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 | May We are excited to have the opportunity to come together this month for professional learning and connection. It's been a long time! The poll results are in and we have shared your feedback in the newsletter. We thank you as this information will guide our work now and going forward into 2022/2023.
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| May - Celebrate and Appreciate (Chapter 12)
Habit: Celebrate and Appreciate Disposition: Trust
Individual and collective celebration, as well as the practice of gratitude, is the capstone to the habits in this book. Even during hard moments, if we can shift into a stance of appreciation, we’ll build resilience. Appreciation cultivates our trust in ourselves, in a process, and perhaps in something greater, which helps us respond to the inevitable challenges of life. (Aguilar, 2018)
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Chapter Reflection: How were your thoughts and feelings about appreciation and celebration affected or changed by this chapter?
Of the different ideas and practices that were raised in this chapter, which are you interested in exploring further?
What role does your spirituality, a sense of awe and wonder, and the ability to trust play in your resilience?
Endings are times for celebration and appreciation, which lay the foundations for resilience in the days ahead.
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In partnership with the Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Education, we have developed courses to support adult well-being in the K-12 education system. This course is designed to introduce you to the research and science around well-being and mindful teaching through the lens of MindUP's four pillars - neuroscience, mindful awareness, social and emotional learning, and positive psychology. This course will offer you opportunities to learn, reflect and practice strategies to help you manage stress and support your mental well-being across many areas of your life- school, home, and beyond.
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Thursday, May 26th 9:00 - 3:00pm, Uplands Gym Dr Kirsteen Moore, a psychologist with the High Risk Team, will spend the morning discussing suicide and interventions, and the afternoon delving into narrative therapy. Counsellors have already received a calendar invite, and if any counsellors has enrolling blocks and needs a TTOC, please contact Jen Chambers directly. Lunch will be provided, and any specific food requests can also be directed to Jen. A reminder and google form was distributed after Easter.
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One of our goals with our District Teams is to focus on Supporting School Based Teams, and aligning aspects of our support for Learning Support Teachers and Counsellors. With this goal in mind, and COVID safety measures still a consideration, we are planning for the following meetings, knowing that the in person options may shift to zoom:
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May 12 SBT Meeting: Meeting for all members of School Based Teams. Zoom or in person will be decided closer to event. | June 9 Counsellor Meeting: Counsellor meeting for all counsellors in GVSD. Save the date calendar reminder has been sent and zoom invite will be sent the week prior.
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This resource was developed as a supplement to the district focused resources to support district and school-based staff, families, and students as they prepare for the start of the 2021/2022 school year. The document begins with Key Principles that expand on the elements of the Ministry's
Mental Health in Schools Strategy and follows with strategies, recommended actions, and resources to support mental health and well-being with a school-based focus.
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Connecting the Dots
Video Guide The video above can be used to initiate conversations, networking and sharing to unpack the “WHY” that drives our teaching of social emotional learning. This guide is designed to support the next steps in moving SEL forward in your school community.
| This slide deck and discussion questions can be used at monthly staff meetings (1 or 2 slides per meeting) or at a half day school wide Pro-D to engage in purposeful SEL conversations and exploration.
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NEW! Social Emotional Learning Resource Embedding social and emotional learning (SEL) into instruction is a powerful way to help students connect and engage in learning. This resource was created to provide educators with 25 quick and easy ways to embed SEL into their daily routines and practice.
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Each strategy identifies a what, a why and a how, along with 3-4 resources:
The "what" identifies the strategy principle.
The "why" provides a rationale for using this strategy to support SEL.
The "how" offers practical examples for implementation of the strategy.
Click on the button below to access the resource. When you see a strategy that interests you, click on the circle and you will be re-directed to the what, the why and the how of the strategy along with supporting information and/or student activities.
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| Counsellor Poll Results: Thank you for all your responses to the Zoom poll; it certainly helps us move forward with planning! The results were also in the minutes sent out after the April meeting, so the following results will hopefully not come as a surprise. We look forward to partnering with you all in the coming year, as we move forward with our counselling plans.
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Meeting Schedule The majority of counsellors asked for a mix of online and in person meetings that included all counsellors for half, then levelled meetings for half. It was evenly split between monthly or every second month, so we will stick to somewhere in the middle, with avoiding meetings in short months (ie December, March). Teacher Counsellors would also like Counsellor Collab time, so we will fit that in as well...Whew!
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ASIST Training It appears we have a cohort of 17 - 20 counsellors who would like ASIST Training and have not completed it in the last 3 years. We hope to have more information in the coming weeks about this opportunity, once we hear back from the trainers.
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Speakers' List The following Speakers were identified as priorities for 2021-22:
1. VGH Services
2. Indigenous Serving Agencies
3. CYMH
4. QA Services
5. MCFD Team Leads
6. ICA
7. Children's Hospital
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Resource Binders: The most popular topics for Resource Binders was Anxiety, followed by ADHD and Trauma Informed Practices, although many wanted them all, so we will probably keep this as a focus for the next few years.
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Focus under the Umbrella of Healthy Relationships: Counsellors were most interested in topics focused on Managing conflict with peers, and Self/Co Regulation.
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| Summary and Conclusions:
Teens have experienced significant social and academic losses in the past 20 months
Students (12-18) self-reported developmentally, psychologically, and socially appropriate responses to the social effects of COVID-19
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Worry, sadness, and social grieving are prominent and normal/appropriate responses to this major global event
Stress levels did exceed the critical cutoff for almost 3 in 10 adolescents, and it did significantly from Wave 1 to Wave 4, but it seems to have leveled somewhat in Wave 5
Symptoms of mood and anxiety experienced by almost 4 in 10, and females and older youth consistently rated all symptoms higher than males and younger youth, respectively
Reminder
symptoms ≠ mental disorders
symptoms = mental distress
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Introduction, Planning, Implementing, and Collaborating Supporting our colleagues and students with social emotional learning and mental health literacy provides a strong foundation both individually and collectively.
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| Middle and Secondary Teams If your team has a plan in your school around MHL implementation and/or how you hope to move forward with this work and are looking for support (e.g. possibly some TTOC release time or a member of our team coming in to support/join in collaborative planning), please reach out to Pam Halverson to share your plan and discuss your support request.
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| Elementary and Middle Teams 'Second Step' Implementation Sessions Links to the recorded webinars for Second Step have been shared with elementary/middle P/VPs. If you have not received and are interested, please reach out to Monique Moore. Monique Moore and Maureen Von Tigerstrom are contacts if you have any implementation questions.
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| A wealth of recommended resources for substance use education K-12 are available on this page. Autonomy, Belonging and Competencies are important protective factors that promote youth wellbeing and positive mental health. The ABCs increase resilience and prevent, delay and reduce substance-related harms.
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iMinds helps students understand drug use and gambling in the real world. They learn to engage with others about these phenomena and make choices that support their personal and collective well-being.
iMinds is based on a constructivist approach to teaching and learning. It does NOT require teachers to be “experts” on drugs or mental health. Instead, teachers serve as facilitators who explore ideas and issues along with their students.
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iMinds is consistent with the new BC curriculum.
iMinds is a collection of resources for schools related to substance use and gambling. The lesson ideas fit well within the scope of BC’s K-12 curriculum with its emphasis on core and curricular competencies. The collection includes specific competencies for drug literacy and gambling literacy.
iMinds is not a program. There is no pre-set package of lessons to achieve drug or gambling literacy. The provided lesson ideas are samples designed to help teachers see multiple possibilities and opportunities to address health and well-being within the scope of various curricular subjects.
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| We are working in partnership with the Foundry, to offer students a Frist Aid opportunity: training in administering Noloxone. The goal is to offer it at all our Secondary schools, and give an opportunity for interested middle school aged students to receive the training as well.
We are starting with Spectrum, SJB and Lambrick, then will expand to the other schools in the next months. For more information, please contact Jen Chambers.
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| A helpful resource to share with parents to further their understanding of the impact of substance use on their child and how to access support.
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| Could your LGBTQ/2S+ youth group benefit from a healthy relationships curriculum where they see themselves? Taking Pride is a six-week intervention aimed at reducing dating violence among LGBTQ/2S+ youth. Developed in partnership with LGBTQ/2S+ youth throughout British Columbia, the weekly workshops cover topics like communication skills, consent, relationship violence, recognizing healthy and unhealthy relationships, and supporting friends. Throughout the program, young people will:
- Change how they think about relationships
- Have a chance to practice skills that will equip them to make healthier decisions
- Solidify some of those skills into behaviour change
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Addressing the Conflict in the Ukraine
The invasion of Ukraine may resurface difficult feelings and trauma for students, teachers, staff and families. The Ministry encourages you to be mindful of how these troubling events may impact you and those around you. In this uncertain time, please continue to prioritize mental health and the well-being of students, their families, teachers and staff. Conversations about significant global events can be challenging, however it is important that children have caring adults around them to help make sense of the world and feel safe. The following resources provide tips for teachers and parents that we hope are helpful for your
schools. How to Talk with Students about the Russia-Ukraine War: Includes 5 tips to help teachers and principals talk to students thoughtfully and appropriately about what is going on in
Ukraine.How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War: Common Sense Media gathers tips and conversation starters to help you talk to kids of different ages about the toughest
topics.Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children: This article from the American Psychological Association can help adults guide their young children beyond fear and to
resilience.Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children: The American Psychological Association breaks out tips and strategies for parents and teachers of middle school-aged
children.National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Provides resources that can be filtered by topic or keyword and by audience with a focus on how adults can identify traumatic responses in young people and how to support them.
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| Some helpful information and resources to share with students and families on The Foundry website on self injury.
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A list of resources to share with families who need support to find housing. | Another list of resources to share with families who are seeking this support.
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FamilySmart
A Conversation with Families about Digital Wellbeing and Mental Health As parents, we struggle with balancing our children‘s time spent in the digital world and what we consider the real world. It‘s not easy to know how much time on technology is too much and how to set boundaries that don‘t create conflict. Join us for a conversation with a digital wellbeing expert to learn some practical solutions to our everyday concerns and challenges around our kids‘ use of screens and their mental health. Dr. Kristy Goodwin, Digital Wellbeing and Productivity Researcher, Speaker, Author and Consultant.
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| ADHD - The Real Deal Join us in watching a video by Dr. Duncan, who will dispel the many myths surrounding ADHD by presenting up to date scientific facts about cause, prevalence, diagnosis and treatment. He will explain how and why the ADHD brain works the way it does. Speakers: Dr. Don Duncan, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Victoria Keddis, FamilySmart Practice Manager & Facilitator
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Kidsgrief.ca Whatever your role within the educational system, as someone who works with students, you are in a unique position to provide grief support to them. KidsGrief.ca can help you understand how children (ages 0 to 18) grieve and how to support them as they face the life-limiting illness, dying and death of someone important to them. It offers both structured and general guidelines for providing grief support to students under varying circumstances.
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| KidsGrief.ca learning modules have been developed by a team of educators, experts in grief, and specifically children’s grief, together with people who have experienced loss and supported children through grief. (see Who developed KidsGrief.ca – For Educators). It is not meant to replace professional counselling or other health care services.
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Online Event, Free
May 2nd, 6:30pm - 7:30pm PST
When we experience relationship challenges with our children, it can be stressful for all involved, leaving parents confused, frustrated, even walking on eggshells. This one-hour presentation will provide techniques to support parents to heal relational ruptures with kids and teens using an emotion-focused approach.
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A series of free, evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach their kids critical mental health and coping skills. An evidence-based video series with accompanying study guides. It includes introductory videos for caregivers and educators, and videos to teach kids five clinically proven mental health skills: Understanding feelings, relaxation skills, understanding thoughts, managing intense emotions, mindfulness. Each video comes with a Skills Sheet and the resource encompasses elementary, middle and secondary student voice.
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| Collaborative & Proactive Solutions: 2-Day Virtual Training with Dr. Ross Greene, PhD - May 5/6
Registration LINK. In this webinar, Dr. Greene will provide an overview of the CPS model, along with more advanced coverage of the nuances of assessment and engaging kids in solving the problems that affect their lives. You don't have to participate on both days. On Day One, Dr. Greene will provide a general overview of the CPS model, including key themes, use of assessment instrumentation, and solving problems collaboratively. On Day Two he will dive deeper into various facets of the model, with extensive use of video examples and ample time for questions and discussion. The recordings of both days will be available for viewing following the live webinar. (Usually within 5 days after the live webinar ends.)
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Youth Employment Program Guide The guide is an easy to use Flipbook resource for over 24 youth employment programs with different specialties and supports to help youth between the ages of 15 and 30 find employment. They hyperlinked the guide, so you can click and connect directly to the programs and resources that most interest you.
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District Counselling Team Contact Info: Secondary District Counsellor: Jennifer Chambers jchambers@sd61.bc.ca
Middle District Counsellor: Monique Moore mmoore@sd61.bc.ca
Elementary District Counsellor: Maureen von Tigerstrom mvontigerstrom@sd61.bc.ca
Youth & Family District Counsellor: Jen Aston jaston@sd61.bc.ca
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Additional Members of the District Mental Health Team: Indigenous District Counsellor Joanne Mitchell jomitchell@sd61.bc.ca
District Principal: Pam Halverson phalverson@sd61.bc.ca
Associate Superintendent: Harold Caldwell hcaldwell@sd61.bc.ca
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Jennifer Chambers Secondary Supporting schools and families with students who have complex emotional, behavioural, mental health & Substance use needs
SBT support throughout year for Secondary teams
Tri District Collaboration with Community partners for student support (i.e. Discovery, CYMH, Police) and to develop consistent interventions (VTRA, CIRT, Pro D for counsellors)
Mental Health Safety plans
Integrated case management meetings
Collaboration with District levelled Teams (Secondary), Complex Problem Solving Team and District Support Teams
Collaborating and connecting with community agencies to support students
VTRA (Assessments and training), Safer Schools Co-cordinator
Principal Review Committee and Diversion for Secondary
District based team meetings for Secondary
(includes any referrals for Alternative Programs)
Collaborate and coordinate with middle/elementary district counsellor for counsellor collaborations and professional development (Refresher Series)
Monthly social emotional wellbeing snapshots for secondary school
Team and District Lead for CIRT including yearly training for staff
Spring Up to High School
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Monique Moore Middle Supporting schools and families with students who have complex emotional, behavioural, and mental health needs
SBT support throughout year for Middle teams
Student observation and creation of student support plans to guide programming needs
Mental Health Safety plans
Integrated case management meetings
Collaboration with District levelled Teams (Middle), Complex Problem Solving Team and District Support Teams
Collaborating and connecting with community agencies to support students
VTRA
Principal Review Committee - Middle
District based team meetings for middle, and grade 9 (grade 9 DBT’s include any transitions to Alternative programs)
Collaborate and coordinate with district counsellors for Counsellor Collaborations and
professional development
Monthly social emotional wellbeing snapshots for middle school
Staff professional development in Mental Health Literacy, Second Step, and CPI
Member of District CIRT
Spring Up to High School
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Maureen von Tigerstrom
Elementary
Supporting schools and families with students who have complex emotional, behavioural, and mental health needs
SBT support throughout year for Elementary teams
Student observation and creation of student support plans to guide programming needs
Mental Health Safety plans
Integrated case management meetings
Collaboration with District levelled Teams (Elementar), Complex Problem Solving Team and District Support Teams
Collaborating and connecting with community agencies to support students
VTRA
Principal Review Committee - Elementary
District based team meetings for elementary
Collaborate and coordinate with district counsellors for Counsellor Collaborations and professional development
Staff professional development in Second
Step (SEL)
Member of District CIRT
Monthly social emotional wellbeing snapshots for elementary school
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| Jen Aston
District Youth and Family Counsellor Supporting schools and families with students who have complex emotional, behavioural, mental health and substance use needs.
Youth and Family support for schools without a school- based YFC counsellor.
District Team for supporting Children in Care Plans and partnership with Ministry of Children and Families.
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District lead for facilitation of Y Teen Mindfulness Training for Counsellors and teachers.
Counselling support for youth and families not currently connected to a school or who didn't "land" through DBT processes.
Co-facillitation of annual Connect Parent Group for parents of secondary students who have accessed District Based Team Supports.
Individualized transition plans for students moving from elementary to middle or middle to Secondary School. |
Integrated case management meetings
Collaborating and connecting with community agencies to support students
Collaboration with District levelled Teams (Elementary, Middle and Secondary), Complex Solving Team and District Support Teams
District Team supporting Social Emotional Wellness Advocates in Schools through professional development and ongoing support
Spring up to High School
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| Joanne Mitchell - District Indigenous Counsellor As District Indigenous Counsellor, Joanne is passionate about incorporating authentic learning about Indigenous issues into our schools. She feels it is important to understand a full spectrum of Indigenous perspectives: the history of Indigenous dispossession and trauma; the strength and resiliency of the culture; and, to present the beauty and intricacies of Indigenous worldview. With other members of her team, she strives to wrap our children in the protection of cultural strength and identity, and inform a new generation of learners about the importance of Truth and Reconciliation. The Indigenous team is here to create a vision for our district to move towards reconciliation by providing guidance and support to public educators to seek out authentic voices, unpack colonial theories, and find the confidence to move forward in our vision where reconciliation can be felt both
personally and professionally.
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