"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
~David O. McKay
Dear families,
As we begin our last week of school before our Thanksgiving break, I want to stress the importance of the brain-body connection as well as the need for all of us to breathe deep and continue to take stock on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our well-being and that of our children.
You are all doing so well at loving your children and checking in with them. I thank you all daily for this. And please don’t forget yourself. Tension, anxiety, all tied to the blurring effect of living, working and learning from home can bring the best of us down.
This break, even when we are asked to stay home and be diligent on social distancing, I hope that each of you can commit to sharing something new, adding more laughter, and taking time each day to express gratitude for what you have.
Find something new to share with your family. Laugh together. And if you find this hard to do: fake it until you make it real. Smiles grow other smiles; it’s a truth. I still remember how novel it was for me to try to do a cartwheel after not doing one for 30 years! (It certainly got me and my friend with me laughing) Why Laughter is so Good for Your Brain? Laugh a little! How laughter helps our brain reduce stress
Recently, I started watching a short docu-series called MOVE where I about a dance movement called Gaga. “Gaga dancers twist, wiggle, bend, stretch, fall, jump, and “float,” each move building on another and helping performers discover their bodies’ strengths and weaknesses. Developed by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, Gaga is a movement language intended to help practitioners raise physical awareness by focusing on (or in Gaga terms, “listening” to) the rhythm of their bodies, letting them direct their movement and the pleasure that movement brings.”Gaga; Flowing Together It is not just for dancers, by the way. What I liked about the movement is that it clearly made use participants improvising their movements based on somatic experience. No mirrors, no comparison, just exploring how the body can move in relation to imagery described by the teacher.
Sitting at a desk most of the day, feeling tension and stagnation in various parts of my body, worrying about students, families, staff, work completion; I can definitely imagine that exploring Gaga movement, or other flowing, dancing movements could help me! I plan to try it during our break.
I hope to see you ar our R&R check in on November 19th. I’d love to hear what others try new during our break that starts November 23-27.
Please read on to hear from our mental health counselor, our district supports, and the county office of education.
Thank you for allowing us into your homes during Zoom times, creating a space for your children to work, supporting them to do their best, checking in with them about their classes and progress, and communicating with us whenever needed.
Take care,
~Rhonda
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From the County: Mental Health awareness
These are truly challenging times. We want to remind you to prioritize your own self-care. Please also look out for each other as we move into the holiday season. Here are several resources from the COE that you may wish to share with your students and some resources for your own reading as well.
Resources For Anyone:
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Our local suicide prevention services:
24-Hour Suicide Crisis Line
Toll-free: 1-877-663-5433 (ONE LIFE)
https://fsa-cc.org/suicide-prevention-service/
National suicide prevention services:
National Phone Number
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
NAMI Help Line
1-800-950-NAMI
Text NAMI to 741-741
Local County Behavioral Health Crisis Line:
If you are not in imminent danger but need immediate crisis support call
(800) 952-2335 - 24-hours/day
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R & R Coffee Chat Check-in for parents:
You are invited to our
R(honda) & R(obin)
“coffee check-in”
This is an open zoom meeting invitation for Charter parents to join Rhonda Schlosser, our Charter Administrator and Robin Bates, our Mental Health Specialist. This meeting is open to all to spend time with us, brainstorm issues, listen to your challenges and successes, and offer support in our road ahead together.
This link will work for the next four meetings
Join R&R Zoom meeting: November & December
Next meeting dates are:
- Tuesday, December 1, 10:00-10:45 am
- Thursday, December, 17, 10:00-10:45 am
We look forward to “having coffee” and conversation with you!
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Robin’s Consistent Meetings: In addition to classroom support and 1-1 sessions, Robin is holding regular group support meetings. For more information, contact Robin Bates,LMFT [email protected]
- 2x times monthly - R & R coffee parent meeting
- Thursdays at 12 - support group for parents with CZU home loss
- Thursdays at 3 - support group for highschool students - "The Unwind"
- Tuesdays at 12- home loss support group for middle schoolers
Parents' Support Group for Home Loss
Thursdays at noon
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88247283608
Hi families. I'm learning first-hand that losing a home is a major major loss. The experience of grief can be unexpected and overwhelming at times. I created this group for us to come together to support each other, share our struggles and successes in hope that we don't feel alone in this long process of healing.
Coast Redwood High School Students, you are invited to...
The Unwind
6 week/45 minute zoom group with Robin Bates
Join any week! Thursdays at 3 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83350602277
We will take some time to check in, explore mental health topics,
support and unwind together in a weekly group for 6 weeks. This is not a psychotherapy group, but simply a place to check in, unwind, learn and connect with the counselor and your peers. I hope to see you all there!
Support for Middle School students
who’ve lost their homes in the CZU Lightning Fire
Tuesdays from 12-12:45, starting Nov 10th
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89535971446
_________________________________How You Can Help the Students from the CZU Fire
The SLV Booster Clubs, in partnership with SLV Ed Foundation, will be accepting donations for our SLV families that have lost their homes to the CZU Fire. There will be ongoing needs as they work through the process of rebuilding their homes and coming back home.
Please use this link to place a donation: https://www.slvfoundation.org/slv4kids
The “SLV 4 Kids” PAW is posted to the homepage of the SLV website to accept ongoing donations for our SLV Families.
Thank you for your generous support for students and staff in SLV. Be well - Laurie
_________________________________CZU Lightning Fire Quilts:
From the County of Santa Cruz.
CDPH issued a travel advisory that recommends limiting all non-essential travel and that all those who do travel out of state or countries self-quarantine for 14 days after returning from such trips. The recommendation is that our school staff and families follow the same guidelines.
Santa Cruz County Public Health has also notified us that they anticipate Santa Cruz County COVID19 numbers to continue to increase. As of Tuesday, November 10 we returned to the Substantial (red) tier. Please continue to do your best to remain vigilant and implement health and safety guidance.
Here are links to the 2 new advisories:
- Travel advisory: Travel Advisorycdph.ca.gov
- Gathering guidance: Guidance for the Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission for Gatherings November 2020cdph.ca.gov
Parent Advisory Committee: New Date for Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 17 at 10:30am.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87644888194 Meeting ID: 876 4488 8194
Our Parent Advisory Committee met again and discussed how the sub-committees can begin to support the move to the Quail Hollow site. We will need to combine the various small ‘libraries’ and resource materials into one location, and purging old items and finding out what type of library with work best for our various age ranges is one of the first tasks on the list. Exploring outdoor spaces is also near the top of the priorities once the Phase 1 part of the site renovation is completed. More information to come!
Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings, however, please remember that it is important to have a consistent group of parents to represent each program in the Charter. This Committee helps advise on various Charter annual activities, reports, including the budget and Charter renewal. They then report out in their various program parent meetings and gather additional information from the parents in the programs.
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From our Student Nutrition: Free meals extended USDA has extended FREE meals to all children 18 and under, through the 2020/2021 school year!!! We want all families to know that you are not taking meals from someone who needs it more, they are for all children. You are providing meals to your students that are comforting and familiar. Participating in the school meal program supports our Student Nutrition Program and helps sustain and grow it.
Alisia Munoz-Rojas, SNS Manager
SLVUSD Student Nutrition Services
(831) 335-5384
COVID testing sites: Here is a link for the county testing page, which also includes some CVS locations Get Tested
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What’s Going on in Our Charter School? ..little snippets of some of our programs.
QHIA: *Community Recipe Book: Usually in November, we have a QHIA Community Potluck. Sadly, we cannot gather together this year, however in lieu of this, we would love to create a Community Holiday Favorites Recipe Book. Use this link to a shared google slideshow. Students/parents can add their recipes to the slideshow, adding pictures or graphics if they would like:
CRHS: Thursday Guest Speaker Series has begun. Students are hearing from a variety of speakers from careers that they have chosen. There is also a list of recorded workshops from Cabrillo that students can view.
FCHS: Continuing with their unit on air, the students are now building kites that they can decorate and will be using for various scientific explorations.
QHHS: There has been some great Native American Storytellers in their Zooms and students are now asked to interview their elders to learn about their stories.
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Dates to Remember:
- Monday, November 23-Friday, 27 Thanksgiving Break
- Friday, December 18-Friday, January 1 Winter Break
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Contacts
Administrator: Rhonda Schlosser: [email protected]
Administrative Assistant: Danelle Matteson: [email protected]
Registrar: Jane Hendricks [email protected]
Mental Health Counselor: Robin Bate [email protected]
HS Academic Counselor: Mary Zilge [email protected]