Thursday, May 19, 2011
HONORS PROGRAMS FOR K-6 GRADES
The Honors Program for grades 3-6 at Verbena High School will be held in the Verbena High School auditorium at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, May 25. The Honors Program for grades K-2 will be held at the Verbena School Annex on Wednesday, May 25, at 11:30 AM. Parents and guardians of the students are invited to attend.
HELPING KIDS COPE
The April 27th storms left not only a path of destruction but also
widespread fear and sadness across our state and especially in our
children. Experts at the Children's Hospital of Alabama feel it is
important to teach children the best ways to cope with the feelings of
loss, despair and hopelessness that accompany the aftermath of a natural
disaster.
"The tornados not only devastated infrastructure but also devastated
lives, said Andy McNeil, director of The Amelia Center at Children's
Hospital. "Those that were not directly affected were certainly touched
by these storms in one way or another."
McNeil offers these tips in helping children understand and cope with
either personal grief, or grief that others around them are
experiencing:
* Take care of yourself - get enough sleep, eat well-balanced
meals, stick to regular routines and reach out to others for support. As
an adult, you are a model to children of how to cope with traumatic
events.
* Discuss the tragic event with your child in a simple and
direct manner. Be honest and share clear, accurate information about the
tragedy. Children need to hear the truth from someone they love.
* Listen to and respect your child's fears. Let your child know
that it is normal to feel worried or upset.
* Give your child a creative outlet to express feelings. This
can be done through drawing, writing, listening to music, playing games
or talking with dolls or family pets.
* Keep rules and boundaries consistent. Children gain security
in knowing that daily activities will remain the same.
* Reassure your child that he/she is loved and that you are
there to take care of him/her. Following a tragic event, a child's sense
of safety is shaken. Reassure your child that your family is safe.
* Give your child a sense of control by providing him/her with
ways your family can help others in the community. Encourage children
to be creative in the way that they want to get involved and help
others.
* Most importantly, be there for your child. Give extra
attention and be affectionate. Spend quality time together as a family.
The Amelia Center is a Birmingham based non-profit organization that
serves as a comprehensive community grief-counseling center. The Amelia
Center is a support service of Children's Hospital and is a United Way
of Central Alabama agency providing individual and family grief
counseling services at no charge.
Services also include grief support groups, Critical Incident Stress
Management response teams that serve schools throughout the state of
Alabama when there has been a death, and a variety of training
workshops on bereavement and loss-related topics.
Although most work is done at the Center, the staff trains caregivers,
health care professionals, school counselors, teachers, clergy and
others in grief counseling. The staff is also available to work with
schools in crisis situations.
George and Jerrie Elliott, supported by Pastoral Counselor Joe McNulty
and Children's Health System, established the Amelia Center in memory of
their daughter, Amelia, a 17-year-old camp counselor who was one of four
teens killed in a car/train collision in 1995.
For more information about the Amelia Center, or to schedule an
appointment, please call (205) 212-7481 or visit www.ameliacenter.org.
To see Children's Hospital expert Andy McNeil discuss this topic, visit
this month's video.
widespread fear and sadness across our state and especially in our
children. Experts at the Children's Hospital of Alabama feel it is
important to teach children the best ways to cope with the feelings of
loss, despair and hopelessness that accompany the aftermath of a natural
disaster.
"The tornados not only devastated infrastructure but also devastated
lives, said Andy McNeil, director of The Amelia Center at Children's
Hospital. "Those that were not directly affected were certainly touched
by these storms in one way or another."
McNeil offers these tips in helping children understand and cope with
either personal grief, or grief that others around them are
experiencing:
* Take care of yourself - get enough sleep, eat well-balanced
meals, stick to regular routines and reach out to others for support. As
an adult, you are a model to children of how to cope with traumatic
events.
* Discuss the tragic event with your child in a simple and
direct manner. Be honest and share clear, accurate information about the
tragedy. Children need to hear the truth from someone they love.
* Listen to and respect your child's fears. Let your child know
that it is normal to feel worried or upset.
* Give your child a creative outlet to express feelings. This
can be done through drawing, writing, listening to music, playing games
or talking with dolls or family pets.
* Keep rules and boundaries consistent. Children gain security
in knowing that daily activities will remain the same.
* Reassure your child that he/she is loved and that you are
there to take care of him/her. Following a tragic event, a child's sense
of safety is shaken. Reassure your child that your family is safe.
* Give your child a sense of control by providing him/her with
ways your family can help others in the community. Encourage children
to be creative in the way that they want to get involved and help
others.
* Most importantly, be there for your child. Give extra
attention and be affectionate. Spend quality time together as a family.
The Amelia Center is a Birmingham based non-profit organization that
serves as a comprehensive community grief-counseling center. The Amelia
Center is a support service of Children's Hospital and is a United Way
of Central Alabama agency providing individual and family grief
counseling services at no charge.
Services also include grief support groups, Critical Incident Stress
Management response teams that serve schools throughout the state of
Alabama when there has been a death, and a variety of training
workshops on bereavement and loss-related topics.
Although most work is done at the Center, the staff trains caregivers,
health care professionals, school counselors, teachers, clergy and
others in grief counseling. The staff is also available to work with
schools in crisis situations.
George and Jerrie Elliott, supported by Pastoral Counselor Joe McNulty
and Children's Health System, established the Amelia Center in memory of
their daughter, Amelia, a 17-year-old camp counselor who was one of four
teens killed in a car/train collision in 1995.
For more information about the Amelia Center, or to schedule an
appointment, please call (205) 212-7481 or visit www.ameliacenter.org.
To see Children's Hospital expert Andy McNeil discuss this topic, visit
this month's video
Monday, May 2, 2011
Special Days in May
May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
May 8 – Mother’s Day
May 11 – National School Nurse Day
May 21 – Armed Forces Day
May 25 – Honors Program for grades 3-6 at 9:30 A M
May 24-25 – Semester Exams
May 25 - Honors Program for grades K-2 at 1:30 at Annex
May 26 – Last day of school for students
Senior Graduation
May 30 – Memorial Day
May 8 – Mother’s Day
May 11 – National School Nurse Day
May 21 – Armed Forces Day
May 25 – Honors Program for grades 3-6 at 9:30 A M
May 24-25 – Semester Exams
May 25 - Honors Program for grades K-2 at 1:30 at Annex
May 26 – Last day of school for students
Senior Graduation
May 30 – Memorial Day
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)