This week (December 3-6) is the final week for tutoring. Our University students have dead week and finals and then a break. There will be no after school tutoring until mid-January.
SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY:
December 14, 2013 will be the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. Officials have released a summary report of the incident and will release recordings of 911 calls within a few days. No doubt, the anniversary date, new information about what happened and renewed media coverage will bring issues connected to school safety into focus. Students, parents, community members and the media may want to know what is being done in the Lincoln Public Schools to keep everyone safe. Questions about the LPS safety and security efforts? Please contact our Director of Security, Joe Wright, at 402.436.1641 or jwright@lps.org.
LPS has a district wide security plan which includes components of prevention, preparedness and training created to address all types of threats and hazards.
LPS uses an outside expert in school security to critique our security plan and emergency procedures.
LPS has strong ties to community resources and expertise in areas of public safety, weather preparedness and public health matters.
LPS works daily with School Resource Officers and other members of the Lincoln Police Department to resolve matters of mutual concern.
LPS has worked with national experts to create a threat assessment/threat management program.
Each LPS building has individualized emergency protocols which guide staff and students to the best response to threats to students and staff, fire, dangerous weather conditions and other emergency situations.
Plans are in process to create more safety features in our buildings including enhanced entrance security, cameras in our high schools and buses and better communication networks inside and outside of our schools.
Helping Children Cope with News of Tragedies:
-Despite the tragedy at Sandy Hook, school is generally a very safe place to be.
-Anyone who is feeling worried or anxious is encouraged to talk over his/her concerns: staffs have access to services of the EAP, students can talk with a school staff member such as a counselor, school social worker, teacher, or administrator.
Many different reactions are normal, including any combination of:
- Appears not to be affected
- Clings closely to adults, even is reluctant to go to school
- Persistent fear related to specific event
- Worries loved ones might get hurt
- Asks a lot of questions
- Appears frightened, agitated or angry
- Appears sad and withdrawn
- Has difficulty sleeping
- Complains of stomach aches and/or headaches
Adults, through their calm and reassuring behavior, can help young people keep challenging experiences in perspective. LPS counselors and social workers suggest you listen to your students, and deal honestly and directly with their questions.
Young people can grow from challenging experiences. Please don’t try and pretend the event never occurred. Always tell the truth, but keep your explanations developmentally appropriate.
Here are some suggestions for helping your students:
1. Reassure young people they are safe, and so are the important adults in their lives. Point out factors that help keep them safe at school and at home.
2. Model calm and balanced behavior.
3. Let young people know that it is okay to feel upset and talk about their feelings.
4. Emphasize people’s resiliency. Stay positive.
5. If the event is covered in the media, use your common sense – related to the age of your student – about limiting TV and newspaper exposure.
6. Be a good listener. Encourage students to ask questions, discuss, write or even draw their feelings.
7. Your student may have feelings about this event. How a young person reacts to troubling circumstances will vary depending on age, personality and personal circumstances. There is no right or wrong way to express fear or confusion. Many different reactions are normal, including any combination of:
- Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances their lives will not change.
- Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they are really safe, and what is being done. They may need help separating reality from fantasy.
- Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of threats to safety and society.
Here is some additional advice from the National Association of School Psychologists
- Be reassuring. Children take their emotional cues from the significant adults in their lives. Your reactions are most important. Recognize that some children may be concerned about something bad happening to themselves, family or friends. Explain to them the safety measures in place and reassure them that you and other adults will take care of them.
- Be a good listener and observer. Let children guide you to learn how concerned they are or how much information they need. If they are not focused on the tragedy, do not dwell on it. However, be available to answer their questions to the best of your ability. Young children may not be able to express themselves verbally. Pay attention to changes in their behavior or social interactions.
- Monitor the news. Images of a disaster or crisis event can become overwhelming, especially if watched repetitively. Young children in particular may not be able to distinguish between images on television and their personal reality. Older children may choose to watch the news, but be available to discuss what they see and to help put it into perspective.
- Emphasize people’s resiliency. Help children understand the ability of people to come through a tragic event and go on with their lives. Focus on children’s own competencies in terms of how they coped in daily life during difficult times. In age-appropriate terms, identify other crises from which people, communities, or countries have recovered.
- Highlight people’s compassion and humanity. Large-scale tragedies often generate a tremendous outpouring of caring and support from around the country and world. Focus on the help and hopeful thoughts being offered to those affected by other people.
- Maintain as much continuity and normalcy as possible. Allowing children to deal with their reactions is important but so is providing a sense of normalcy. Routine family activities, classes, after-school activities, and friends can help children feel more secure and better able to function.
- Spend family time. Being with family is always important in difficult or sad times. Even if your children are not significantly impacted by this tragedy, this may be a good opportunity to participate in and to appreciate family life. Doing things together reinforces children’s sense of stability and connectedness.
- Do something positive with your children to help others in need. Taking action is one of the most powerful ways to help children feel more in control and to build a stronger sense of connection. Suggestions include making individual donations to prevention or support agencies, holding a school or community fundraiser, or even working to support families in need within the community.
- Ask for help if you or your children need it. Any tragedy can feel overwhelming for families directly affected, particularly those who have lost loved ones. Staying connected to your community can be extremely helpful. It may also be important to seek additional support from a mental health professional to cope with overwhelming feelings.
- Communicate with your school. Children directly impacted by the disaster may be under a great deal of stress that can be very disruptive to learning. Teachers should determine what extra support or leniency students need and work with parents to develop a plan to help students keep up with their work. Your school psychologist, social worker, or counselor can also provide extra support.
- Understand the grief process. Grieving is a process, not an event. Everyone grieves differently, and not all children within a developmental age group understand death in the same way or with the same feelings. Children’s views of death are shaped by their unique perspective of the world and experiences. Being aware of cultural issues in death is important to helping children who are grieving.
- Be aware of your own needs. Don’t ignore your own feelings of anxiety, grief, and anger. Talking to friends, family members, religious leaders, and mental health counselors can help. It is important to let your children know that you are sad. Understand that if you lost family or friends, just getting through the day can be overwhelming. You will be better able to support your children if you can express your own emotions in a productive manner. Get appropriate sleep, nutrition, and exercise.
Brenda Leggiadro, Coordinator
Counselors and School Social Workers
Lincoln Public Schools
5905 O Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
Phone: 402-436-1662
Fax: 402-436-1686
bleggia@lps.org
Computer/Technology News:
Dear Parents,
We live in a world surrounded by technology. Information, commerce, communication, and entertainment all rely on computers. But only a tiny fraction of us learn computer science, the basics of how computers work, or how to create software, apps, or web sites. Computer Science provides a foundation for virtually any career and everybody can benefit from learning the basics.
Did you know:
- Software jobs outnumber students 3-to-1. The gap is 1 million jobs over 10 years- and these are some of the highest paying jobs.
- 90% of schools in the US do not teach computer science.
- In many countries, it’s required (China, Vietnam, Estonia. Soon UK, Australia)
- The basics can be learned by anybody, starting in elementary school. But fewer than 10% of students try. Only 2% are women. 1% are students of color.
Programming literacy is going to be key to your child’s future. And this year we’re joining a massive campaign to prepare students for the 21st century during Computer Science Education Week (Dec 9-15).
The Hour of Code campaign has an audacious goal: to introduce 10 million students to one hour of computer science. While your children will have the opportunity to participate at school, I encourage you to participate, in two ways:
1) As a student yourself- set aside an hour in December to learn the basics yourself either at home or work.
2) As a parent- ask your child what they did in computer class.
See http://hourofcode.org for details.
Sincerely,
Trish Murphy
Calendar
Dec. 9 School Improvement Process (SIP) Committee meets
Mrs. Schwaninger here for observation & walk through
Dec. 10 Technology Planning Committee meets 8:10-8:25
Dec. 10 Staff Meeting 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 10 Dress Rehearsal for Band 2:45 in gym for any class
Dec. 10 Band Concert 7 p.m. in gym
Dec. 11 Elementary Principals Council 7-12 at LPSDO
Dec. 13 BIST Q2 practice information due on google
Dec. 17 Dress Rehearsal for Strings 1:45 in gym for any class
Dec. 17 PLC 2:18 dismissal; Day 0
Dec. 17 PTA Board meets 5:00
Dec. 17 Strings Concert 7 p.m. in the gym
Dec. 18 Gr. 4 to Heritage School (Christensen)
Dec. 19 Gr. 4 to Heritage School (Wood)
Dec. 20 Gr. 4 to Heritage School (Hock)
Dec. 20 End of semester
Dec. 23-Jan. 3 Winter Break
Jan. 6 Back to School!
Jan. 6 Each grade meets with Dr. B. in a.m.
LOVE and LOGIC MOMENT:
With the holidays upon us, Jim Fay is reminded of a story his mother told him many years ago. It is a great example of how to use the holidays as learning opportunities for your kids.
While at the bank she overheard the manager talking about a project his staff was involved in. They were collecting gifts for children in the community who, without their help, would not receive anything. So far they were not doing too well. She asked what she could do to help.
At dinner she told her family about the project. With pure excitement her kids said that since they had outgrown their bikes, and were hoping for new ones from Santa, they could give their old bikes to these children.
That weekend the kids spent hours cleaning their bikes. By the time they were done, those bikes sparkled.
They delivered the bikes Monday and the look of pure joy on her children’s faces made Mom’s heart swell. That day they gave her a gift, too: the knowledge that she was raising kids who cared.
The holidays are a good time to remind your kids that character is more about giving than receiving.
Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.
Jim Fay