Psyched About School

Recently, we have been hearing concerns about whether the suicide rate may increase as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Right now, anxieties are already elevated because of this novel situation.  We all know that - more than ever before - our focus must remain on facts, not fear.  In order to help our readers consider that very complex question, let's start by reviewing facts we know about suicide. In this blog post from 2019 , we talked about the World Health Organization's latest data on suicide, which indicated that between 2010 and 2016, the global suicide rate decreased by 9.8%.  However, the WHO also found that the only region to see an increase was the Americas.  According to the  CDC's surveillance data ,  suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and   suicide rates have shown a steady pattern of increase in the United States: The CDC also provided a list of risk factors or characteristics ass...

We recently discovered this article on the Psychology Today website entitled "Self Care and COVID-19: Getting Ready for the Marathon."   Planning and preparing for the long-term is such a great strategy in uncertain times.  The author, Dr. Doreen Dodgen-Magee, writes that "intentional planning goes a long way to staying mentally healthy amid a crisis." Our educators, parents and students are scrambling right now to establish a new "normal."  Support systems that may have been in place through family gatherings, religious services, athletic teams or other social opportunities have been severely limited in this new era of social distancing.  Now is the time to make sure that your self-care toolkit is well-stocked, as none of us know exactly how long this crisis may last.  As Dr. Dodgen-Magee writes, "Just as we’re washing our hands, resisting touching our faces, and keeping 6 feet between us, it’s important to tend to our mental hygiene." Th...

We want to continue to bring you resources for both academic and social-emotional learning as we enter this new era of virtual learning.  We love the new "Caring for Each Other" initiative from Sesame Street, which is described as follows: "Your friends on Sesame Street are here to support you and your family during the COVID-19 health crisis. We understand that these are very stressful times; our daily lives have been disrupted, and we are all coping with uncertainty. As we create a new sense of normalcy, it's important that we take care of ourselves, so that we can best care for our children." We first discovered the Sesame Street initiative in this article from the PBS and NPR parent company, GPB.  The article notes that PBS is working to expand offerings of free on-demand episodes of Sesame Street on PBS KIDS digital platforms .   In the "Parents" section of PBS KIDS, you'll find resources on how to manage both the physical and ...

One of our school psychologists shared this resource and we wanted to pass it along to all of our readers.  This is a challenging time for all of us and we are grateful that our colleagues at the University of North Carolina Child Development Institute Autism Team worked so quickly to develop this packet of resources for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  As they note in their introduction: "Individuals with autism may need additional support to process the news and adapt to the many changes. This population may face additional challenges related to comprehension, communication, difficulty understanding abstract language, an insistence on sameness, and a greater likelihood of anxiety and depression—all of which may be exasperated during this stressful period." To help address those needs, the UNC Autism Team provided a toolkit of materials aligned with these 7 support strategies: This fantastic resource from the UNC Autism Team contains social stories and visual...

You're not alone if you're feeling nervous or stressed about COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus. The Governor of North Carolina declared a State of Emergency yesterday. You can't turn on the television or radio without hearing about Coronavirus. Visiting the hand sanitizer or disinfecting wipes section of your local grocery store may reveal lots of empty shelves. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has added an "Information on Coronavirus" page to our District website. You'll find resources in both Spanish and English to help parents talk with their children about Coronavirus. There are also links to trusted websites and guidelines for prevention. In addition to those resources, NPR recently posted " A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus ." Here is an excerpt from that comic: This kid-friendly explanation of the Coronavirus became so popular that NPR posted an updated article sharing that it had been translated into several other l...

Have you heard of vaping? It is very popular among young people and teenagers. When you vape, you are smoking an “e-cigarette” or some other device. It produces a “vapor” that you inhale and exhale. Many young people like to vape because they think it is healthier and cheaper than smoking a regular cigarette. In addition, the vapes come in different flavors, many of which are marketed toward young people (e.g., bubble gum flavor). The vaping devices look similar to flash drives, making them easy to hide from parents. During the past few weeks, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has warned against the use of vapes and e-cigarettes because they may be linked to lung and respiratory illnesses. Some people are being hospitalized after vaping. Due to the rise of sickness after the use of vaping products, the FDA and CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) are investigating illnesses linked to vaping. For more information, please see the link below: https://www.fda.gov/news-e...