Staying Healthy During a Pandemic
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April 1, 2020
Dear Students,
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April 1, 2020
Dear Students,
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It is hard to believe that we are about to enter our final week of the 2019-2020 school year. This year will certainly be one that we will all remember!
Congratulations to our Brooks' graduates who are part of BC's 61,000 students who are graduating this year. I am sure that many of you feel disappointed about the cancellation of regular grad activities . Being disappointed about these cancellations is normal, but at the same time know that we are extremely proud of what you have all done this year. It is important to be open to whatever comes next in your lives. Remember that you don't have to plan the rest of your life. For now just organize what you want to do next year. This could include working, travelling or pursuing post-secondary school options. I have always thought it important for students to stop focusing on what happened in the past and start focusing on what is going to move you forward. Another way to look at it is don't let yesterday take up too much of today. I like E.E. Cummings quote, "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." Don't let fear put you in a box. Think what really brings you joy, and pursue that with all your energy. As one of your school counsellors I am happy to share in the excitement of your graduation, and am very proud of all your accomplishments. Mr. B
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You should be proud of the incredible hurdles that you have jumped over in the last several months. From self-isolation, physical distancing, to mastering remote learning you have had to stay focused in this time of challenge.
Now that you are allowed to go back to school on a part-time basis, you will need to redefine your job as a student in a COVID 19 world. When you return to school in September things may be different yet again. There will be rules and regulations at school to ensure your safety and the safety of our community. You may have to work from home and depending on the course of the virus, you may be able to come back to school on a full or part-time basis. Regardless of the situation, the key for you will be your commitment to be an independent learner. Change is hard for many of us and you need to recognize if all of these changes are just "too much" for you. You might even disconnect to prevent yourself from taking it all in by disconnecting from yourself and those around you. You might find yourself restricting your eating or overeating. You might feel surprisingly impulsive. It may feel like you are in the eye of a storm and feel compelled to do something completely unnecessary. To protect yourself, start by dropping down into your body and noticing any sensations that arise. Just notice them. Maybe you feel heaviness on your shoulder or tightness in your chest. Next give yourself permission to feel your emotions. Can you put a word to what you notice? Anxious, confused, or scared. Consider all feelings as information that give you insight into your wants and needs. Now notice your thoughts. Don't counter them, or try to change them. Just notice them. Welcome them if you can. Next notice your relationships, both to yourself and to those around you. Take time to notice how you have been treating yourself. Remaining connected with others who care and can help you to feel seen, heard and understood allows you to feel calm and collected. I invite you to become present to your whole self and to keep working hard at your studies, as you are almost there. Mr. B In a recent post I talked about developing strategies for your self-care tool kit. A lot of successful self-care strategies involve one or more sensory components: touch, taste, sight, hearing, smell, movement and comforting pressure. Based on your senses, here are some more ideas for your tool kit: Touch: soft blanket or stuffed animal Smell: lavender or eucalyptus oil Movement: small swing or rocking chair Sight: photos of vacations, reading an inspirational book Taste: mint gum, frozen starburst candy Hearing: listening to music If you are having trouble understanding schoolwork at home or at school, an essential part of self-care tips for high-school students is knowing when to ask for help. If you are struggling with certain material don't be shy in asking help from friends, teachers, parents or school counsellors. You won't be penalized or judged for asking for help. Your work will only benefit from taking advantage of the support systems available to you. Even though you may not be attending school right now, we are just an email or phone call away. It was nice to see some of you back at school again. Take care. Mr. B Our "Welcoming Team" of Jen Kennedy, Charlene Behan and Bill Rounis are here to ensure health and safety practices are followed by staff and students when entering and leaving the building. Glenda Wilson is " hard at it", sanitizing areas of the school wherever students and staff have been. Mr. Anderson and students working together in the Great Hall. Hard working Brooks clerical staff with new safety procedures in place. Brooks Counsellor, Ms. Williams answering student email questions. Our custodians, staff and administration are working incredibly hard to make our school clean and safe! Slowly and cautiously, some students are shifting their work places from home to school. The Great Hall and some classrooms are new open and set up with physical distancing and sanitation measures. If you are having difficulty engaging with your learning at home, or think you would benefit from the social connection of being at Brooks Secondary School for one day per week, please reach out to let us know. We want to support our students the best we can, and for some, this could mean coming to school. For everyone's safety, we have to be mindful of the number of people in the physical space of the school. All people in the school must maintain proper physical distance, and anyone who is sick or has symptoms must stay home. If the option of working in the school on your course work interests you, please email the Vice-Principal at: [email protected] with the session(s) that you would like to attend. Next week's sign up link will be live and available starting Wednesday, June 3. An email will be sent out to you by the school with the sign-up link. Hope to see some of you "back in the game", shortly! Mr. B |