Division of Student Support Services CONNECTING the DOTS DR

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Newsletter • Issue 2 • December 2020 Division of Student Support Services CONNECTING THE DOTS DR. TONJA M. WILLIAMS Associate Superintendent’s Message

CONTENTS I hope that you will enjoy our December News- letter!! 1 Associate Superintendent’s Message The month of December brings with it a season of gratitude! At all levels within the Division of Student Support Services, our staff is taking time 1 Connecting the Dots to express gratitude and to provide our students, parents, and staff with multiple opportunities to engage in self-reflective, social and emotional ex- pressions of gratitude. Such opportunities may be 2 Division Organizational Chart seen during the daily Social Emotional Circle time for which all of our Pre K through grade 12 students are involved. During these times students 3 Stages of Grief and Loss participate in thoughtful, evidence-based deep and meaningful reflective discussions. There is a body of research that has studied the benefits of gratitude. While grati- 3 Finding Money For College tude is an expression of thanks which may seem unidirectional, it is actually equal- ly beneficial to the individual receiving the expression of thanks as it is to the person offering it. Ultimately gratitude leads to a more positive mindset and develops empathy. Both are significant aspects in student well-being. 3 Office of McKinney Vento “Gratitude improves interpersonal relationships at home and work. The connection between gratitude and happiness is multi-dimensional. Expressing gratitude not only to others but also to ourselves, induces 4 Anti-Bullying Town Hall positive emotions, primarily happiness. By producing feelings of pleasure and contentment, gratitude impacts on our overall health and well-being as well. (M. Chowdhury, 2020).

5 East High School Spotlight I encourage each of us to take some time to reflect and express gratitude. As a learning community we are going through a difficult time. Expressing those things that we are thankful for helps all of our well-being!

6 Upcoming Dates/Events Thank you, Dr. Tonja M. Williams connecting the dots

Dr. Sharon Brown, Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services As we continue to connect the dots, it Is our hope that you will find this month’s newsletter filled with a plethora of valuable information that can be used as a resource for yourself or families with whom you work.

Each month our Division will feature a Buffalo Public School in the School Spotlight or BPS student in the Student Corner. Should you have an exciting or encouraging story to share, please contact Dr. Sharon Brown at [email protected]

Finally, please contact a team leader on the following page for questions or NEW ideas. We look forward to connecting with you! Department of Student Support Division of Student Support Services Leadership Team: Guidance and Counseling Dr. Tonja Williams, Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services [email protected] Stages of Grief and Loss From the Buffalo Public Schools Crisis Prevention & Response Team Dr. Sharon Brown, Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services [email protected] During this global pandemic, many Tell people what you need. Peo- people are experiencing different ple may avoid you because they are Ms. Kelli Daniels, Director of Student Placement and Registration types of losses. Whether it be the afraid that they will say the wrong [email protected] death of a loved one, loss of connec- thing. When you let others know tion due to social isolation, or eco- what you need, they are usually Heath Frisch, Director of Student Support Services - Pupil Personnel nomic hardship, there has been an grateful and relieved. [email protected] uprooting from the normalcy of the day to day routine. You may even Be good to yourself. Get the rest you Mai Nguyen, Director of Social Emotional and Wellness Supports identify with experiencing the stag- need, balanced with regular exercise [email protected] es of grief and loss. These stages and a good diet. You may not feel mo- may not be experienced at the same tivated to do these things now, but Mr. Paul O’Grady, Temporary Director, Student Support Services - Pupil Personnel level of intensity or in the sequence they are crucial to your physical and Po’[email protected] depicted, but are all very important mental well-being. landmarks on the road to resiliency. Dr. Ramona Reynolds, Instructional Specialist III, Office of Parent and Family Engagement [email protected] Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when coping in this unusual “You are doing the best Ms. Martha Younger, Director of Guidance and Counseling Services time: [email protected] you can do right now. Stop Give yourself permission to grieve. Some days you can handle the feel- beating yourself up.” ings that surface, and some days ~ Steven Aitchison you may “fall apart”. These “ups and downs” are a natural reaction to loss.

Finding Money for College Department of Student Placement Maureen England & Kathy Sciolino & Registration Longtime BPS School Counselors serving as College and Career Readiness Coordina- From the Office of McKinney Vento tors, Maureen England and Kathy Sciolino, The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law to ensure students are immediately in conjunction with the Office of Parent and designed to provide school stability and enrolled in school. Family Engagement continued their College supports for youth/families living in tempo- • Linking and referring students/fam- Process Presentation Series entitled “How rary housing which lacks a “fixed, adequate, ilies to BPS and community resourc- to Find Money for College”. The recorded and regular” nighttime residence. Through- es, such as technology support for presentation, along with the first in the se- out the COVID-19 pandemic, the McK- remote learning, meal distribution ries, “The College Application Process” can inney-Vento staff at Central Registration sites, tutoring, Department of Social be found at https://www.facebook.com/BP- have worked tirelessly to ensure students Services (DDS) and Saturday Acade- SParentCenters/videos/ who are temporarily housed continue to my events. strive academically during these unchart- The talented Buffalo Public Schools McK- Maureen and Kathy discuss the various ed times. To assist families with eliminat- inney-Vento staff consist of: Director Kelli components of Financial Aid, including Fed- ing the heightened educational and social/ Daniels, Supervisor Hoa Mai, and Commu- eral Student Aid (FAFSA), NY State Student emotional challenges they may be facing, nity Education Leaders Marva Brown and Aid (TAP), Say Yes to Education Scholar- the staff have dedicated their time and re- Voncille Smith. For questions or family re- ships, Student Aid direct from colleges, as sources by: ferrals, please call (716) 816-3717, exten- well as scholarships from other sources. sion 3 or via email at MV@buffaloschools. They note the links to Financial Aid on the • Connecting and communicating with org. BPS website www.buffaloschools.org can families daily using Check-In & Check- be found both under the “Find it Fast” sec- Out practices. tion and also on the Department of Guid- • Delivering book bags filled with ance web pages. school supplies, health care products, and gently used clothes and other items to homes and shelters. • Dropping off and picking up registration packets to shelters and families

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NYS Mentoring making Virtual Connections! activities, and planned sessions for more connections. She can be con- During October’s Bullying Prevention ementary students’ perspectives - that passive bystanders to a bullying situa- students, free of charge. tacted at (646)565-7676 and me- Awareness month, five schools prepared most of the bullying is originating from tion. Tremendous kudos to our students [email protected]. for Town Halls on November 10th and online gaming. During the High School for identifying major sources of bullying Marva J. Daniel Futures Prepara- November 13th respectively. These Town Hall, Lewis J. Bennett School of and working toward solutions! tory Schools #37 and Hamlin Park You may also contact schools sought student voice and input Innovative Technology, Burgard High Claude & Ouida Clapp Academy Buffalo Public Schools Supervisor, on the topic of bullying. Two elementary School and Research Lab for Bioinfor- School #74 have already kicked Ginna Wilson at gewilson@buffaloschools, Dr. Antonia Pantoja Community matics students shared the definition off their programs. Mentors are schools.org School and Lorraine Elementary, in col- of bullying saying that cyberbullying is recruited from the Canisius Col- laboration with the Division of Student particularly dangerous given the ano- lege Public Safety Department, University of Buffalo students and Support Services and Western New York nymity and how quickly online activi- mentors from other educational in- United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse ties spread. Students encouraged their stitutions in the surrounding com- received valuable information from el- peers to be upstanders instead of being munity. The New York State Mentoring Program (NYSMP) is a statewide provider of mentoring program ser- Melinda Sanderson, Upstate Direc- Acting Inter-High President, Office of Parent & Family Engagement vices and school-based mentoring models. The tor has been meeting with princi- Tameisha Walker, was sworn in as the NYSMP has provided mentor training, screening, pals and central office staff to make student representative on the BPS Board There has never courage collective community building of Education. Given her background in been a time in ed- and engagement. Each group provided “Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson student leadership, Inter-High Student ucation when par- a lens into its organization by sharing its Council, and activism in general, she will ent engagement mission, priorities, and details for joining. be an outspoken voice on the BOE to has been as critical These passionate advocates also offered EAST HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT as it is right now. options and opportunities for individuals represent her fellow classmates from In- One of many Buffalo Public Schools that Parent, school, and to take action to support students and ter-High Student Council and community part- families. “connect the dots” for families daily! beyond. nerships are para- If you’d like to learn more information mount to providing BY GINNA E. WILSON about each group or are interested in devices to students in need. We have essential family re- DECEMBER 2020 your group being considered for Parent people working on behalf of the fam- sources to support Congress, please click here BPS Parent ilies, including my two social workers student success. I had the privilege to interview Prin- Congress. and school psychologist along with cipal Adriann Johnson-Cofield about On Monday, November 30th at 5:30 support from SAY YES and commu- If you missed the Building and Engaging the hard work she and her team p.m., leaders of the BPS Parent Congress nity partners like BEST SELF. My Together live broadcast, the presenta- are doing at East Community High delivered a united message of Building administrative team meet weekly to tion may be viewed here BPS Parent Cen- School, including the comprehensive and Engaging Together. Their presen- discuss data on how to support stu- ters Facebook. and beneficial resource link that was tation sought to demonstrate and en- dents. created to support families. Wow! I never knew the school had such an Interviewer: Can resources be add- abundance of resources. Through- ed to the link? How can it be ac- The Office of Parent and Family out the interview Principal John- Adriann Johnson-Cofield, Principal of East High School cessed? Engagement and Say Yes Parent son-Cofield’s exuded passion for her Center team needs your help to students, families and made evident schools. The link is broken down by zones. Principal Johnson-Cofield: We are meet our goal of reaching 5,000 BPS the need for mental health. Here are Families may access food bank information, looking to share this information Successful roll out of Collective Care Café Parent Centers Facebook followers a few highlights from our dialogue: mental health resources and even where to on the District website. My team for staff! BPS Staff please join us for our by 2021! Since the start of virtual go for immunizations. canvassed the resources that were December dates (see flyer) and be on the programming in March, our follow- Interviewer: What motivated you available in the community. I am also lookout for additional dates for BPS families ership has increased by well over and your team to create a resource Interviewer: Who can access the resourc- working with my central office col- and community partners. 300 percent. On the page you’ll find link? es? leagues for ways to share and con- daily resources for parents and care- nect all students and families within givers, live weekly virtual programs, Principal Johnson-Cofield: We ini- Principal Johnson- Cofield: Anyone, many the District. and previously recorded Teams and tially met with Associate Superinten- of the resources are live. Applications can be Zoom parent trainings. The BPS Par- dent for School Leadership Toiya Wil- accessed and completed via the provided ent Centers Facebook page is also son. During the COVID pandemic, we link. The information is accurate and cur- the space where parents and caregivers may ask questions and request additional par- experienced many families who are rent. It’s a free service. ent programming. If you have not done so already, please FOLLOW our page and request struggling for necessary resources. that your entire school community do the same. To do so, access BPS Parent Centers Considering that families have had Interviewer: How involved is your staff Facebook page, click the “...” button, and then click “FOLLOW”. Actively following the limited access to the building, we with this work? page will maintain our posts in your News Feed and enable you to share to your school/ have been extremely creative. We “Emotions influence every action we take. So the more we department pages. Thank you! created a resource link that families Principal Johnson-Cofield: We are a team. I are aware of our feelings, the more we gain conscious can access from home. The District have staff that will deliver food and provide control over our lives.” ~ Jessica Moore is looking to expand this link to all

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DIVISION OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES UPCOMING EVENTS

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL and WELLNESS SUPPORTS • “Establish Routines at Home” presentation conducted in conjunction with the Office of Parent and Family Engagement’s Virtual Parent Center programming. • The deadline to submit updated vaccinations has been extended until December 11, 2020. After this date, students will be excluded from academic instruction whether in-person or virtual. • DASA Co-Coordinators will be trained throughout the month of December. Previously the school building Principal served as the DASA coordinator, this year an additional coordinator has been designated by the Principal to fulfil the recommendations made by the Anti-Bullying Task Force to have at least two DASA coordinators per school. • December Collective Care Café Dates Scheduled (See Flyer in the Social Emotional and Wellness Support Section)

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