The Connection Corner

Your "Whole Child Hub"

Welcome to your "Whole Child Hub"!

Welcome to the December Edition of The Connection Corner 2024-2025! Here, you'll find insights and resources to strengthen the home-school connection and support your child's social, emotional, and behavioral development. Thank you for being part of our community!

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Traveling During the Winter Break?

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Navigating Social Development

Building Empathy In Your Child

Empathy is a key skill that helps children connect with others, build positive relationships, and navigate social situations. Parents can help foster empathy by:

Modeling kindness: Show your child how to treat others with respect and compassion.
Talking about emotions: Ask questions like, "How do you think your friend felt when that happened?"
Discussing stories: Explore how characters in books or movies might feel in different situations.

Reading books together is another great way to nurture empathy. Some excellent options include:

"Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" by Carol McCloud
"Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Peña
"Those Shoes" by Maribeth Boelts
"The Invisible Boy" by Trudy Ludwig

You can also encourage small acts of kindness, like helping a neighbor or donating toys, to reinforce empathy in meaningful ways.

Navigating Emotional Development

Supporting Your Child Emotionally During The Winter Break

Between changes in routines, schedules, and family dynamics, this time of year can feel overwhelming for some kids.

Here are some strategies to help support your child emotionally during the winter break:

1. Stick to Routines When Possible

A long break from school can shake up schedules. Maintaining consistency with meals, bedtime, and other daily rituals can provide a sense of security and stability. Predictability helps children feel grounded, even when life feels busier.

2. Prepare Your Child for Changes

If you’re traveling, hosting guests, or attending events, talk with your child about what to expect. Walk them through plans for the day, such as how long you’ll be at a relative’s house or what they’ll need to bring. Kids feel less anxious when they know what’s coming.

3. Validate Their Emotions

Breaks from school and the winter holidays bring out a wide range of emotions—excitement, frustration, disappointment, or sadness. Let your child know that all feelings are okay. Use phrases like, “It’s normal to feel this way during a busy time,” or “I’m here if you want to talk.”

4. Create Space for Down Time

Between activities, parties, and errands, it’s easy for kids to become overstimulated. Make time for quiet moments at home to recharge. A simple activity like reading together or taking a walk can help children (and adults!) reset during hectic days.

Remember, every family and child experiences this time differently. The best thing you can do is to reassure your child that your love and support are constant—no matter what unfolds.

Navigating Behavioral Development

Screen Time Struggles Over Break

With extra free time during the winter break, it’s easy for kids to gravitate toward screens. While it’s okay to relax and enjoy some screen time, balance is key.

Set clear expectations about how much time can be spent on devices each day, and encourage other activities like reading, playing outside, or doing crafts together. Use tools like timers or screen-free zones (like the dinner table) to create structure. Modeling healthy habits yourself, like unplugging during family time, can also make a big impact. The goal isn’t to eliminate screens but to create a balance that works for your family.

Behind the "SEL" Scenes

Erin's Law "Be Seen and Heard" Assemblies

Our Preschool-5th grade students recently participated in the annual Be Seen and Heard assemblies in compliance with the Erin’s Law mandate. These assemblies focused on teaching students how to recognize the difference between safe and unsafe touch, identify trusted adults, and emphasized the importance of personal safety.

PBIS Assembly at Hawthorn School of Dual Language

SOARing students were celebrated this past month at the Hawthorn School of Dual Language PBIS Assembly. Students who exhibited SOAR expectations were nominated by their teacher to be recognized in front of the school. Then, several nominated students were chosen to "pie" a teacher or principal in the face! It was a fun celebration for all students!

Snowflake Night a Huge Success!

This year, over 150 students in grades 6-8 had a wonderful time participating in SEL activities, watching a magic show, enjoying a pizza dinner and dessert, and ending the night with a motivational speaker. Volunteers from the district, PTO, and Vernon Hills High School helped make the night memorable. Additionally, parents and guardians had the opportunity to learn about emotional regulation with Simply Bee Counseling during part of the evening. We're grateful to all who helped make this special evening possible and look forward to continuing this tradition in the future!

ReferralGPS: Connecting Families to Mental Health Resources

ReferralGPS is a web-based service that aids our community in locating local mental health resources and treatment.

Searchable Database: Offers a database of treatment options for easy access.
Care Navigation: Provides services to support families in triage, appointment scheduling, and follow-up care.

Inclusive Insurance Coverage: The service is compatible with all types of private and public insurance, including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, and it caters to uninsured or underinsured families.
No-Cost Access: Available free of charge for use by district students, staff, and families.
Confidentiality Assured: Rest assured that all information entered into the ReferralGPS tool is kept completely confidential and securely stored.

Site: https://referralgps.com/find-help/hawthorn73

Educate and Empower: Parent/Guardian Education Series

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