Tuesday, July 18, 2017

July/August 2017


We hope that you have taken some serious time to relax, reboot, and re-energize this summer break. We know that there is a lot of time left but in case you are looking for some ideas for the 2017/18 school year, keep on reading! If not, please read it when you get back to school.

Important Dates 

July 27th & 28th- Timely Topics @ Chaparral High School
7/27 Mindfulness 101 9-10:30 am
7/28 Mindfulness 201 8-11 am
7/28 Brain Booster Camp 12-2 pm


September 14th- Healthy Schools Workshop 
(registration will be sent in August)

Grant Opportunities

It's on AGAIN!!
Local schools will receive up to $3,500 each to enhance academic or extra-curricular programs. It could be your school! For eligibility, click the "Nominate Your School" link. Students or teachers should write a short essay specifically detailing how your school would use $3,500 to enhance education and where the money would go (I.e., toward a new facility, new equipment, teen education program or disability program). Students, teachers and administration are encouraged to participate in Groove Auto's DRIVE for education® program. LINK

September Grant Awards (selected schools will be awarded in September)


Submissions open March 1
Submissions close August 1
All selected schools will be notified by August 15
Award ceremony will be held in September

Professional Development

We have designed a few new classes and updated last year's classes to offer DCSD staff. We will be a few at Timely Topics but we can also come to your way and offer them in the comfort of your own school.  We are around all year so no rush, but if you are working on PD, please consider our classes.

Brain Booster Boot Camp- This 2 hour class teaches hands-on brain breaks and provides a plethora of resources as well as planning time.

MindUp Curriculum for Teachers- This 2 hour class is designed to cover the basic aspects of implementing the MindUp curriculum PreK-8th grade. This is a hands-on workshop with the overall goal that teachers feel comfortable to teach it.

Mindfulness 101- This 90 minute class is for anyone new to mindfulness and wants to learn the connection to brain functioning as well as gain a basic understanding of the application of mindfulness is classrooms and life.

Mindfulness 201- This 3 hour class dives deeper in to mindfulness, including neuroscience research, creating a core practice, mindful thinking, present moment awareness, kindness, and compassion.  

Teaching with the Brain in Mind This 2 hour class focuses on how the learning brain functions, provides brain-based strategies that can be implemented in classroom that enhances student learning, hands-on physical activities, planning & networking time, and resources.

Recharge, Reimagine, Restart- Unique PD opportunity

Before the next school year starts, treat yourself to a little time to recharge, rethink and reimagine. Join us, keynote Sylvia Theisen, colleagues and friends (old and new) for an event focused on kicking the year off brilliantly. Celebrate what’s working for you as an educator, make a plan to impact what you might like to change, and get the tools you need to do just that. Create a plan to reimagine your classroom space and further engage students’ passion for learning, embrace tools to help you create more ease and satisfaction at work and in life, or engage in something totally different. Regardless, this event is focused on you.

Finally, top it all off with happy hour!

Be among the first 10 people to register and bring a friend for free.
 Cost: $40

Physical Activity


More and more research is surfacing on the positive effects of active recess and cognitive functioning! RMC Health offers a wonderful resource called the Learning Landscapes Toolkitand you can download it for free! This kit has tons of games that are printed with directions, materials, time, and best location for the game. Start the year off on an active foot by playing a fun recess game (Move it Mondays) with your students before free play begins.  If you do, take a picture and send one to us!


Bring a new after school physical activity class to your school that goes beyond movement!  This class includes yoga, mindfulness, fitness activities, healthy living tips, art projects, inspiring guest speakers and lots of F-U-N! We are so fortunate to have a DCSD employee leading this project. If interested contact Gina Mead (RHMS) at projectstronggirls@gmail.com or visit their website Project Strong Girls

Mindfulness


Would you like to rate your mindfulness, if so take this 20 question quiz



54231 Mindfulness Game
This quick and easy game is a sensory awareness exercise that is great for all ages and promotes mindfulness. It works like this:

Name 5 things you can see right now
Name 4 things you can feel right now
Name 3 things you can hear right now
Name 2 things you can smell right now
Name 1 good thing about yourself

You can do this as an all group activity, pairs, in journals, outside before going back inside.




Self-Care is not Selfish

Happy teachers lead to happy students, educators and researcher say. As schools across the country put more of a focus on social-emotional learning for their students, experts have come to realize that teachers' social-emotional competencies, especially their stress-management skills and their ability to regulate their emotions, are a vital piece of that puzzle.


Nutrition

                    Super Healthy Kids

Healthy Recipe


Tuna and Chickpea Salad Sandwich

  • 1/2 can tuna
  • 1/4 cup chickpeas
  • 1/4 avocado
  • 2 slices bread
  • 1 lettuce leaf
Directions: Make your mid-week meal much easier with a super-simple sandwich. Mash together the tuna, chickpeas, and avocado, and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Spread mustard on the bread and top with lettuce. Stuff the tuna salad filling between the bread. Enjoy!  Link to no cook meals

We are looking forward (but not rushing, enjoy the time off!) to seeing you all this fall. Please reach out if we can help in any way to get your school started on a healthy foot this year! Leave a comment and get your name in our "Reader of the Month" drawing, for our August 15th prize.

With gratitude,
Laurie & Kimmy

lllacomb@dcsdk12.org
kcromine@dcsdk12.org

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Looking forward to a great school year!

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  3. Thank you for the Groove reminder! My kids need some life skills post secondary curriculum and "maturing and growing up" curriculum.

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  4. Chickpeas with tuna? I must try this!! Thanks for the new "busy day" lunch suggestion!

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  5. Thank you for all of the great information. Looking forward to the 17-18 school year

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  6. I LOVE the mindfulness quiz. I shared it with my leadership team and am contemplating whether or not to use it with staff. Thank you!!

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