover has crept up from 16 percent even volleyball! On in-service days,
time between training sessions allowed for further stress-reducing activities
to 19 percent over the past such as making sugar scrubs, planting flowers and sharing poetry.
few years
Thank you to our mindfulness committee members for continuing to remind
If you want to take Self-care is a way staff that establishing self-care practices are just as important as teaching
them to our students. These activities were reminders to staff that they are
care of others, you for social service important in the lives of Pace students! To take care of others, you start by
must first take professionals to balance activities taking better care of yourself!
and preserve longevity and
care of yourself. happiness in both their relation-

ships and their careers. To do this, they

need to accept that it is OK - and actually

essential - to put their needs first. At Pace, staff were

engaged in activities throughout the school year to promote mindfulness,

A Night to Celebrate Community Board of Directors
Taste for Pace
President
Because of our generous supporters and friends, Taste for Pace Brett Fulesday
was a beautiful evening of celebration and delicious dining.
Vice President
The event was held at the LeMont on Mt. Washington. Jennifer Seng

The view was the perfect backdrop for Karen Secretary
Erika Kestenberg
Shepherd, CEO, to honor our community
Treasurer
partners and share all of the good Thank Lynda Petrichevich
work being done at Pace. You!
Debbi Casini Klein
With your help, Taste for Pace 2019 James Earle
Robert Gold
raised over $30,000 that will benefit Megan Guidi
Matt Helfrich
the students of Pace School! Erin F. Holland
James W. Isler
We honored our community partners, Alcosan, Claude Shannon Koch
Worthington Benedum Foundation, Habitat for David J. Mosey
Humanity, Hillman Family Foundations, Toaster Pets, Walter Reineman, III
and the University of Pittsburgh. Shawntae Spencer
Gerri L. Sperling
Jimil B. Wilson

I believe kids can!

NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE, ZIP
EMAIL

Enclosed is my gift of $ payable to Pace School.

Credit card giving available at
www.paceschool.org or at 412.342.4385
Return to: Tricia Norris, Pace School,
2432 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221

It is the policy of Pace School to offer admission and provide services to students, Connect with us at:
and employ staff without discriminating based on race, color, sex, age, religion,
national origin, ancestry or disability. Pace School
2432 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221

Phone: 412-244-1900 Fax: 412-244-0100
E-mail: [email protected]

2432 Greensburg Pike Non-profit Org.
Pittsburgh, Pa 15221 U.S. Postage
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Pittsburgh, PA
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What’s Inside:
• Training Our Brains
• Taking Care of Yourself
• A Night to Celebrate

Coming in the 2019-20 school year . . .

Join students and staff elieve Kids Can! Discovery Tour Dates

as they discover more September Curiosity
about themselves October Respect
and the world! Gratitude
We B November Responsibility
December Optimism
DisYceaor ofvery January Black History
February Grit
Empathy & Autism
March Enthusiasm &
April Mental Health

May/June