Congratulations to our 8th graders at St. Anne's on their high-school acceptances! We cannot wait to see you flourish in your future schools. Remember to keep working hard and trying your best both in and out of the classrooms! 

In December and January, the 7th and 8th grade guidance lessons included reputation, conflict resolution, peer pressure, and growth mindset. Additionally, our 6th and 7th graders began the HEPP program! The HEPP program is an 8-10 week program that incorporates evidence-based health lessons and activities that include a variety of topics prevelant to this age group. HEPP includes Social and Emotional Learning, Peer Pressure, Vaping/Alcohol and other topics that promote and encourage positive choices and healthy behaviors.

What is vaping?

• E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air.
• E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.
• Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not look like other tobacco products.
• E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”
• Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping.”

Dangers of vaping: 

• The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.
• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.¹
• E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.
• Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

Resources:

https://www.youthnow.me/schools/educators/

https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/e-cigarettes.html

http://www.scholastic.com/youthvapingrisks/healthrisksofcigarettes_studentarticle_A.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html

In November, our guidance lessons covered the importance of healthy friendships and relationships. 

Good friendships can be complex because they consist of many different characteristics such as :
(1) Having common interests, likes, or hobbies
(2) Feeling comfortable with sharing personal thoughts, feelings, or stories
(3) Understanding each other
(4) Conflict resolution
Ex: Being able to solve arguments and problems without hurting the relationship
(5) Being affectionate or caring
(6) Equality in the relationship
Ex: A shared friendship where all members are treated the same; everyone is treated fairly
(7) Being loyal and trustworthy
 Ex: Keeping your word in the relationship; actually doing what you say you will  Ex: Keeping secrets in the relationship

October is Anti-Bullying Prevention Month



What is Bullying? Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength. Typically, it is repeated over time. A child who is being bullied has a hard time defending him or herself. Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting or punching (physical bullying); teasing or name calling (verbal bullying); intimidation using gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying); and sending insulting messages by e-mail (cyberbullying).

Extra resources/videos on bullying:

https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/film-kits/bullied-a-student-a-school-and-a-case-that-made-history

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2013/there-are-no-bullies

https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/8b2f9e45-dccb-475e-8b3c-845c96f25d21/bad-behavior-online-bullying-trolling-free-speech/

https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/common-challenges/bullying/at-a-glance-signs-of-bullying-in-middle-school


We must be the change we wish to see

We are living in times where things can seem really sad and scary. Some of our favorite things have been cancelled due to gathering restrictions and social distancing regulations. A great way to release these feelings is through journaling. Journaling is something that does not have rules; it's completely up to you! With the purchase of a simple notebook and colored pencils or markers, students can reflect on their day, measure their mood, relieve any stress, and set goals for the near and distant future. This can be done through writing, drawing, or a combination of both. Since journaling can contain really personal information, it is best to keep your journal in a safe place. I would recommend keeping it home. I have included some tips to creating a journal, what can be included, and how to keep up with it below. I also have a journal specific to COVID, and the many emotions surrounding this virus. Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, I am unable to post this journal publically on the Guidance Corner page, but I can email it to you privately. Feel free to send me an email (alosito123@stannesgcschool.org) and I can pass along this information to you. 

There may be times where we are unable to release our feelings or speak to a trusted adult about them, but we can still control them from taking over and causing a disruption to the current task. Deep breathing is a strategy used to calm feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and stress. These exercises can be done anywhere, at any time, without attracting attention. This short YouTube video shows how deep breathing can happen anywhere:

The following video teaches you how to focus on your breathing to relieve those negative feelings and help focus you back onto the task at hand.