Heads up! Picture Day has been RESCHEDULED from its original date of November 7th.
Stop by WLHS on Monday, November 4th, from 8 AM to 2 PM to have your school photo taken! All students that have their photo taken will receive their student ID card in a few weeks. Forms to place your photo order are available in the front office.
It's that time of year again! The chill of Fall is in the air. Which means the onset of the annual cold and flu season. This year continues to present us with new challenges. Is it just a cold? Is it the flu? Or could it be COVID? The flu and COVID share remarkable similarities, which can be confusing.
Common symptoms include:
- Fever/chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Body aches/headache
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
Your student DOES NOT have to stay home if they have tested positive for COVID, or were exposed.
Your student DOES need to stay home if they have any of the following:
- Fever (temperature of 100.4 or greater) - Must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school
- New cough illness - Symptoms should be improving for 24 hours before returning to school
- New difficulty breathing - Symptoms should be improving for 24 hours before returning to school
- Diarrhea - Must be symptom-free for 48 hours
- Vomiting - Must be symptom-free for 48 hours
- Headache with stiff neck or fever - Must be symptom-free with orders from a doctor. Urgent medical care may be needed
- Skin rash or open sores - Must be symptom-free, which means the rash is gone or sores are dry and can be completely covered by a bandage
- Red eyes with colored drainage - Symptom-free or with orders from a doctor
- Jaundice - After the school has orders from a doctor
- Acting differently without reason - Symptom-free or with orders from a doctor
- Major health event - After the school has orders from a doctor and after measures are in place for the student's safety
If you have any questions, please reach out to Brandi Edwards, MSN, RN at bedwards@coquille.k12.or.us or (541)824-6816.
November 8th is National STEM Day. What is STEM? STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. In education, STEM refers to the skills and knowledge that students need to participate in our high-tech society and to pursue high-tech careers.
Changes in the job market have led to a renewed emphasis on STEM in PK-12 education. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM workers earn 26% more than those without a STEM background. Most of the fastest growing occupations are STEM-related careers. The greatest projected job openings in STEM are for Computer occupations, Engineers, STEM-Related Management, Science Technicians, and Engineering Technicians. (US BLS, 2018)
In addition to our online courses, WLHS offers a variety of STEM-related opportunities for students. MakerSpace, Science Lab, Forensic Science, Construction, Heavy Equipment Simulators, Drones, and VR Learning introduce many STEM concepts and practices.
"In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past."
-National Science Foundation
STEM STATISTICS
- Between 2017 and 2029, the number of available STEM jobs is expected to grow by 8%. This includes scientists, doctors, software developers, and engineers.
- Employment in STEM occupations has grown 79% since 1990.
- The median annual wage of STEM occupations is well over double that of non-STEM occupations.
- 52% of Americans don't pursue STEM careers because they perceive them as "too hard".
- 8 out of 10 most wanted employees listed by the US Department of Labor were ones with a STEM education.
- The US Bureau of Statistics says that in the next 20 years, 80% of jobs will require a technical skill.
- Students majoring in STEM fields say they find it stimulating, with good salary and job potential.
November is about the holidays. It's a time that's supposed to be so full of joy and yet we often find ourselves struggling to get into that headspace. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time to reflect on what we are thankful for but it's not always easy.
This is especially true if you are starting to think more critically about the origin of that holiday, in terms of the darker parts of its history and how Indigenous communities are still poorly treated in the US. You might also be thinking about climate change, political division, and wars happening abroad.
But it's very possible to think intentionally about all the challenges of the moment, and people who are struggling, while also cultivating gratitude and positivity for what's going right. Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity every year to start a gratitude practice, which has a lot of benefits for mental health even if you only practice it for one weekend with family and friends.
Gratitude and Health
In terms of its impact on physical health, a 2020 journal article that provided a systematic review of interventions found the practice of gratitude was associated with improvements in sleep quality, blood pressure, glycemic and asthma control, as well as eating behaviors.
Based on the positive impact on physical health, you have even more of a reason to think seriously about how to incorporate more gratitude into your daily life.
Gratitude Maintains Relationships
According to the Find, Remind, and Bind theory, "gratitude is probably best understood as a mechanism for forming and sustaining the most important relationships of our lives, those with the people we care about and count on from one day to the next."
Based on this research study, people would benefit from integrating gratitude as a central component of maintaining relationships with loved ones by expressing thanks to them on a daily basis.
A 2017 study shed light on gratitude in interpersonal relationships in terms of "persuasion (e.g., 'Thank you. I so appreciate you being willing to help me with this task'), identity management (e.g., 'I am so grateful for the opportunity to be honest with you'), and interaction management (e.g., 'Thank you for giving me the chance to speak')."
As seen in these examples, gratitude can be easily expressed in how people communicate with family and friends to maintain relationships.
How to Practice More Gratitude
In a white paper prepared for the John Templeton Foundation by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, gratitude is described as the "social glue that fortifies relationships—between friends, family, and romantic partners—and serves as the backbone of human society." It is mediated by gender, with such factors as envy, materialism, narcissism, and cynicism serving as barriers.
A better understanding of gratitude bodes well for incorporating it in your life in a way that is beneficial without reinforcing the problematic status quo.
Gratitude interventions include:
- Counting blessings: Listing five things for which you are grateful
- Three good things: Writing down three things that went well and identifying the causes of those positives
- Mental subtraction: Imagining your life without a good thing
- Gratitude letters and visits: Writing and delivering letters of gratitude to people you had never thanked
- Experiential consumption: Making a shift from spending money on things to investing in experience
Have a great month,
Mr. Johnson
As many as 2.5 million youth per year experience homelessness - that's 1 in 30 kids. According to a 2020-2021 Department of Education report, 18,485 students in Oregon were homeless, some of them in Coquille.
Along with losing their home, community, friends, and sense of stability and safety, many homeless youth are also victims of trauma. In fact, over 70% of homeless youth have reported experiencing abuse (National Coalition for the Homeless). While trying to survive on the streets, youth are exposed to countless dangers, with an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, and PTSD. 87% of youth who experience homelessness are likely to stop going to school (America's Promise Alliance).
The Coquille School District and WLHS provide critical support services to our students in need. Initial completion of a Student Residency Questionnaire helps us to target those who qualify as "Homeless". You should have completed one of these forms at registration. If you are not sure whether or not you completed one, give us a call or stop by the office. Make sure to complete a new one any time your living situation has changed. Contact Tanya Sinko at our District Office with any questions at tsinko@coquille.k12.or.us or (541)396-2181.
We know and respect that asking for help is hard. But that is exactly why we are here. Your needs will be addressed discreetly and without judgement. Always contact us or stop by with any questions or concerns.
