The Connection Corner
Your "Whole Child Hub"
Welcome back to your "Whole Child Hub"!
Social Media and Social Development
Does your child experience FOMO?
FOMO is known as "the fear of missing out." It is described as anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often caused by posts seen on social media.
What if you turned FOMO into JOMO? The JOY of missing out!
JOMO is the opposite of FOMO, where you find joy in missing out by taking a break from social media or other activities. It’s good to be mindful, wind down, and find time for yourself. Ask your child what they enjoy doing that does not involve social media. Have them reflect on the feelings that these activities give them. Talk about how it feels when you experience FOMO and how they can choose to bring more JOMO into their life. Remind them that social media is a choice. If it is not bringing them joy, then it's time to reevaluate their use of social media.
10 Picture Books that Teach SEL
Check out this article from Edutopia! Problem-solving is an important SEL competency that will support your child throughout their whole life!
Dysregulated Children Need Regulated Adults
Did you know that behavior is contagious?
Emotional Contagion - When you “catch” the emotional state of those around you (Hatfield et al., 1993).
People subconsciously mimic facial expressions, vocal tones, and postures of others, mirroring each other’s emotions. Thus, when a child is dysregulated, both the adult and the child may feel increased stress responses, leading to less than ideal decision making. A dysregulated adult will only escalate a dysregulated child.
Tip: Be what you want to see. Your child is watching you, so model how you would want your child to react to a stressful situation.
Take a deep breath, count to 10, and remember...you got this!
The Importance of Limits and Expectations
- Setting limits helps children understand the boundaries of acceptable behavior, fostering a sense of security and structure.
- Clear expectations promote responsibility as children learn to be accountable for their actions and choices.
- Having defined expectations aids in the development of social skills, teaching children how to interact respectfully with others.
- Limits provide a framework for children to develop emotional regulation skills, understanding appropriate ways to express and manage their feelings.
- The establishment of expectations equips children with essential life skills, preparing them for success in various social and academic settings.
Behavior Boost!
Students engaged in a refresh and reteaching of the school expectations upon their return from Winter Break. This is called a "Booster Day." Students rotated through PBIS stations at Aspen, attended a behavior assembly at Elementary South, and practiced lunch and recess expectations at Townline and the School of Dual Language! Ask your child what it looks like to SOAR like an Eagle at school!
Mindful Minutes
Each week, students at Middle School South have the opportunity to participate in a "Mindful Minute" exercise through engaging video modules led by Mr. Tom Shaver, our dedicated Physical Education and Health teacher.
These brief moments of mindfulness guide students in practicing valuable breathing techniques. Students learn to recognize their emotions and when to utilize a calming strategy. Learning and practicing such self-awareness and regulation skills align perfectly with crucial Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies.
We're grateful for Mr. Shaver's commitment to the well-being of our students and look forward to the positive impact these mindfulness moments will have on their emotional health.
Middle School Advisory Committee Makes Strides in Curriculum Work
Members of the Middle School Advisory Curriculum Committee continued their partnership with our consultants from SEL Integrations this January. The team is working on aligning our curriculum to the SEL Standards and researching high impact lessons to meet the needs of our middle schoolers. Ask your middle schooler how they are enjoying the Community Circles in Advisory!
Cherry Hill Counseling: Navigating Conflict Resolution
February 21, 2024 Navigating Conflict Resolution with Valerie Dobrow, LCSW @ 7 PM
- Learn how to navigate conflict with kids through emotion regulation, skill development, understanding intervention models, and learn practical steps on reducing interpersonal conflict.
- Join the Virtual Webinar: meet.google.com/nrx-vznb-pxf
Social Workers
Our students benefit from access to school social work services. Our social workers provide ongoing support in several ways. They collaborate regularly with grade-level teams to promote a positive school climate for all students, and help support staff in using instructional practices that support social-emotional learning across all subjects. Our social workers may also lead class lessons or work in small groups with students to provide more targeted support.
District Social Workers:
Meghan Frazier - Lincoln School - frazierm@hawthorn73.org
Rhonda Malina - Hawthorn School for Young Learners - malinar@hawthorn73.org
Shelby Behrens - Aspen, Dual Language - behrenss@hawthorn73.org
Andrew Meyers - Aspen -meyersa@hawthorn73.org
Julie Gange - Dual Language - gangej@hawthorn73.org
Kathleen Falotico - Townline - faloticok@hawthorn73.org
Paul Mazzetta - Elementary North - mazzettap@hawthorn73.org
Connie Travis - Elementary North - travisc@hawthorn73.org
Nesrin Unlu - Elementary South - unlun@hawthorn73.org
Brittany Langton - Elementary South - langtonb@hawthorn73.org
Lauren Brownstein - Middle School South - brownsteinl@hawthorn73.org
Amunn Jaffery - Middle School South - jafferya@hawthorn73.org
Jaime Medbery - Middle School South - medberyj@hawthorn73.org
Brian Van - Middle School North - vanb@hawthorn73.org
Kelli Cordes - Middle School North - cordesk@hawthorn73.org
Scarlett Davalos - Middle School North - davaloss@hawthorn73.org
Connect with ME!
Megan Goldman
Social, Emotional, Behavioral Coordinator
847-990-4269
Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @D73SOARS
Check out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj-L3MVWzHT7xxgWytCWmYA