Brookside Blast July 19th
Hello! We hope you are having a great summer. If you were impacted by the flood, our hearts go out to you. Please know that the Brookside community cares about you and is willing to help. Reach out if you need anything. We have some resources and information that we would like to share.
Click here for Waterbury Area Emergency Flood Resources
Job openings at BPS
BPS is hiring for several open paraprofessional positions.
Open positions all involve working directly with students as general classroom support, small group and/or 1:1 student support. The positions begin on August 18 with a new staff orientation and then follow the school calendar, offering competitive pay and benefits.
Review the job postings on Schoolspring: https://www.schoolspring.com/jobdetail?jobId=4312415&lat=44.33929&lng=-72.75389
https://www.schoolspring.com/jobdetail?jobId=4312419&lat=44.33929&lng=-72.75389
https://www.schoolspring.com/jobdetail?jobId=4312423&lat=44.33929&lng=-72.75389
Please apply directly online (using the links above) or contact Sarah Schoolcraft (sschoolcraft@huusd.org) or Chris Neville (cneville@huusd.org) with questions.
Resources for talking with kids about natural disasters......
These resources and links below came from the National School Counselor Association and National Association for School Psychologists.
Helpful strategies to talk to your children about a natural disaster (these tips are cited from the National Association of School Psychologists):
Talk to your children.
Be a good listener and observer.
Highlight people's compassion and humanity.
Be honest.
Limit exposure to media coverage.
Maintain as much continuity and normalcy as possible.
Emphasize resiliency.
Do something positive with your child to help someone who is in need.
Know potential child and adolescent reactions to trauma.
Remain calm and reassuring.
Acknowledge and normalize their feelings.
Encourage children to talk about disaster-related events.
Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills.
Emphasize children’s resiliency.
Strengthen children’s friendship and peer support.
Take care of your own needs, and avoid using drugs or alcohol to feel better.
Most children will be able to cope with their concerns over current events with the help of parents and other caring adults. Symptoms may differ depending on age. Common reactions include:
Preschoolers—thumb sucking, bed wetting, clinging to parents, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and withdrawal from friends and routines.
Elementary school children—irritability, aggressiveness, clinginess, nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from activities and friends.
Adolescents—sleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.
Helpful Resources
Federal Emergency Management Agency Helping Children Cope With Disaster FEMA for Kids FEMA for Teens
U.S. Department of Education
Advice on how to help students recover from traumatic events American Red Cross:
Recovering Emotionally The Child Mind Institute:
How to Help Children Cope With Frightening News National Child Traumatic Stress Network Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA How do Natural Disasters Affect Mental Health?
COMMUNITY POSTINGS
Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff. As always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.
Mud City Adventures Pop-up Week - July 24 to 28
The Mud City Adventures team is excited to invite the Brookside Elementary community to register for our special Brookside Pop-up Week at our day camp!
WHO: Brookside Elementary students/adventurers ages 6-11
WHEN: July 24-28, 2023 - Monday through Friday 8:30AM to 4:30PM
WHERE: Mud City Adventures Base Camp - 77 Park St. Stowe, VT
SPECIAL RATE: $325/week
OFFER CODE: BROOKSIDE327
Register by Sunday, July 23 at 5pm and be sure to enter the Offer Code to receive the special rate: Registration Form
To learn more about Mud City Day Camp, visit their website: Link to Mud City
Please don't hesitate to contact mudcity23@gmail.com if you have any questions.
We are Vermont Strong!As most you well know, Waterbury and many other areas across Vermont were hit hard by flooding last week. Since then, the team here at the cafe has been busy collecting funds and coordinating efforts with local organizations to help feed those in need and support them with recovery efforts.
Thanks to the support of many of you, we have collected just over $18k which we are sharing with the Waterbury Area Food Shelf, The Waterbury Good Neighbor Fund, and the Waterbury Rotary who is coordinating food relief efforts for impacted residents and volunteers. If you would care to make a donation, any amount helps and 100% of the funds will be used to help the Waterbury community with recovery and food security in the immediate and long term. Donations can be made directly at the cafe, or via our Venmo account: @stowestreetcafe We hope that you are all safe and well, but if there is anything we can do to help you, please do not hesitate to reach out. to us directly.