news and events
Stay Strong!Karen Young is an Australian therapist who has an online resource called "Hey Sigmund". She offers timely, research-driven information with an emphasis on strengthening the mental wellness of children and adolescents. She often offers free webinars on timely topics. Worth checking out!
https://www.heysigmund.com/about/ Bedwell Spirit Week! Now in its tenth year, our Rachel's Challenge anti-bullying initiative got off to a great start on September 14th when all Bedwell students were reminded of the importance of "using kind words, doing nice things, including others, and starting your own chain reaction" at our virtual character education kick-off assembly hosted by our school mascot, Character Ed. The Rachel's Challenge program provides a sustainable, evidence-based framework for creating a positive climate and culture in schools. We believe that implementation of Rachel's Challenge has resulted in a safer, more emotionally connected atmosphere at Bedwell, where kindness and respect prevail.
Rachel’s Challenge encourages students to start a chain reaction of compassion by acting with kindness, choosing positive influences, and looking for the best in others. Students who are caught in the act of demonstrating positive behavior receive a paper chain link describing their act. Their link gets deposited into a grade-level jar in the Bedwell lobby. Each Friday, one link (two on Spirit Days!) is drawn from each grade-level jar during the morning announce-ments. Those students receive a "Caught in the Act" bracelet and have their picture displayed on the front lobby bulletin board. We also recognize a monthly “Chain Reaction Superhero”! Each month, the student caught in the act that most epitomizes the characteristics of “chain reaction behavior” will have her or his picture displayed on a dedicated bulletin board and will receive some special superhero bling! All of the chain links collected during the week will be stapled together to form a long chain of good deeds that will grow longer and longer and travel through the halls of Bedwell as the year progresses. How to Support Kids' Return to School During COVID-19 With so many questions surrounding the return to school this year, only one thing seems certain: ‘Back to School’ will look like nothing any of us have ever experienced before! Many parents are unsure about how to prepare their kids for the upcoming year, especially since circumstances are rapidly changing in real time.
It’s okay to be realistic with your kids and tell them that you don’t know all of the answers yet, but once you know what the plan is for your child’s return to school, talk to her or him about what might be different. Kids feel reassured when they are aware of what plans are in place and what changes to expect. This moment is perfect to model how to use coping strategies and be flexible during times of uncertainty. Helping kids focus on the things they can control such as social distancing, hand washing, and the proper way to wear a mask can help reduce their stress and allow them to feel empowered. Practicing those skills before school starts will help them seem familiar when they need to use them at school. Kids are resilient by nature, but parents can model that resilience too. Being flexible, adapting to change, and focusing on the positive are all important life skills to have, and COVID-19 is a great teaching moment for developing those skills. Parents can reassure their kids that if anything changes, the adults in their lives will work together as a team to come up with a new plan to keep them safe, learning, and connecting with other people. Below are some tips for helping kids ease into this new school routine.
How to Talk to Kids
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2020-2021
Bedwell Spirit Days ![]() September 25 Wear Red & White ![]() November 20 Crazy Hair Day ![]()
December 17 Pajama Day ![]() January 28 Team Jersey Day ![]() February 25 Mis-Matched Clothes day ![]()
March 19 Superhero Day ![]() April 29 Crazy Socks Day ![]() May 28
Red, White, and Blue Day ![]() June 17 Hawaiian Shirt Day |