Sunday, May 3, 2020

Hello From Home
Dear JES family,
After a month and a half of distance learning and quarantining at home, it feels as if we are in a time warp! I hope that you are being kind to yourself, as you fill the many roles of parent, teacher, breadwinner, spouse, etc. You are doing a great job keeping everything going. We should not expect perfection of ourselves or our children as we live our lives giving our attention to the basic needs of our families and their general safety. It is natural that we focus our attention on the basics of healthy food, exercise and getting plenty of sleep.

Remember what you learned in Psychology 101 about the human condition and the Hierarchy of Needs:

We are working from the bottom two levels.
However, I have to say when walking through the neighborhoods, it is nice to see siblings playing basketball, families biking together, and parents spending time with their children. It is as if the PAUSE button has been pushed. I see families cooking together, picnicing outside and enjoying the weather. Much gratitude for the lovely weather. Our pets are going to have a major adjustment when we all return to work and school!

Life will be back to normal (maybe a new normal) before too long. I hope we remember the positives of what we learned through this pause. Maybe the positive is that you find that family is of ultimate importance, that our health is vital, and/or that we don't need all of those outside activities to be content.
May's Character Trait - DETERMINATION
How appropriate that our character trait this month is DETERMINATION!?!  DETERMINATION is defined as deciding it's worth it to finish what you started. My hope is you have decided to help your child finish the school year strong. Look for the Core Essential Value with information about determination coming this week from your child's teacher.

There are lots of resources with stories, songs and information about the value of DETERMINATION. There is a great story about a 9 year old boy named Ezra French who has overcome obstacles of a birth defect at Ezra French . There is a great summer read aloud Jabari Jumps at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1O-CE6czyE .

CISD Mental Health and Wellness

Newsletter ~ Resiliency and Determination

Check out the Dragon's Breath for K-6th grade 

at https://www.smore.com/9zu8n-dragon-s-breath-may-2020

Remember... I am here and would be glad to talk with you or your child about any concerns or questions you might have. You can reach me at: Elizabeth.Johnston@southlakecarroll.edu or call 817 949 4504. Hang in there. We will get through this together.

Kindest regards,
Ziba Johnston