Please Pass the Love Resources!

A local group, Please Pass the Love, continues to do amazing work when it comes to Mental Health of our youth and families in Iowa. I'm placing a link below that has daily opportunities for kids of all ages to participate in Zoom conversations about COVID-19, their physical and mental health, and just check in with other kids and caring adults. There are also webinars and online chats for adults to get information on how to protect our children's mental health during this time as well. After all these opportunities, there are a ton of resources that are helpful when it comes to kids, adults, families, COVID-19, and mental health issues. Please check out their site and their information, they are amazing!

Click here to see their programming and resources!

Elementary Programs

• Tuesdays and Thursday at 9:30am Books & Buddies

       Bring your favorite stuffed animal and listen to Emmalee read some crowd favorite stories.

 Click join us button T & Th @ 9:30am.

Middle School Programs

• Mondays and Wednesdays at 1pm MS Meet Up

       Stuck at home and want someone to talk with? Come hang out and talk, ask questions, and check-in with other middle school students about all things trying to figure out how to manage this new way of life since covid-19.

 Click join us button MW @ 1pm.

High School Programs

• Monday, Wednesday & Fridays at 11am HS Meet Up

       Stuck at home and want someone to talk with? Come hang out and talk, ask questions, and check-in with other high school students about all things trying to figure out how to manage this new way of life since covid-19. 

Click join us button MWF @ 11am.

Middle & High School Programs

• Thursdays 2pm Art Share with Zion

       Been creating some art to pass the time? Come share what you’ve been working on with other young people. 

Click join us button Thursdays at 2pm.

• Tuesdays 2pm & Saturdays 11am Time to Relax with Music & a Book

       Join Miya for an hour of relaxing music and time to read your own book with other young people wanting to relax together. 

• Thursdays 11:30           Power Learning with Emmalee & Jen (Click Join us button Thursdays @ 11:30a)

                                             

                                              March 26th     Wait I’m Stuck Home for How Long? Tips for dealing with the                                                                        impact of covid-19 as a teen.  

                                               April 2nd         Using Arts-Based Coping Skills

                                               April 9th          How to Support My Friends that May Be Struggling

• Join our Slack group to meet other young people, talk, be lifted up, and have fun in a safe space created by young people for young people.  Cats, dogs, and tacos included. THIS IS FOR TEENS ONLY.

• Check out our Instagram @PPthelove, Twitter @PPthelove & Tik tok for some fun. 

Adult Programs for Educators, Admin, School Counselors, and Anyone that Works with Kids

• Wednesdays at 9:30a  Coffee Chat Discussions

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                     What the Heck Just Happened & Where Do I Go from Here?

                      March 25th, April 1st, & April 8th

                     These online sessions will discuss some of the critical components we need to remember in protecting the social emotional health of our youth and emerging issues and an opportunity to connect with other professionals trying to navigate where we go from here. 

• Fridays 1pm                  Power Learning: Free Webinars with Dr. Jennifer Ulie-Wells

                                               March 27th      Beyond Self-care & Maintaining Your Own Mental Health

                                               April 3rd           Covid-19 and Suicide Risk

                                               April 10th         Protecting Student Social-Emotional Health from Afar

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• Tuesdays & Thursdays 3p   Twitter Chats with @PPthelove

       Use hashtag #SDLF (Storms Don’t Last Forever) with different topics as we navigate this unique time. 

How to Help Pre-Teen Kids Through This Corona Virus Shutdown

   When in doubt, rely on the experts. I came across this article yesterday and found it very helpful with lots of good advice. Phyliss Fagell is a therapist and counselor and an author. I am continuing to read her book "Middle School Matters" which is PHENOMENAL and is a must read for educators, counselors, and parents who work with middle school students or children at school or home. She offered advice in a recent article and I have linked it here. Give it a read sometime today!

Phyliss Fagell on how to help Pre-Teens through this crisis click here

Our School Food Pantry: Still Open but Will Look a Little Different!

We are excited that our School Food Pantry will still be open on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month and that we will still be able to help those in our community who need extra help and support. But with the COVID-19 virus and restrictions, our pantry will definitely look a little different. Whether you have been to our School Pantry or not, we want to help anyone we can in our community. Here is what you need to know for our upcoming openings. Please read and spread the word!

*When are we open: 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. HOWEVER, we will be open the following upcoming dates:
Thursday, March 26th, 4-6 p.m.
Thursday, April 2nd, 4-6 p.m.

*Where are we located: Our actual pantry is located just inside the east elementary doors right across from the nurse's office. HOWEVER, during all future openings (until school/COVID-19 restrictions are lifted), we will have the food/supply items just outside the east entry on the sidewalk or just inside the first set of doors.

*How will the pantry operate now/currently: Typically, people have been able to come into our pantry and take what they need. We limited people to one milk, one dozen eggs, and one bread. And limited to one bag of freezer items and up to 5 personal care/hygiene items. The rest of the items were take what your family needed. HOWEVER, with the pantry moving to the outside and trying to ration what we have and keep the line moving, this will be our system for the foreseeable future:
--All items will be pre-bagged by our volunteers
--Those who visit our pantry will sign in as they always do (do not need to prove financial need or bring ID)
--Each person/family will get one milk, one dozen eggs, one bread (we are trying to get enough of these to provide for all), one bag of freezer items pre-bagged, one bag of personal care items (pre-bagged), and one or two bags of dry goods/non-perishables. Once you have these bags, you are able to leave. So it should go quickly for all who attend, but you won't be able to "shop" as you have been able to before.
--We do ask that all who attend our pantry practice safe social distancing as much as possible. And as much as we would love to see your kids and our students, please leave them at home or in the car. This will keep the kids healthy and not risk exposure!
--Until further notice, our School Food Pantry will operate in this manner.

*Who can use our pantry:   Anyone in our community who could benefit from this resource is invited to stop in. You do not have to bring your ID and do not have to prove financial need. If/when school is in session, our students can use the pantry any day of the week. They can fill a backpack and bring food home to their family. We sometimes get a large variety of snacks that students can use daily.

*Where do we get our food/supplies: We get most of our food from the Food Bank of Iowa as they are the group that helps set up School Food Pantries. We also purchase some of our fresh food from Fareway using our Pantry account that is funded by donations and fundraisers. At times throughout the year, we have different groups and families donate food and supplies to our pantry. Thank you to all who have donated in the past...you are amazing!

  I think that is about it for now. Thank you for your support and thank you for helping spread the word. We do not know how many will show up to our pantry the next couple weeks but we are hoping to help as many as we can!

Stress, Anxiety, COVID-19 Virus, and Resources/Contacts

Well, about the time I am writing this would be about the time I would be at school with my own five kids and would be beginning to plan my day. Which students do I need to meet with, which students should I meet with, what teachers and parents can I reach out to, and in general...how can I help someone today? But instead, I am sitting in a chair at home wondering all these same things and not having an easy way to do any of them. My hope is maybe I can blog daily or every other day with some resources and ideas and still help in some way. And keep the hope and faith alive that soon I will be back to my office setting my daily goal to help as many as possible in as many ways as possible!

   Currently, my biggest worry and concern is about student (and adult!) anxiety and stresses. Anytime there is a change in schedule, you can expect change in behaviors, especially with kids. Doesn't matter if kids are 16 or 17 or 3 or 4, change in schedule equals change in behavior. And change in schedule equals anxiety and stress. Depending on the change, the anxiety and stress can be minimal or it can be fairly large. I think we all agree that this virus and the changes we have had to make would equal a very, very large change in our schedule. So anxiety and stress is a very normal reaction. So how can we, as parents, help our kids through this time? (and I am in this boat too as we have 5 kids and with a wife who is a medical professional, I am the only one home all day with them!) Here are some ideas, resources/links, and reminder of key phone numbers.

   First off, I want to make sure students and families know that our school contracts with Employee Family Resources (EFR) so students grades 6-12 have access to free therapy outside of school. Currently, these therapy sessions are done over the phone/video, but it is still an excellent resource. And even if you or your child doesn't need therapy, their 24/7 phone number is a great resource to take advantage of during times of stress, anxiety, confusion, anger, anything! Here is their website and phone number:

www.efr.org
515-244-6090

    A few other contact numbers that I think are important for every student and family to know are listed below. Please use these if you think someone could help.
*United Way COVID-19 hotline: 211  Just dial 211! You can also visit their website: 211.org

*National Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-8255. This isn't just a suicidal thoughts and behaviors hotline, this is for anyone who feels they are in crisis or having a crisis. A trained person will answer the call 24/7 and help you through whatever you are going through.

*Texting hotlin: 741-741  Again, no matter what the crisis, text "HOME" to 741-741 and a trained person will begin to text back and forth with you. I have had students use this before and tell me it really helped them through their crisis. They were sent links and advice and support via text/their phone.

  Outside of phone numbers and outside resources, what else can parents and families do?

*Take care of yourself first and make sure you are working through your own stress/anxiety. The phrase "You can't pour from an empty cup" is very true. We can't help others unless we ourselves haven't been helped first. So all the ideas and resources below are just as important for adults as they are for kids.

*Sleep schedule. Keep it regular and get what you need! For kids, sleep is what regulates their emotions and works through their background to-do list each night. Lack of sleep or irregular sleep does not allow kids to work through all the background stuff and their emotions aren't as regulated, so the waking-time during the day can be up and down and much higher stress/anxiety. As much as it is fun to Binge Netflix or play video games, get these out of the bedrooms and stick to a regular sleep schedule (8 to 8? 9 to 9? 9 to 7?)

*Have a schedule during the day. This does not mean "home school" work all day long. We all have to understand that this situation is unprecedented and very strange for all. Stressed brains cannot learn and do not learn. So no point in cramming instruction and education all day long. Allow time for exercise, down time, stress-reducing activities, etc. This will make time you set up for education or schooling much better. But whatever the schedule is, write it down and try to stick to it as much as possible. Kids crave structure (even if they say they don't....they do!)

*Exercise! Go for walks (stay distanced from others, but still...go for a walk!). Do exercise inside. Our body's mental health depends on our physical health so we cannot forget our physical health during this time. Plus exercise produces positive hormones that help our mood and reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

*Breathing/meditation/calming apps. There are tons of these on the App store and online. And sometimes just playing some relaxing music from Youtube or Spotify in the background while we rest or read is all our brain and emotions need. Personally, I love the CALM app and use it daily and do the daily Calm meditation. Just 10 minutes a day but helps my entire day go better (and helps me sleep better!).

*Family time! Life does not slow down very often in life, but now it has. Let's use it. Make sure to eat as a family, talk as a family, play a game as a family. Teenagers may push back against this idea, but this is not the time to let your teen isolate. Humans are social animals and we are not meant to isolate. Sure, some of us are introverted and may not like socializing as much as others, but we are still not meant to isolate. And we shouldn't isolate from our families. So make sure to have a meal or a game together or do something as a family every day. This chance we have been given to slow down and work on our family bonds may have an effect that truly lasts a lifetime.

One final resource from our Student Assistance Program (EFR), is at this link. Just some overall ideas on how to deal with stress and anxiety. Some are things I listed above and others are different ideas. A good one-page document to keep handy.


Until I see all of you and our students next, please stay safe and healthy and don't hesitate to reach out if you need something!