February 2021

Dear St. Joseph Catholic School Parents,

It's a new calendar year and nearly a full year since this pandemic began and that is saying a lot. This year has held a lot of change, a lot of growth and a lot of challenges. The term "pandemic fatigue" may describe how many of us are feeling---tired of the need for masks and the distance from those we love and enjoy spending time with in person. As counselors we are thinking about the impact of the pandemic on everyone's mental health and well-being, especially that of the children.  


We will continue to host regular virtual chats with parents in grade-level meetings. These informal meetings, which we started last Spring, are a way that we can share information, ideas and concerns. Please feel free to drop in if your schedules permits this. 

We look forward to the time when we can meet again in person. Please know that we are keeping you and your families in our prayers. 


 

 New Resources 
 

American Academy of Pediatrics                                               

Parenting Tips: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Parenting-in-a-Pandemic.aspx

Tips for coping with a new baby during the pandemic: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Tips-for-Coping-with-a-New-Baby-During-COVID-19.aspx

Helping a child build resilience in uncertain times: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Building-Resilience-in-Uncertain-Times.aspx
 

Mood Boosting Tips for Families during the pandemic:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Mood-Boosting-Tips-for-Families-COVID-19.aspx

Calm Down Ideas:
https://gozen.com/printables/
This website has free printables with reminders of simple "cool down" activities that you can teach your child to help them practice self-control and emotional regulation. The resources are easy to use.


Catholic Music:
This is an article with video links to 7 Catholic artist who began live-streaming concerts at the beginning of the pandemic. These events are free. https://aleteia.org/2020/05/20/7-catholic-artists-who-live-stream-concerts/   

Coronavirus info for kids

                                                                                                                    September 2020

Dear St. Joseph Catholic School Parents,

Welcome back to a new school year! We are excited to meet and work with your children whether they are joining us for in-person or distance classes. Our Classroom Guidance lessons will be held weekly in all classrooms this year. 

We will update this page with any resources or information regarding parenting in the pandemic. We hope this information and links to resources and activities will help to support you in these challenging times.

We will continue to host weekly virtual chats for parents and counselors in grade-level meetings. These informal gatherings, which we started last Spring, are a way that we can share information, ideas and concerns. Please feel free to drop in if your schedules permits this. 

We look forward to the time when we can meet again in person. Please know that we are keeping you and your families in our prayers. 

Sincerely,
Mrs. Patty Farrell and Mrs. Beth Henry


 

Information from Spring 2020

We hope you and your families are staying healthy and looking for ways to enjoy this extra time together. We have compiled some resources for you while your students are learning from home. Please look at the "Covid-19 Parent Page" link to your left. We will continue to add ideas, links as resources that we hope you will find helpful.

We will share our regular classroom guidance lessons with your children through our google classroom pages (grades 2-8) or through their classroom teachers (grades K-1), and virtual meetings when possible.

Please feel free to email us with questions or concerns. We will have virtual office hours starting on Tuesday (3/17), and virtual meetings with parents and students.
Please know that we are keeping you and your families in our prayers.


                                                                               Take care,
                                                                              Mrs. Farrell and Mrs. Henry

 

Kids Questions:
Your children have questions and while there is a lot of information going around, some of it is more alarming than helpful.
Here is a link with some basic information about how to answer some of those questions and worries your children may have (provided with permission):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y-V6QhJouym8Mvx1TtaBUg1BIOgryIRKA_s7z6Fajrw/edit?usp=sharing

PBS kids (how to talk to your kids about coronavirus):
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR3KdttouZvPEq1s3-6fsiBfZ4OmZDhdVC0Y46B8BEBZO-PfZscJ7o69Pkw


Faith Matters:
Now that we are at Mass together through the television and internet, here are some links to help strengthen your family's faith. Consider "visiting" different parishes for daily Mass during Lent as a way to remind your children that we are all in this together:

St. Joseph Catholic Church Franciscan Friars are live-streaming daily and Sunday Mass through their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stjosephherndon/posts/106192941023058?notif_id=1584809383447169&notif_t=live_video_schedule_broadcaster 

Televised Mass is celebrated in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception which airs every Sunday at 10:30am on WDCW-50.
Sunday and Daily Mass videos can also be found at many parishes including these: https://www.omvusa.org/st-clement-shrine/schedule/daily-mass-videos/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_KPsyfWw6AIVC18NCh3qQw7HEAAYASAAEgIYF_D_BwE;
http://www.catholictv.org/masses/catholictv-mass
Mass on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltz-aU52Qzo


Other ways to help your children to feel connected to their faith include these suggestions from the Catholic Icing website:

• Read the readings and Gospel for Mass together

• Take spiritual communion (Read about how to do this here and find the prayer as well) 

• Listen to an online homily via podcast or YouTube

• Pray a rosary together

• https://www.catholicicing.com/spiritual-communion-for-kids/

The Catholic Icing website also has fun activities for families and kids, many are free:
https://www.catholicicing.com/weekly-mass-resources-for-kids/
The Catholic Mom website also has some free resources:
http://catholicmom.com/kids/catholic-gospel-coloring-worksheets-sunday-mass/

Living Faith--Daily Catholic offers free resources for kids and families:
http://www.livingfaith.com/?mc_cid=ab8fafa63c&mc_eid=27439713ca;
https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?e=&u=91e158c51bed6cb61bb053f36&id=2641da6c56

We're still here for you:
Please sign your students up for guidance class google classrooms (grades 2-8) and look for links to our guidance lessons from your classroom teachers in grades K-1. We will also be adding information on this page about virtual office hours and ways you can reach us.

Please feel free to email, we will reply as soon as we can. These sudden changes and all of the uncertainty can try the most patient person so we greatly appreciate your understanding when we hit the inevitable bumps in the road with our virtual learning. 

If you find something that is working well for you and your family, please let us know and we'll share the suggestions. 

Take care,
Patty Farrell & Beth Henry

p.farrell@sjschoolva.org  
b.henry@sjschoolva.org