A Fun Curmudgeon Day...update! SB 1-29-21
Celebrating National Fun at Work and Curmudgeon Day for our Theme this week seemed like a natural combination. Everybody wins...simply have fun in itself, have fun being a curmudgeon, or find your inner curmudgeon being fueled by everyone else’s fun...everybody wins.
Translations via Google Translate
Even though it was bitterly cold, there were a lot of smiles throughout the day. A specific highlight for Mr. McElhinney and me, was the opportunity to join a Zoom presentation this morning for Arav J. and Som L. as they were honored remotely by Congresswoman Lori Trahan for their winning project Work for Cause in the Congressional App Competition. Arav and Som were able to give a short presentation of their work and Congresswoman Trahan did a wonderful job congratulating them.
As we creep deeper into winter and further into our unique school year, it is vital that we keep mental health on our radar. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shared a wonderful new resource with schools this past week that I wanted to send along to all of you:
HandholdMA.org is a family friendly website designed for parents of school-aged children in Massachusetts who are worried about their child’s mental health. Is your kid just being a kid, or is their behavior something to worry about? If so, what are the next steps you can take? HandHold is here to help you figure that out.
Along with that resource, at the end of this update, I am including an announcement from the Westford Parent Connection about a virtual presentation they are sponsoring next Thursday night called: This is How it Feels by author Craig A Miller.
This week’s notes from the clinic brought to you Statler and Waldorf:
I thought it might be helpful to share information about isolation and quarantine. Isolation refers to the person who has COVID and quarantine refers to the close contacts. Close contacts are all family members and anyone who was with the individual with COVID for more than 15 mins, less than 6 feet apart (even with masks on) 48 hours prior to symptom onset. If the individual is asymptomatic, it would be 48 hours prior to the test. You can access this tip sheet about isolation received through the state. (Isolation is typically 10 days in length, longer if there are complications.)
If you or your child test positive for COVID, isolation means the individual is in their own room, using their own bathroom and meals are delivered to their room. If you are unable to do that in your home, then other family members cannot even start their quarantine until you complete your isolation! For example, if you have symptoms on 2/1 and then receive a positive test, your isolation period is from 2/2-2/11-recovered on 2/12. If you cannot isolate yourself from family members, quarantine would not start until 2/12! If multiple members of a household have COVID, you can be together and isolation periods may be different based on symptom onset. When an individual recovers, they can return to activities outside the home even if another family member is still in isolation. Once you recover from COVID, you are no longer infectious and able to spread the virus.
Also, for the past 10 years, Dianne Walsh, LICSW and myself have run a parent support group for parents who have children struggling with mental health issues. Although we have not had in person meetings since last year, we do continue to share information to our listserv. If you would like to be added to our email distribution list, please reach out to my home email: smhanly1@gmail.com and I will add your email address. When I send out the emails, I blind cc the group to maintain confidentiality.
Have a good weekend. Stay warm!
Sue Hanly, MSN, RN
I second Ms. Hanly’s suggestion...have a good weekend and stay warm!!
Chris
Dr. Christopher Chew
Principal
Stony Brook School
This Is How It Feels: Attempting Suicide And Finding Life
It is no secret that parents and educators alike are concerned about the mental health of the young people in their lives. Feelings of sadness, loss, and hopelessness are at an all-time high in the midst of the pandemic. The Westford Parent Connection and the See A New Sun Foundation are joining forces to host a remarkable speaker on Thursday, February 4, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Craig A. Miller, author of This Is How It Feels, will share his story of recovering from years of child abuse, mental health issues, and a suicide attempt. He is featured in the critically acclaimed documentary, The S Word, now available through Amazon Prime. Craig will discuss each phase of his lived experience -- from childhood to adulthood -- highlighting what helped, what hurt, and what gave him hope. A compassionate, charismatic speaker, Craig's story showcases how the lessons he learned from life's tragedies gave him the strength and resilience he needed to survive and thrive.
This vitally important virtual presentation is open to anyone and is free of charge. Parents, teachers, administrators, and students are welcome to attend. Please be advised that while Craig does not focus on method, he does cover many sensitive, mature topics. To register for the event, please go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BtZbkWZqRCqVpprA6cOCwA. For more information about Craig, check out https://thisishowitfeels.com/about-the-author.html. The Westford Parent Connection and the See A New Sun Foundation are grateful for the support of their sponsors and of the community. For more information, please contact Mary Anne Seraphin at mary.anne.seraphin@gmail.com.