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!

College/Career Readiness Survey

8th graders, please take this 5 question survey. Happy Spring Break!

Carlisle Middle School Raising Money for Local Families/Kids

 If you missed this past week's Wildcat Weekly, I have reposted a short blurb about an upcoming project at Carlisle Middle School. Not sure how many years we have done this (I think at least 15!), but this is one of our favorite ways to give back every year. Our staff and students work to raise enough money to provide Christmas presents and gift cards to 4-6 local families who are in need. Every single penny raised goes towards providing a great holiday for these families. And it is awesome to see how generous our students are each year. We seem to set a fundraising record each year and I am guessing this year will be no different! If you would like to support this cause, please send money with your middle school child or any middle school student or simply contact Ms. Beydler or Mr. Barry. Thank you!

"Carlisle Middle School will be doing a community service project to purchase toys for families in need in Carlisle.  A group of Carlisle Middle School students will be collecting spare change from all students in the Carlisle Middle School from December 10-18.  The change will then be counted and a group of students will be going to purchase toys to donate to families in need in the Carlisle School District to ensure all children have a gift on Christmas.  Last year $2020 was raised, our goal this year is $2025!  "

Guest Blogger Addeline Morlan Tells Her Joyology Journey

Joyology!

by Addeline Morlan

            Joyology is a student-run group at Carlisle Middle School that spreads kindness, positivity, joy, and acceptance throughout the school to make people feel more included and welcome in the school environment. 

            I created Joyology in fifth grade when I noticed more and more kids being excluded, and when others were alone on the playground. When I noticed this I started to go over to them and be kind to make them feel included. Soon other friends joined me and we would go around the playground and be kind to those students. We would also offer for them to join us at recess. Not only would we help kids who were excluded, but we would also help solve disagreements between friend groups. 

            In sixth grade, I decided to build upon the same concept, but instead, turn it into a student-run group. This is when many of my friends got involved and wanted to help. Joyology then became an official group. Throughout our middle school years, we have had regular meetings during lunch. At our meetings, we planned events and small acts of kindness to do for the students and staff of our school. 

           Some examples of Joyology’s kind acts include: candy and compliments, hanging up posters, kindness challenges, candy cane bombing the parking lot, and giving the teachers notes and treats.       

  

            I feel that kindness is important because if someone feels good in response to a kind action, then they are more likely to spread the kindness that they received, creating a ripple effect.  Also, you never know what battles people are fighting, and to do something kind, even though it may be small, could really impact someone who is having a tough time. This kindness is needed to help kids who are having a hard time, and it is especially needed in middle school. It is nice to know that people have your back, so I feel like doing these small acts of kindness is a reminder that there are people who care. 

Joyology has helped me realize how important kindness is, no matter how small the kind acts are, they are always appreciated by someone who needs it. Joyology has helped me strive to do little acts of kindness everyday. If there has been anything that I have learned, it would be that acts of kindness, big or small, can have a big impact. I have also learned that kindness never has a downside. I believe kindness is a super power because it can change the world.

Summer Meal Programs!

Summer Meals and Pantry Programs!

     With summer approaching very soon, our counseling and student support team wants to make sure families in our community know and have a few resources when it comes to food and meals. We know the summer can be tough for some families to provide enough food for their family, especially their children. Our community is fortunate to have two different food pantries. One is our School Food Pantry located in our elementary building. The other is the Community Food Pantry located at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Carlisle. Here are the “open” dates for the School Food Pantry this summer:

June 6^th

June 20^th

**July 2^nd (This is a TUESDAY. We will not be open on July 4^th)

July 18^th

August 1^st

August 15^th

   The Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Carlisle (1100 Market St.) has a food pantry open to the community on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month. This pantry is open from 4:00-5:30 p.m. on these days.

   One final great source of food and meals is the Summer Meal Meet-Up program. There is a graphic attached to this Counselor’s Corner giving more details. This program provides daily breakfast and lunch to children age 18 and under here in Warren County. Polk County also has several daily breakfast and lunch programs as well. If these Warren County locations do not work, feel free to text “FOOD” to 877-877 to find out where the nearest free meal location is each day. You can also call the United Way at 2-1-1 and ask about the Summer Meals program.

    If you have any questions, please reach out to a school counselor in our district. We are here to help and we want to make sure the children and families in our district have resources to help with any of their food/nutrition needs.

Love and Logic Resource Links for Parents

Here is a brief article from our Counseling Corner that gives parents some resources and tools from Love and Logic, a great resource for parents and anyone who works with kids.

Have things been a little chaotic lately?   Looking for a few new tools to add to your parenting toolbox?

Perhaps you will find exactly what you need with Love and Logic.   Love and Logic provides strategies to help raise self-confident, happier, responsible, and motivated children while making parenting fun and rewarding.

Sound too good to be true? Check out https://www.loveandlogic.com/articles-advice/parents

This website is full of articles, video samples, and resources to get you on your way.

For frequently asked questions check out https://www.loveandlogic.com/faq

Love and Logic does offer online classes (https://www.loveandlogic.com/love-and-logic-parenting-on-line) and many short video clips can be found on Youtube.

CMS 8th Graders to Visit College Campuses Around Central Iowa

            Our 8^th graders have begun their final semester of middle school and now is the time we really begin to get ready for high school. But we do not only prepare for high school, we also prepare for life after high school. We have a focus on creating students who are “College and Career Ready” at Carlisle and for 8^th graders, this means a busy final semester. So while 8^th graders are making their 4-year plans and selecting high school courses, they are also going on one of six college campus visit days as well!

            Beginning this week with an Iowa State trip, groups of 20-35 8^th graders will go on a trip to either Iowa State University, Simpson College, Grandview University, Central College, Drake University, or Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Ankeny sometime in the next month or two. Each student was placed on one of these visits based on college or career interests they listed on a notecard. The goal of these visits is for students to see what a college or university looks like, help students see themselves on a college campus someday, and to get ideas and plans in their heads as they begin to plan their high school coursework. While not every student goes on to a 2 or 4-year college after high school, we want all students to know and understand this option and how a student could pursue this option if that is the route he/she chooses to go.

            Near the end of the year, the Carlisle Alumni Association puts on a Career Day for our 8^th graders. This event brings 20 or more Carlisle High School Alumni who are working their careers and want to help our students understand how to work towards getting into a similar career. This helps our students who have already seen what colleges are like to now see what a few careers are like. These two events combined are a great way to expose our students to the “College and Career Ready” culture we try to foster each and every day across our district. Being that this is our 5^th year of doing the college visits, when this year is done, every student grades 8-12 will have been on a college campus via this annual program!

School Counseling Week 2019!

School Counselors Celebrate During National School Counseling Week, February 4-8, 2019

National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated February 4-8, 2019, to bring attention to the unique contribution of professional school counselors.  National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and graduate college and career ready.

School counselors are actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; work in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today's world; focus on positive ways to enhance students' social/personal, educational and career development; and work with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. Professional school counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master's degree in school counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program.

Carlisle Community School District has a strong team of professional school counselors who work with students every day.  The counselors host many events throughout the school year including:  College Planning Night, Financial Aid Night, Resource Fair, Mental Health Awareness Night, Career Day, 8^th Grade College visits, Character Education, and Operation Backpack. 

Be sure to thank the counselors for all the work they do with our students!

Elementary Counselor:  Alex Wright

Hartford and Middle School Counselor:  Kim Flagor

Middle School Counselor:  Ben Barry

High School Counselors:  Stephanie Guthrie and Leah Heidemann

Counseling Corner: Counselors Busy with 2019-20 Student Planning and Registration!

Counselor’s Corner

            Our High School and Middle School counseling staff is starting to get very busy helping our 8^th grade through 11^th grade students get prepared for the 2019-2020 school year. This means a lot of meetings with groups of students to look over possible courses and plan for courses for the next school year. This is an exciting time for students and an important time for students to be thinking not just about next year, but to be thinking about their future after high school graduation.

                Currently, Mr. Barry has been working with 8^th graders using our Naviance software. Naviance Student is an amazing system for students and parents to use to research possible careers and colleges for ALL students in grades 8-12. Eighth graders have taken a few surveys to learn more about their personality and career interests. They have also spent some time looking into other post-secondary options such as 2-year college, 4-year college, military, and other options that students bring up as possible interests. Be sure to ask your 8^th grade child about Naviance and have your child show you how they log in. Once logged in, you will be able to see what careers and colleges he/she has saved and favorited. This site is available 24/7 year round, so feel free to explore it with your child whenever you want!

                Our high school counselors will soon join Mr. Barry and work with 8^th graders to actually learn about high school, learn about the courses the high school has to offer, and eventually create a 4-year plan of courses that will help each student graduate with enough credits. This is a big step for 8^th graders but a fun one.

                Our high school counselors also stay very busy in February and March working with each high school grade of students to help the students get registered for their next year of courses. If you have a high school student or an 8^th grader, February and March is a great time to ask your child about their career and college interests and what courses they are thinking about taking in the next year.

                By the time our students hit Spring Break, with the help of our counseling staff, their parents, and their own hard work and planning, all 8^th graders through 11^th graders should have an updated 4-year plan and should be registered for their 2019-20 courses. From there, our HS counselors have the tough job and getting all the students placed into their courses and adjusting the master schedule to make everything work as smooth as possible. It is a tough job, but getting everything to balance so that our students can benefit and achieve as much success as possible makes it all worth it. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to any of our counseling staff.

Key Dates for Students/Parents with Course Registration

February 13^th: HS Counselors will have met with all HS students on course selections.

February 13^th/19^th: HS Counselors work with 8^th graders on HS course selections and 4-year plans

***February 26^th***:  9^th grade Registration/Orientation Evening for 8^th graders and parents in the HS Auditorium at 6:30pm

March 7^th: By this date, HS students will have registered for 2019-20 courses

March 12^th: 4-year plans from 8^th graders DUE!

April 2^nd: ACT testing for all juniors (no school for 9^th, 10^th, and 12^th graders)

April 5^th: No school for Juniors

Counseling Corner: Our School Food Pantry...What is it, How Do I Use it, and Where Did it Move to?

School Counseling Corner

Our K-12 Counseling team would like to highlight the Carlisle Schools Food Pantry.  The pantry is an extension of the Food Bank of Iowa.  The pantry is open to the public on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of the month from 4-6pm.  The pantry is now located in the elementary just across from the nurse’s office.  Visitors to the food pantry should use the West Entrance of the elementary.    We ask that community members wait until all students and buses are off campus before visiting the pantry (around 3:45pm).  Carlisle students are also able to access the pantry during the school day by contacting a school counselor. 

There is also a Carlisle Community Food Pantry located at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of the month from 4-5:30pm. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Families and community members of the Carlisle School District. 

ARE THERE INCOME GUIDELINES?

There are no income guidelines. A brief, one-page application must be completed once per calendar year by individuals visiting the school food pantry.  

WHAT FOOD ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE?

Available foods will vary depending on Food Bank of Iowa’s supplies. Basics such as pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, canned vegetables, canned fruits, juice, etc., will always be available. Fresh dairy, produce, and bread are typically available during the times open to the public.

Can I make a donation to the School Food Pantry?

YES!  We accept donations at any time to the pantry.  You can drop off donations at the elementary or high school office during school hours.  We are always in need of personal care items such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toilet paper, deodorant, etc.  We also accept monetary donations that help us purchase milk, bread, and eggs each time the pantry is open. 

We would like to say “Thank You” to many groups in our community that have helped organize collection drives or make regular donations to the pantry.   Some of the groups include:  American Legion Auxiliary, Great Western Bank, Peoples Bank, Carlisle Student Council, Eagle Scout projects, Carlisle Wrestling and Football teams, and many others.  THANK YOU!