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End of Year Teacher Tips

That’s a Wrap! 

Summer is always a welcome time of year. Some may say this summer could not come soon enough. The end of the school year can be a very stressful time. Educator or not, male or female, rich or poor, young or old,  these last few months have taken a toll on society’s mental health. So often misunderstood, an individual’s mental well-being has now come out from behind the shadows. From doctors to politicians and everyone in between is speaking out the importance of recognizing and addressing your overall wellness, starting with your mental health. While our SiLAS team has a wealth of experience and knowledge on this matter, we feel it is more appropriate to provide our users with focused, empirical, and relevant resources and information. Please consider both accessing them yourself and sharing with others. Most importantly, if you are someone you know is considering suicide, please call the suicide prevention hotline.

We are All in This Together! 

 

 

 

 

Resources for Children and Youth

 

 

Make the Most of Your Family Zoom Time

Zoom isn’t just for boring meetings anymore! Online platforms like Zoom are being used to bring family and friends together. Just talking can get REALLY boring. Below are some fun game ideas to use during your Zoom visits! 

 

 

We here at SiLAS wish everyone of you relaxing, healthy, and enjoyable time away! Focus on YOU! 

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CARES ACT: Finding Funding in the Midst of COVID-19

What is the CARES Act? 

“The CARES Act provides fast and direct economic assistance for American workers and families, small businesses, and preserves jobs for American industries.” –US Treasury 

How does the CARES Act Support Educational Funding? 

CARES Act’s Education Stabilization Fund has dedicated  $30.7 billion dispersed among the states to spend on education. Below is the breakdown of amounts by category. Click to find dollar amount by state. $13.2 billion Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief Fund 

  • $14 billion Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
  • $3 billion Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund, which governors can use for “significantly impacted” school districts or higher education institutions.

What are the “CARES Act” included in the CARES Act helping schools to fund SEL programs like SiLAS? 

  • Any activity authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Education Act of 1965
  • Activities to address the unique needs of students with disabilities and English learners, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
  • Providing principals and others school leaders with the resources necessary to address the needs of their individual schools.
  • Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
  • Developing and implementing procedures and system to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies.
  • Planning for and coordinating during long-term closures, including for how to provide meals to eligible students, how to provide technology for online learning to all students, how to provide guidance for carrying out requirements under IDEA and how to ensure other educational services can continue to be provided consistent with all Federal, State, and local requirements.
  • Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the local educational agency that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors, including low-income students and students with disabilities, which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment.
  • Providing mental health services and supports.
  • Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
  • Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies and continuing to employ existing staff of the local educational agency.

Funding Provisions of ESEA to Meet CARES Act Programs

 

  • Title I: Support for the economically disadvantaged
  • Title II: Support for professional development for educators
  • Title IV: Student support and academic achievement
  • Part B Funding: Federal funding to states for the education of children with disabilities and requires, as a condition for the receipt of such funds, the provision of a FAPE to children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21

 

 

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SiLAS May Newsletter – COVID Trauma Informed Care/ACES

The Importance of Mental Health During the Pandemic 

According to the World Economic Forum, 1.5 billion children are out of school and 99% of children have had their daily movements and routines disrupted due to the Coronavirus. It comes as no surprise the current situation is having some degree of a negative impact on the mental health and well-being of every child-every human being-around the globe. Of Greater concern are those children who were already experiencing obstacles effecting their overall wellbeing. These struggles are now magnified exponentially when other factors such as; financial uncertainty, increased stressors within the family dynamics, substance abuse, by either the caregivers or the child himself/herself, and increased responsibility placed upon the child. 

Understanding Trauma

Trauma is an individual’s involvement in a deeply distressing or disturbing event. First and foremost, as adults, we must understand each and everyone of us has experienced trauma to some degree throughout our lives. Amid this novel virus outbreak, the vast majority of the population’s brains are being “rewired” as we speak in response to the daily trauma accompanying the current situation.  As educators and mental health practitioners, it is imperative we understand the effects trauma has on one’s brain development. This brief video provides information regarding  Effects of Trauma on the Brain.

Trauma Informed Care

Trauma informed care is a method where practitioners approach every individual as if they have experienced trauma. Trauma Informed Care is designed to decrease the likelihood re-traumatization will occur. The Five Principles of Trauma Informed Care are; safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment. Want to learn more? Visit the following Trauma Informed Care and ACES Assessment sites. 

Addressing Compensatory Services and/or Extended School Year (ESY)? 

The Federal and State Education Departments have recognized the immense difficulty facing teachers when implementing and assessing progress for SEL skills in the current learning environment. Due to these extenuating circumstances, many schools are holding Case Conferences to determine if their student is entitled to ESY and/or compensatory hours. Whether these services are scheduled to take place virtually, in person or a combination of the two; SiLAS’ curriculum is able to meet the needs of both students and professionals.  Our distance learning has been modified into short daily SEL lessons.  We have also added our Create Link so that teachers can give students the ability to create SiLAS movies at home.