CARE team Newsletter

Our CARE team includes our Administrators, School Counselors, Nurse, Social Worker, Psychologist, Care Coordinator, Student Family Advocate, Intervention Specialist, Restorative Justice Coordinator and our community partner mental health team at Neighborcare.

If you have questions or want to include something in our CARE team newsletter, please contact Carrie Syvertsen at cesyvertsen@seattleschools.org.

October is Bullying Prevention Month and our October SBIRT newsletter is focused on how you as parents and caregivers can help prevent bullying. The newsletter is attached, but you can also view our newsletter on our website at SBIRT Newsletters - Seattle Public Schools. You can also find more bullying prevention resources at Bullying and Harassment Resources - Seattle Public Schools. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to Louis Eaglestaff at leeaglestaff@seattleschools.org

October our focus is Bullying Prevention. We defined Bullying in terms of Power, Pain and Pattern! We reminded students that they can anonymously report anything through our SOAR report - found on all teacher's schoology pages. Part 2 of the lesson was about Reporting and why students don't report.

What is SOAR Squad?

• A chance to connect and engage with Social Emotional Lessons (Monday)
• An opportunity to support students in Academics (Tuesday & Thursday)

This class is 30 minutes and happens three times per week between 2nd and 3rd period.

Ask your student: What are examples of Power, Pain and Pattern related to Bullying? Ask your student to show you the SOAR reporting form on one of their teacher's schoology pages.

Ms. Spitzer, 7th grade counselor is going to all 7th grade classes to ask students to complete a needs assessment that can lead to additional school supports if needed. Questions related to academic, mental health, and social supports are on the survey. Students answers may lead to individual check ins or small groups. The answers can also help inform what prevention and other school-wide lessons are needed. Email Ms. Spitzer if you have any questions: cmspitzer@seatleschools.org

Check out this link for the latest news and updates about community resources and opportunities for low income families in Seattle and King Countyhttps://www.solid-ground.org/resource-wire/#new

Our 6th grade counselor, Ms. Goldsmith and our school social worker, Ms. Syvertsen visited all 6th grade science classes on Friday, Sep 25th to teach drug and alcohol prevention. Students learned about how prescription drugs abuse, nicotine and vapes, alcohol and marijuana impact our developing adolescent brain and bodies. Check out the full lesson on Ms. Goldsmith's Schoology page! We will be going into classrooms monthly to teach lessons on refusal skills, mental health 101, and healthy friendships.

Ask your child what their protective factors are? How old you are when your brain is fully developed? How many cigarettes are equivalent to one vape? What are some short term health risks of excessive alcohol?

Mr. Eaglestaff, our prevention and intervention specialist, will be screening our 7th and 8th graders during SOAR Squad in batches of 30-40 students weekly throughout the year. Students are given a brief secure web-based questionnaire called Check Yourself. The questions ask students about their strengths, supports, goals, substance use, mental health and safety. Mr. Eaglestaff, the grade level counselor or Ms. Syvertsen, our social worker may meet with your student based on their answers to offer support or referral to more services. Click here to learn more:

Crushin’ It: Healthy Relationships small groups are faciliated by our community partners at New Beginnings. The goal of the 12-week Crushin’ It curriculum is to increase students’ abilities to choose healthy relationships and take on leadership roles around issues of friendship and bullying, sexual harassment, healthy relationships and dating violence. The small groups of 8-10 students meets weekly for 12 sessions. Session are on a rotating class period schedule which means students only missing the same class twice throughout the whole program.

We partner with Family Works who delivers full bags of free food for families who could benefit. Students are sent a reminder pass during their last period on Thursdays to come pick up their bag as they leave for the school day. Parents can pick up from the main office if you let Ms. Syvertsen or Mr. James know so we can set one aside for you.

Register your child to access services right here at school! No Cost! Pictured here back row: Clinic Coordinator Jennifer Becker, School Nurse David Ashmead. Front row: Mental Health Therapists Holand Omar and Tori Felder, Nurse Practitioner Aneta Kucharczyk-Swamy.

Friends of TOPS K-8 is offering our RESMS families the opportunity to participate in the following parenting opportunities for FREE.

October 19: Parenting for Independence & Resilience on Zoom at 7:30pm
We’ll be joined by Michaeleen Doucleff, author of Hunt, Gather, Parent, for a conversation about helping kids become more independent, resilient, and capable.

January 21: AI, Gaming & Growing Up in Person at 7:30pm (Central Seattle - Location TBD)
Dr. Katie Davis will talk about how AI and gaming are shaping childhood and learning, and offer some practical ideas for families navigating all of it.

RSVP here to get the details!

Our community partner Family Works will be offering a 5-week Positive Discipline Parenting teens series for RESMS families. You'll learn effective parenting strategies to foster mutual respect, set healthy boundaries, and create a nurturing environment. Gain tools to improve family communication, cooperation, and problem-solving, while supporting your child's social and emotional development through fun and encouragement.