Dear GBDS Families,

I sincerely hope this email finds you and your families healthy and managing to adjust to this new normal routine in our lives. I am aware that students are interacting with their teachers on a daily basis. I also want you to know I am available to address individual students' needs, and to offer social emotional support if anybody has concerns that may arise. 

In the coming days, I will be reaching out to the GBDS families for individual phone meetings. I will also be virtually visiting with a number of classes to check in, and find creative ways to talk about our social emotional well being. If your child wants to speak with me outside of their regularly scheduled classes, please email me directly. I will follow up and schedule an appointment with the student via email.  As always, please keep in mind individual counseling sessions are considered confidential and should include only myself and the student. 

There are several resources on how to talk to children about COVID-19 from the CDC and PBS. I would also like to share some ideas for keeping kids engaged at home. Please click here to view.

Someone shared this with me and I wanted to share it with you all...

"You're doing great. There are no 'rules' around how to exist best during a pandemic. Don't stress about screen time, don't guilt yourself over their snack choices, don't get overwhelmed with missed lesson plans or unmotivated little ones. 

This is a national emergency, not an added opportunity to push productivity and expect normalcy in any way. This is not normal. Lean into whatever feels best for your family, whatever makes sense for your children, whatever allows you the mental and emotional space to be okay. 

I'm hoping for you all ease, peace, rest, play, companionship, conversation, moments of joy as we all squirm our way through this together. You're doing great!"

Sincerely,

Mara Yacobi, MSW, LSW

School Social Worker