International Museum Day (May 18)

Hello! I hope you had a great weekend! I will say mine was quite productive, completing several outdoor projects on my to-do list. If you did not know it already, today is International Museum Day! To celebrate, I thought I would share what museums have online, virtual tours. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Louvre - Paris, France
• Museum of Natural History - Washington, DC
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York, NY
• NASA Research Center - Langley, VA
• The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum - New York, NY
• National Women's History Museum - Alexandria, VA

Google Arts & Culture has compiled a comprehensive list, which includes The J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, CA), the Galleria d'Arte Moderna (Rome, Italy), the Royal College of Music (London, United Kingdom) and many others. You can check it out here - International Museum Day 2020. 

This is just a sample of all of the museums offering virtual tours throughout the world. 

Safe (virtual) travels!

Weekly Check Ins

I have been working with teachers to develop regular check ins with students. As you can imagine, doing this from a far has been challenging. One idea is a check-in Google Form (see below). Starting today and continuing each week, the form will be posted on each classroom's Seesaw page. We are asking that families support children in answering the eight, mostly multiple-choice questions. After, we will reach out to families, if warranted.

At this point we are limiting the roll out to specific classrooms with the hope of utilizing it further at a later date.

Parent Support Group

We are continually exploring ways to support families from afar during these challenging times. One idea we have is to develop a way for parents to come together, talk about your experiences with distance learning and parenting and brainstorm possible solutions. At this point we are considering two options, either a weekly Google Meet or Zoom and/or an always-open discussion board. Please take a moment to complete the Parent Support Form. This will help us access interest and decide what whether to pursue the Meet, discussion board or both.

COVID-19: Resources for Young Children

I want to share some resources from Defending the Early Years, a non-profit organization promoting early childhood education. The first is a video, Dr. Susan Linn & Audrey Duck Talking About the Cornavirus. Through parent-child conversation, the video explains the virus using kid-friendly language. It talk about why children cannot have playdates, why social distancing is important and how it is okay to be physically close to the people they live with by not with others outside the home. Other topics include the need for children to be independent and play alone at times while parents are working from home, coping with feelings such as fear and loneliness, and connecting with others through video.

The second is a comprehensive guide for parents, Guidance for Supporting Young Children Through COVID-19. It covers how to establish routines, ways to encouraging meaningful play at home, using this opportunity to teach important life skills, managing screen time and talking about the virus.

Check out these resources and let me know what you think. And please do not hesitate to reach out if I can help - jstevenson@huusd.org.

Inside Out

In a prior post I referenced the Pixar film Inside Out. The story is told primarily from the perspective of feelings - joy, sadness, fear, anger and disgust - inside the mind of an 11-year old girl named Riley. Uprooted from her midwest life, Riley is faced with the challenges and emotions of adjusting to a new town, San Francisco, and a new school. For more information, check out the review on Common Sense Media, a great resource!

I have used Inside Out as a teaching tool across the grades in my wellness classes. In the 5th and 6th grades, students created "islands" to represent their interests and values. In the primary grades, I used the film to explore emotions and what makes us feel happy, sad, angry, etc. As you are cooped up inside, this could be a great way to do something fun as a family while using it as an opportunity to do some social-emotional learning! For some ideas, check out 5 Teaching Ideas Connected to Inside Out. Lessons cover identifying, talking about our feelings and "self talk."

Paper Cities

Are your kids starting to get restless, cooped up inside during the rainy spring? (Side note: rain won't hurt them! Have them throw on a raincoat and send them out!) If so, the British architecture studio Foster + Partners have released a series of paper templates that kids can print out, color and fold to build their own paper cities! Options include skyscrapers, houses and a tutorial on how to draw trees.

The complete resource can be found here: #architecturefromhome. The studio encourages families to share their creations on social media using the #architecturefromhome hashtag. I look forward to seeing their work! Cheerio!

Thriving at Home

The Thriving at Home workbook was shared with me by another HUUSD school counselor. I think it is a great resource. Families can pick and choose from the provided activities, such as setting up a play space, using a rock and Play-Doh analogy to talk about what we can and cannot control, identifying comforts to help us manage stress, and checking our emotions using the Zones of Regulation and the characters from Inside Out. From the author, a parent and play therapist:

Although this time is challenging, it can also be a time for fulfillment. This workbook is intended to provide you with activities to address and explain hard feelings while working together to connect, regulate and play. May this book serve as a positive memory for you and your family as you look back on this time

Inspirational, right?!? Please let me know if you would like a paper copy and I will mail one to you. And do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns - jstevenson@huusd.org. I am here to help! 

Sesame Street: Managing Strong Emotions

Sesame Street has been on the forefront on providing content around social emotional learning, covering topics such as exploring emotions, getting along with others and solving problems. They have also created content for children dealing with issues related to the coronavirus. In the video, Belly Breathing with Rosita, Rosita shares her frustration with not being able to play with her friend Elmo. She teaches kids how to calm down by focusing on their breathing.

Also check out the following resources from Sesame Street. If you know of other resources, please let me know!

• Caring for Each Other: videos, online games, printable activities, ebooks and tips on how to talk to your child about COVID-19 and other related topics.
• Sesame Street in Communities: topics include missing friends, managing uncertainty and the and proper hand-washing techniques.
• Sesame Street videos: via Facebook Watch.

How to NOT Go to School

A few weeks ago I shared a picture book about a nine-year-old boy who battles the cornonavirus monster. I have a new title to share, brought to my attention by a good friend and therapist, Deanna Booth. In How to NOT Go to School, Parsley Mimblewood is a home-school kid who sees herself as something of an expert on "how to not go to school. The story follows her daily adventures along with her 11 animals and 7 imaginary friends. Each chapter explores an issue that might be weighing on children's minds at the moment, such as missing friends, dealing with emotions and feeling cooped up. Each short chapter ends with questions that could be great discussion prompts.

The book is available as a free download, although they are taking donations with proceeds going to the NHS, the publicly-funded healthcare system in the United Kingdom. Check it out and let me know what you think!

COVID-19: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, our needs can be organized into five tiers. Our base needs - food, water and shelter - form the base, followed by safety, belonging and love, and so on. The needs lower in the pyramid must be satisfied before individuals can attend to the needs higher up.

Esteem refers to the need for respect, self-esteem and self-confidence. These come from mastering skills, accomplishing tasks and expending our comfort zones, all often occurring through students' school experiences. For students to be available for learning, the lower needs must be satisfied.

Two takeaways:

1. Your relationship with your child is paramount. If getting your child to do their work is impacting your relationship, let it go and come back to it later. Perhaps modify the work or the expectations so it is manageable. Or reach out to their classroom teacher for help.
2. We are here to help! If you are having difficulty buying food, paying rent, etc., please let us know. We can help connect you with community resources, including access to meals through the district (HUUSD Free Meals Form). Also check out the resources I have provided here and here. 

I am always available by email (jstevenson@huusd.org) and phone (583-7876). Unplug (if you can) and have a restful April break!

The Coronavirus Monster

Help! A nine-year-old boy is being held hostage by an evil virus. Everything seems normal until a disgusting monster (COVID-19) appears and changes everything. Will the boy be able to free himself from the monster and save the day? You'll have to read it to find out! Written from the perspective of a 4th grader, The Cornonavirus Monster is a humorous take on the pandemic. The ebook can be purchased on Amazon.com with proceeds going to support No Kid Hungry. 

From the author, "I want to sell it so I can donate money to children who need help with food. I also wish to donate money to find a cure, so I can play lacrosse again and go out to eat delicious food like chocolate chip pancakes."

Mad River Valley Resources

This is a comprehensive list of resources for residents in the Mad River Valley (Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield and Warren). The list is live, so it will be updated regularly as supports are identified. At the top are links to Google Forms for volunteering and seeking help.

• Mad River Valley Emergency Response Team

COVID-19 and Co-Parenting

This year, I have offered two Changing Families groups, one for 4th graders - a continuation from last year - and a second for 5th and 6th graders. The purpose of these groups is to provide students with a place to meet, share their experiences and support each other as they face the challenges of having divorced or separated parents. These groups have continued and we are meeting through Google Meet. While not ideal, it has allowed us to continue these important connections.

I recently polled participants to get a sense of their experiences with distance learning, social distancing, etc. I wondered if their experiences would be more difficult, less difficult or the same when compared to students from intact families. The vast majority felt that it was harder for them. They talked about the challenges of moving between homes, dealing with parental arguments and contrasting parenting styles, all of which is made more difficult by the stress of the pandemic. With this in mind, I did a little research and found the following resources:

• Co-Parenting During Coronavirus: 7 Guidelines to Help Divorced Parents (Fatherly.com)
• Juggling Child Custody & Visitation During the Covid-19 'Stay at Home' Order (VPR)
• Quarantines and Custody Agreements (Today.com)

COVID-19: The Oyster and the Butterfly

We are entering our fourth week of distance learning. I will continue to post coronavirus-specific resources and ways to support your child's social emotional learning (SEL) at home. Thus far the focus has been on younger students. Moving forward, I will post information that is applicable across the grades (Prek-6).

The Story of the Oyster and the Butterfly was shared with me by the principal at Moretown Elementary School, Mandy Couturier. Written by Ana Gomez, psychotherapist and author, this interactive book seeks to help younger children understand the coronavirus and COVID-19. I love how the experiences of oysters and butterflies are used to represent how we can deal with challenges and build resilience...we can use our powers! And the "too big, too hot, too cold" emotions continuum is similar to the Zones!

I would love to hear your experiences using this book. And do not hesitate to reach out if I can help in any way: jstevenson@huusd.org and (802) 583-7876.

COVID-19 Time Capsule

I recently came across some great time capsule ideas on the internet. Creating a time capsule could be a fun family activity, a way for your child to document their experiences and reflect on them in the future. The first is from Parkview Health. They provide a list of potential items to include (i.e., Lysol wipes, a list of shows you have been binge-watching on Netflix, a recipe for hand sanitizer) and a humorous pandemic-themed Mad Lib.

The second was shared with me by a Fayston parent. It is a paper time capsule, created by Long Creations. Click on the image below to access the capsule in Google Drive. I would suggest having your child complete one page per day.

Local Resources, Part 2

I just wanted to make you aware of resources that are not Mad River Valley specific. This list will be updated as additional resources are brought to my attention and/or made available.

• General assistance and information: call 211
• Washington County Mental Health Crisis Services: (802) 229-0591
• National Suicide Hotline: text CONNECT to 741741 or call (800) 273-TALK (8255)
• Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence: (877) 543-9498
• Outright Vermont: (802) 865-9677, support for LGBTQ youth
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: (800) 662-4357

Words of Wisdom from Winnie the Pooh

This warms my heart. 💙 I hope all of you are doing what you can to stay healthy. I am planning on reaching out directly to the families of children I meet with regularly, email at first and then by phone. In the meantime, do not hesitate to reach out. I am here to help. jstevenson@huusd.org, 583-7876.

Time to Come in Bear: A Story About Social Distancing

Struggling with how to explain understand "social distancing" to your child? If so, I came across the video above on my Facebook feed. Check it out and watch it together. You continue to be in my thoughts. Please let me know if I can help in any way: jstevenson@huusd.org, (802) 583-7876.

How to Reach Me (and Please Do!)

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need any help, support or guidance. I will be regularly checking my email (jstevenson@huusd.org). You can also leave a message on my voicemail (583-7876). I will do my best to respond within 24 hours.

COVID-19: Online Resources for Families

Coronavirus - COVID-19

• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (National Association of School Psychologists)
• Coronavirus Kid-Friendly Video (Brain Pop)
• Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus (NPR)
• Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus (Child Mind Institute)
• How to Talk to Your Child about COVID-19 (UNICEF)
• Talking with Children about COVID-19 (CDC)
• 10 Tips for Talking about COVID-19 with Your Kids (PBS)

Anxiety

• How to Help a Child Struggling with Anxiety (NPR)