Hello Wolves! Welcome to the fifth edition of the School Counseling Newsletter for the 2021-22 school year. State testing has started, which means we are very close to the finish line. Only 5 more weeks of school left before summer break! Hang in there!

In this issue you will find:

• California Student Mental Health Week
• State Testing: What Families Need to Know
• MYP Future Fair
• Community Resources & Events
  
• Save the Date(s)!
• Contact Information

May 9th to the 13th is California Student Mental Health Week and it takes place during the month of May which is Mental Health Awareness month. Please encourage your student(s) to participate in our spirit week and talk to your students about the different activities they do to care for that specific area for themselves.

Mental health is about supporting our mental and emotional well-being or how we handle stress, relationships and making decisions. An important part of taking care of our mental health is doing self-care and teaching our children to take care of their mental well-being. Part of the focus of your student’s school counseling program, throughout the year and especially during Mental Health Awareness month, is to remind ourselves of how we can nurture our brain/spirit, body and heart. Due to the stressors that the pandemic has brought on to our school community and community at large, such as academic challenges, financial strains, social challenges, grief and loss to name a few, it is especially important to remember to care for ourselves and teach our young ones to do so as well. Helping our children identify and find ways to express how they are feeling can help us begin conversations with them on how to navigate their challenges and build resiliency. Below you will find ways that you and your family can do to work on self-care together.

Brain (Mental)

Positivity Board Game-Big Life Journal

Spirit (Emotional)

Worry Jar (do we have an electronic version w/ the spanish one?)

Article on “How help Help Children Calm Down”

Heart (Social)

Connect with people that support you:

• Call extended family

• Write letters or postcards to friends

• Email something kind to your favorite teacher or check-in

• Have a lunch date (virtual maybe?)

Body (Physical)

Get outside in San Marcos, CA!

Taking care of basic needs.

If you would like to know more on how to support your student’s mental health, please join us for our parent workshop!

When: May 17th, 5:00-6:00 pm

Where: La Mirada Academy Library

As you are probably aware state testing started last week. All students in grades 3-8 participate in standardized testing at the end of every school year. The main purpose of this test is to keep schools accountable for the learning outcomes of students, and for families and students to review academic progress as students go through the different grade levels in their education. Students do not "get in trouble" if their scores are below grade level, but these are good data indicators school leaders can use to put in place interventions and set goals to help each student be successful in their academic development.

The standardized test we use in California to assess student learning is the CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress). If you would like to learn more about the test and what you can do as a parent/guardian to support your student, please click on the following link:

CAASPP Starting Smarter

Some students might feel anxious about state testing or testing in general. These are some things you can do to alleviate student test anxiety and help your student be better prepared for their test:

BEFORE A TEST:

Make sure your student...

• Does not try to study everything the night before the test
• Goes to bed early and gets enough sleep
• Eats a healthy dinner the day before the test
• Get some exercise done the day before the test
• Eat a balanced breakfast the day of the test
• Practices calming down techniques in the morning of the test

MANAGE TEST STRESS/ANXIETY:

• Help your student set a study routine that is reasonable (30 minutes a day, rather than cramming everything the last night)
• Help your student study when they are alert rather than when they are tired
• Help your student practice calming down techniques:

CALMING DOWN TECHNIQUES:

• Deep Breathing: Slowly breath in through the nose for 4 seconds, hold it for 5 seconds, slowly breath out through the mouth for 7 seconds, repeat few times

• Mental Rehearsing: Close your eyes and imagine yourself taking the test. Imagine that you feel confident with every answer. Imagine that you are feeling calm and comfortable in your seat. Imagine trying your best!

• Nudge Away ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts): Whenever negative thoughts or "what if" questions enter your mind, imagine nudging them away. It is common for our brains to trick us into thinking of all the possible bad things that could happen before a test. Say to yourself "Stop it, brain! You are going to do your best in this test!"

• Push Away Perfection: Striving for perfection is unhealthy. Nobody is perfect, so you are setting yourself up for failure if you hold yourself to a perfect standard. Be okay with the fact that you may not know all the answers! There will be some material that you do not know and that is OKAY! Let yourself be human.

Every student deserves to dream big about their future, but how do they dream big if they don’t know what exists? In an effort to provide students exposure to the myriad of opportunities within today’s workforce, the San Marcos Promise is hosting their Annual Future Fair on May 18th & 19th.

The first night of the Future Fair (May 18th) The San Marcos Promise is hosting 3 different virtual career panels. Professionals from the greater San Diego area will join, providing information and talking with students about the various careers that exist within their respective fields, as well as the training, education & skills needed to get there.

Wednesday, May 18th

Virtual Career Panels:

• 5pm-5:45pm = Healthcare//Life Sciences & Biotechnology
• 6pm- 6:45pm = Engineering// Energy, Construction & Utilities
• 7pm- 7:45pm = Business & Entrepreneurship

Students can access links to the Virtual Career Panels on our Future Fair website. Students do not need to pre-register.

The second night (May 19th) The San Marcos Promise is hosting the in-person Future Fair in the Pavilion at Mission Hills High School from 5pm-8pm. ALL students (including middle school students) and their families are invited to attend. No pre-registration is necessary. The Future Fair provides an opportunity for students and their families to discover multiple options for their future. With over 50 colleges and universities and various businesses and industries represented, students will be able to take one step closer to figuring out the next step in their journey.

Thursday, May 19th

Future Fair

5pm - 8pm

Location: Mission Hills High School 1 Mission Hills Ct.San Marcos, CA 92069

We hope to see many LMA families at this event!

Thank you so much for helping inspire students to dream big about their futures!

Starting May 1st, anyone aged 18 and under can ride transit for free as part of the SANDAG Youth Opportunity Pass pilot program. Get your Youth PRONTO app account or PRONTO card to get unlimited rides on the bus, Trolley, COASTER, and SPRINTER through June 30, 2023.

Simply download the Youth Pronto app or get a PRONTO card, and beginning May 1st they can start riding for free!

To download the app, or to learn more, please visit: YouthOpportunityPass.sandag.org

If your student does not have a smartphone, you can request a PRONTO card by clicking here and completing the form. For questions, please call 760-290-2381.

This is a great opportunity for current 8th graders interested in Engineering!

Please click on the following links for a comprehensive list of resources:

• Student Wellness
• Mental Health and Counseling Resources
• Emergency Psych Evaluation Centers
• Community Resources (Housing, Food, Etc.)
• Technology Resources and Support
• North San Diego County Food Resources

School Counselor (Last Names A-L)

Email: marthaanahi.amador@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/
Location: Room A-128
Phone: (760) 290-2006

School Counselor (Last Names M-Z)

Email: miriam.jaimes@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/our_school/school_counseling_department/school_counseling_staff/miriam_jaimes__school_counselor
Location: Room A-126
Phone: 760-290-2016

School Social Worker

Email: gloria.ortiz@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/
Location: Room A-127
Phone: (760) 290-2444