
Parent Partnership
News & Resources from your School Counselor & Success Coach
News and Updates from Mrs. Reverman and Mrs. Hargrave
Hello Findley Families!
Spring is in the air! It feels so nice to smell the flowers when I open my front door and along my walks. I hope everyone is taking the opportunity to enjoy the beginnings of spring.
We are preparing for new beginnings at Findley too as we make plans for many of our students to return to in-person hybrid (IPH) learning in April. Safety protocols are a high priority but so are the supports student will need when they return - academic, behavioral, and social/emotional. Many of our students will remain in the CDL format of learning, and we will continue to monitor and support their needs too.
Resilience seems to be a theme for the last 12 months. It was a year ago this week we were all sent home from school and asked to stay home while questioning the uncertainty and safety around us. One of the definitions of resilience provided by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is "an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change." It doesn't get any more relevant than that! The global pandemic has given us many opportunities to struggle and find new ways to succeed and connect. While it's easy to get stuck in a negative mindset about what continues to be hard and the circumstances that aren't ideal, it's important for us to reflect on the many ways our children, families, and communities have shown resilience. We have developed new awareness for those who are most vulnerable and learned new skills to continue our learning and social connections. What are some examples in your family of how you've had to be resilient?
Thank you so much for your support of Social Emotional Learning. Please reach out to your SEL team if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Carolyn and Su
AVID
AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) is a college readiness system in all Beaverton middle and high schools and includes the AVID elective class during the school day.
The AVID elective is a year-long elective class, taken in addition to the academic core classes (humanities, math, science, and other required courses) at your middle school. It is based on writing as a tool for learning, the inquiry method, reading, organization, and collaborative grouping.
Students apply to be in the program. AVID students selected for the AVID elective are...
- In the "academic middle" - meeting standards in all subject areas but need a little extra support to do better
- Needing help with study skills and organizational skills
- Motivated to go to college but don't quite know how to have the resources at home
- Willing to work hard and study every night
- Historically underrepresented in 4-year universities
- Facing special circumstances that make it difficult for them to actualize their college dream
- Possibly a first generation college student
Last week, I met with the 5th graders to share the AVID elective middle school program. This week, Mrs. Hargrave and I shared the application process with students who expressed an interest in applying to the program. All applicants will also need to ask their teacher, counselor, or a staff member at FIndley to fill out the AVID Recommendation Form.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON MARCH 19, 2021
Informational Links -
Application Links -
AVID Application Form - Your child will need adult help to fill out the application.
AVID Submission Form - You will upload your application to this form and submit.
Upcoming SEL Lessons
March 17th -
K- Seesaw Lesson Only
1&2- Seesaw Lesson Only
3-5- Live Zoom and Seesaw Lesson
March 24th - Spring Break
March 31st - Now a staff Development Day
April Schedule - Coming Soon
All the grades are working on problem solving. Conflict is a part of life. It occurs in the classroom, on the playground, at home, and in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, children are often ill-prepared to manage the conflicts they face in these settings. When this occurs, interpersonal relationships and academic progress may suffer. Knowledge and tools can help resolve conflict successfully.
It is important for students to continue discussing and practicing concepts outside the classroom. Ask your child what they are learning in class!
Kindergartners continue to learn about Kelso's Choices. Big problems are when we feel unsafe or in danger, and we tell an adult. Small problems are problems we can solve by ourselves trying out a few of Kelso's Choices: Go to another game, Share and Take Turns, Talk It Out, Walk Away, Ignore It, Tell Them To Stop, Apologize, Make a Deal, & Wait and Cool Off.
Students are asked to try 2 of Kelso's Choices when they have a small problem. If they still can't solve it, then they should ask an adult for help.
1st & 2nd Graders are starting a unit on Problem Solving. Children learn constructive approaches to resolving conflict, focusing on conflict-resolution steps that facilitate healthy relationship patterns. Our first lesson was learning to disagree respectfully by accepting and valuing different feelings and perspectives. When they feel conflict, STOP to cool down, Talk it Out, Think about a resolution, then Try it out.
3rd, 4th, & 5th Graders have continued to learn about Problem Solving. The students learn constructive approaches to resolving conflict, focusing on conflict resolution steps that facilitate healthy relationship patterns. They learned three different approaches to conflict:
Conflict Avoider (like a turtle), Conflict Controler (like a shark), and Solution Finder (like an owl). Once they become familiar with these concepts, they will practice STEP IT UP, an approach to conflict resolution that uses the following steps:
STOP, think and cool off.
TALK it out.
Evaluate possible solutions and consequences.
Pick a realistic solution and try it out.