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Team -
We want to again recognize that we have limited capacity at Harwood this year. Without
continued challenges of managing COVID and its impact are impacting us all. As we continue to problem solve how to manage this reality we also want to take a minute and remember we are not alone in this reality - what we are observing, experiencing and managing ourselves is a reality across the nation.
See excerpts from Stress and Short Tempers: Schools Struggle with Behavior as Students Return by Kalyn Belsha below. Alyssa Rodriguez expected a rocky readjustment this school year. The Chicago social worker figured she’d see more students who felt anxious, frustrated by their schoolwork, or disoriented by unfamiliar routines. A month into school, she says she underestimated the challenge ahead. Student behavior referrals are up, as middle schoolers hurt each others’ feelings with comments they’d usually only be bold enough to say online. She and other social workers have seen more verbal and physical fights, and worried parents are calling with concerns about their child’s shorter-than-usual temper. “It’s definitely a lot more than I think any of us were mentally prepared for, even though we tried to prepare for it,” Rodriguez said. Schools across the country say they’re seeing an uptick in disruptive behaviors. Some are obvious and visible, like students trashing bathrooms, fighting over social media posts, or running out of classrooms. Others are quieter calls for help, like students putting their head down and refusing to talk… The behavior issues are a reflection of the stress the pandemic placed on children, experts say, upending their education, schedules, and social lives. For students dealing with grief, mental health issues, or the layered effects of poverty and racism, big transitions can be even more challenging… Coupled with staff exhaustion, the behavior challenges are making school environments more tense than educators and students had anticipated — and underscoring how much support students need right now… “Normally we are really energized and rocking and rolling at the end of September,” said Roxanne James, the principal of Jerome Mack Middle School in Las Vegas. This year, staffers are already exhausted. “They’re being asked to be those emotional supports for kids, for their families, for each other,” she said. “And they themselves have gone through the trauma of the pandemic.” That community-wide stress takes a toll, Raviv said. “One of the things different about COVID is that it’s not something just happening to one student and one family, and the teacher is on the outside. Teachers are right in there,” she said. “What we see a lot of is teachers feeling overwhelmed and burned out, and that does make a difference in how available they can be for their students.” The article ends by identifying how teachers and students are looking for solutions. As we move through Harwood, the solutions (space you are holding or little actions you are taking) being tried abound:
Given the reality of our capacity we will all need to continue our collective effort. Often times the Student Support team and administration are all with students and thus we want to encourage increased use of the Wellness Center. This year has been and continues to be unexpectently hard! We are grateful for you showing up each day and trying again! In partnership, Meg, Laurie and Duane Important Information |
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Appreciations:
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