Coping with Anxiety - Welcome to the ESR Inclusion Board!
October 9 2021
If you are able to come into our school, one of the first things you will see is a large bulletin board which we call our Inclusion Board. Many thanks to one of our ESR parents, Veronica Ebbs-Canavan, who took on this volunteer task and changes the board regularly. This month the focus is on anxiety, which is something that continues to be a concern for many of us this school year. Because the Inclusion Board is meant for students and parents to see and discuss, I thought it appropriate this month to simply share it with you. In turn, you can share, discuss with your child if you wish, and hopefully learn some strategies together that might help. Please click on the link below the photo to access the Inclusion Board in its entirety. And please know that we will continue to support your children academically, socially, and emotionally.
Welcome back! It's the most wonderful time of the year!
September 10 2021
It's no secret that I love back to school. I love shopping for school supplies, the smell of new books (strange, but true), planning on what to wear on the first day, and seeing our classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds teeming with excited children. There is a current of excitement during the first week of school that is unlike any other time during the school year! This year the return to school brings all of those things, but the shadow of COVD still lingers, and the excitement and natural nervousness of a new school year is tinged with an anxiety that, while less than last year, is still palpable. This week I've spoken with many families about anxiety. Anxiety is a normal response which helps our bodies cope with upcoming and/or new experiences; however, the last eighteen months has thrust all of us into a world of change, uncertainty, and a global health crisis that has changed our lives. I had truly hoped that we would have reached the end of it, but (although it is sight) we are still waiting for the pandemic state of COVID to come to an end. While I don't want to dwell on the pandemic (gosh knows we're immersed in it enough), I do want to acknowledge the stress and anxiety experienced by all of us - students, families, staff, and our entire community. Anxiety is at an all-time high, and the normal 'back to school' excitement has been replaced for some by a fear of returning to school and other normal activities. Last year I assured you that we would focus on connection before curriculum, and we will continue to place relationship-building at the core of our practice this year. Some parents have expressed concern that their children are 'behind' academically due to their educational experience over the last eighteen months. I would like to reassure you with these words - on March 27, 2020, there were more than 1.5 billion children out of school around the world and UNESCO reported school closures in 192 countries. Your child is not behind, and we will continue to help you carry them through this pandemic. Thank you for trusting us to care for and educate the most important people in your world.
