Junior High SEL & Wellness

As we move through the month of February, we’re focusing on Building Empathy and Self-Compassion—two powerful tools that help us connect with others and ourselves in meaningful ways.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It’s more than just saying "I’m sorry"; it’s about really feeling what someone else might be going through, whether they’re experiencing happiness, sadness, or frustration.

This month, we’ll explore:

• Why empathy matters in our friendships and community
• Practical ways to practice empathy in everyday situations
• How empathy can help resolve conflicts and build stronger relationships

Often, we’re our own harshest critics. We hold ourselves to high standards and sometimes forget to show kindness to ourselves when we mess up. Self-compassion is all about treating yourself with the same care and understanding you would offer to a friend.

This month, we’ll learn about:

• The importance of being kind to yourself during tough times
• How self-compassion can reduce stress and improve mental health
• Simple self-compassion practices you can use every day

Random Acts of Kindness Week was set up in 1995 by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, as a way to celebrate the small things we do that can really make a difference. Whether it’s playing with someone at breaktime, or planting a tree, there are so many things we can do to make the world a kinder place!

Specific ideas for families to do during Kindness Week:

Community outreach:

• Donate old clothes or toys to a local charity.
• Collect books for a library or children's hospital.
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
• Pick up trash in a local park.
• Plant flowers in a community garden.

• Bake cookies or a meal for a neighbor.
• Offer to mow a neighbor's lawn
• Leave a handwritten note of appreciation on a neighbor's doorstep.
• Walk a neighbor's dog

• Write a heartfelt letter to a family member.
• Make a special breakfast for someone in the family
• Do a chore for someone else without being asked
• Give a thoughtful gift to a family member
• Play a board game together as a family

• Hide small, positive messages around the neighborhood
• Leave a generous tip for a service worker
• Make handmade cards for people in a nursing home
• Create a "kindness jar" where family members can write down kind things they want to do for others

For more information, visit https://schoolofkindness.org/.

Cuero ISD is committed to providing quality education to its students. In an effort to achieve this goal, parents/guardians may refer their student for counseling. Please click on the form below for more information. If you would like your child to receive counseling services, please fill out the form and return to your child's campus.

TCHATT (Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine) provides telemedicine or telehealth programs to children within Cuero ISD. TCHATT also helps to identify and assess the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents and provide access to mental health services. Cuero ISD is proud to be part of this program that helps students get access to mental health treatment and resources. If you would like more information about TCHATT, you can visit their website https://tcmhcc.utsystem.edu/tchatt/ or contact Courtney Kalinowski at ckalinowski@cueroisd.org.

Ruby Rodriguez, M.Ed. ~ Director of Special Programs

Courtney Kalinowski, M.S., LPC ~ School Climate Specialist

Lacy Timpone, M.Ed., LPC ~ School Climate Specialist

Kathy F. Scott, LMSW ~ School Climate Specialist

960 East Broadway Street, Cuero, TX, USA

(361)275-1900

• What is one way you can show engagement during school?
• Name a time you persevered
• Name one tribe of Native Americans.