K-8 Student Assistance Newsletter

March & April 2020 Edition By: Ms. Vanessa Hitchman, NCC, LAC SAC &

Ms. Valerie Northey LCSW, LCADC, SAC

5 Tips to Promote Trustworthiness

1. Explain what it means to be trustworthy. Inform the child that being trustworthy is being a person of good character. It is someone who tells the truth and does the right thing no matter what.

2. Model what it looks like to be trustworthy. When you are doing something that is trustworthy say it out loud for the child to hear. An example of this is” I am in a rush and I could cut the line. I am going to wait at the back of the line because that is not fair to the person who waited for their spot in line.” Then speak with the child about the positives of doing the right thing when doing the right thing is difficult.

3. Look for opportunities to acknowledge the child when he or she demonstrates trustworthiness. Acknowledge the child when he or she tells you about a situation or something he or she has done. Use that opportunity to show that that you value his or her honesty.

4. Play games that encourage trustworthiness.

Two Truths & a Lie game - Let the child create two true statements and one false statement. Create your own two true statements and a one false statements as well. Whichever person guesses the lie wins the game. After you are done playing this game with the child, talk to him or her about honesty. Explain the consequences of not being trustworthy. Trustworthy Character Scenarios – Create a few hypothetical situations in which the child has to pick to a decision to be trustworthy or not trustworthy in each scenario. Then speak with the child about the consequences of not being trustworthy.

5. Read stories with the child that promote trustworthiness.

Read stories with the child that promotes things such as courage and honesty. This will motivate the student to want to follow the positive examples of trustworthiness he or she has read about.

Books That Encourage Trustworthiness

• The Boy Who Cried Wolf by B.G. Hennessy • Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain • Lying up a storm by Julia Cook • Being Trustworthy: A Book About Trustworthiness by Mary Small • Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin • The Empty Pot by Demi

Resources: Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/ Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/ YES, Safe Choices. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.yessafechoices.org/

Student Assistance Program News

We are being proactive in address the myths and realities of Vaping. Each health class will be participating in an interactive vaping at both middle school campuses.

We are also excited to have our Connections students participate in the upcoming Say Something Week from March 2, 2020 – March 6, 2020.This is a youth violence prevention program that empowers students to play an active role in keeping their school and community safe.

Students are trained to: • Look for Warning signs, Act Immediately • Take signs and threats seriously • Say something to a trusted adult before someone hurts themselves or others.

During this week, our students will recruit faculty and staff to become trusted adults. They will promote the three important steps. They will encourage their peers to pledge to do their share in keeping their school safe. On March 28, ,2020, the Student Assistance program will be offering our Annual Teen Summit. This conference is opened to all middle and high school students and includes workshops relevant to teens today, performances by students and a keynote presentation. All students in attendance receive prizes.

Conerly Road School

March & April Activities at CRS • March Trustworthiness lessons • April Fairness and test taking skills lessons

Be honest in communications and actions • Don’t deceive,

cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do •

Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good

reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and

country • Keep your promises

¿

: • Highlight • Underline • Circle

• details and key words

• Predict what the answer is BEFORE you read the choices • Select the choice that is

closest to your answer

• Read the answer choices and plug each choice in to see if it

fits. • Ask yourself, “Does this make

sense?”

• Real ALL the choices. • Get rid of any choices you

know for sure are wrong. • Put a question mark besides

the ones you want to consider. • Choose the BEST answer from

what is left.

Start the day with a check-in

• Work in partnerships/groups • Nurture a culture of kindness • Teach peaceful conflict resolution • Character role play • End each day with a checkout

Pine Grove Elementary School

March & April Activities at PGM • Character Education Lessons: PGM’s School Counselor will deliver classroom lessons to

all classes on Trustworthiness for the month of March and Readiness for the month of April.

• Junior Achievement Day: On March 25th, Junior Achievement volunteers will visit PGM classrooms to provide career readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy education.

• Brotherhood Program: The FHS/PGM mentoring program continues to meet once a month on April 1st and April 29th to foster positive relationships between PGM students and FHS peer leaders.

• Student Ambassadors: PGM’s student leaders focus on being positive role models for others, assisting teachers in schoolwide and community projects, introducing new students to our school, and helping peers to mediate conflicts.

• Shout-outs: PGM students have the opportunity to write a positive note to a friend or teacher to brighten their day. The notes are read daily over the morning announcements!

Hillcrest Elementary School

March & April Activities and Themes at HIL

• Character Education Counseling Lessons • Bullies to Buddies Assemblies • Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration

• Read Across America • Hillcrest Talent Show • Junior Achievement

• Book Fair

• Brotherhood Program • PBIS Soar to Success Store

• PBIS Fundraisers • Spirit Days

Elizabeth Avenue School

March & April Activities and Themes at EAS

For March/April, we will continue to have our Student of the Month celebrations which will

highlight students who have exhibited exceptional student qualities, including Conflict Resolution and Friendship.

We will also be hosting our 2nd Bullies to Buddies assembly for grades 3-5. Speaker Connie

Palmer discusses how students can approach and overcome bullying behavior from their peers. The assembly reviews techniques that students can keep in their “Golden Rule Toolbox

Franklin Park School

March & April Activities at FPS

• Character Lessons on the trait “Trustworthiness” • Students Demonstrating ‘Trustworthiness” will take part in the Peacemaker Recognitions in

March and April • We will have our 4th Annual Women’s Career Day on March 26th to celebrate Women’s History

Month • We will have a PTO sponsored Read-a-thon to celebrate Read Across America Week and Dr.

Seuss’ Birthday • In April, our 3rd through 5th grade students will begin to prepare for the NJSLA test they will take

in May.

Franklin Middle School One School

Two Campuses

Franklin Middle School at the Hamilton Street Campus

FMS@HSC Activities

March College & Career Activities

• FMS @ HSC will host College & Career Day, March 25th 2020. Guests from community agencies / programs / colleges are welcomed to attend.

• Our 8th grade students will visit Morgan State University on March 26, 2020. Students will participate in a field trip to Baltimore to learn more about the HBCU experience.

March Social Emotional Learning Activities

• MarchSELsessiononResponsibleDecisionMaking

February Social Emotional Learning Activities

• February Social Emotional Lessons were on Social Awareness • Grade 6: Identifying Rude Behavior • Grade 7: Lesson on B.E.S.T. which stands for Body Posture, Eye Contact, Speech and Tone of

Voice • Grade 8: Interpersonal Effectiveness: Maintaining Your Self-Respect using F.A.S.T. which stands

for be Fair, no Apologies, stick to values and be Truthful

Franklin Middle School at the SGS Campus

FMS@SGS March & April Activities

• “PEACEFUL WARRIORS” Program: • Students engaging in Acts of Kindness continue to be recognized as “Peaceful Warriors”.

• “Tuesday Talks” “Social Emotional Learning” questions are discussed every Tuesday

• Week of 3/9/20 FHS counselors will visit with 8th graders to enter high school electives

• 3/31/20 2nd ANNUAL CAREER EXPO

• 4/23/20 Parent Engagement Activity: Dr. Maurice Elias- “Social Emotional Learning at Home”

• 2/2020- 3/2020 Girls Circle