[BHS Etree] PTSA: November/December Bulletin

Fri Dec 17 16:28:38 PST 2021

Please do not reply to this message. If you have any questions, contact
Sandra Loving at ptsaberkeleyhigh at gmail.com.

*Monique Does is our new VP of Wellness*

Monique is a public health professional committed to improving the
emotional health of BHS students. She hopes to collaborate with caregivers,
students and teachers to provide resources, reduce stigma around mental
health, and address substance use in the high school community. The mother
of a BHS alumni and a current junior, Monique has served for years on
various school committees and is looking forward to working through the
PTSA in these important areas.

*November 16 PTSA Meeting*

Participants conveyed that BHS students have never been as underserved and
emotionally down as they are now. BHS teacher dedication to their students
persists, but their morale has never been as low as it is now. The November
meeting focused on what the extended BHS community can do to help BHS
students, teachers, and staff during this difficult unprecedented time on
campus. Here’s what teachers, parents, and guardians suggested at the
meeting.

BHS NEEDS SOME FUN

The BHS campus is not a happy place right now. On top of emotional health
plunging and anxiety and frustration rising, the A building has become a
noisy disruptive large scale construction project. Worse yet, there’s a
shortage of janitors so the campus is a mess.

More fun and a cleaner campus are needed to boost student and teacher
morale. One day the intervention counselors wore Mickey Mouse ears just to
lighten things up. What can parents, guardians, teachers, and students
potentially do through the PTSA? Get food trucks back to campus again?
Organize a parent and student campus clean-up day? Ideas and implementers
are needed.

BRING OUTSIDE RESOURCES TO BHS

The community is rich with resources and people who care about BHS students
and teachers and want to do something to bring emotional health support
resources to BHS at this critical time. But there’s no pathway to do so;
parents and teachers who’ve attempted to do so encounter obstacles that
make no sense. A streamlined and effective pathway is needed.

Meeting participants agreed that compiling a list of potential resources
that can provide students with services is a sensible next step. Do so on
this form.  https://forms.gle/KWtxPoMCDkx44p2x8

Some *free resources* are already *available now *(see below). During the
break, the PTSA will make changes to its website so that it's easy to
locate these and other resources that become available.

SUPPORT A FUTURE BLOCK SCHEDULE

The current school day consists of six 54 minutes in class followed by a 6
minute passing period and one 40 minute lunch during which most BHS
students rush to Shattuck and back. It’s a rat race. There’s no time for
students to receive academic or emotional support during the school day. In
contrast, a block schedule builds a flex period into the school day. This
allows students to slow down, think about what they’ve learned, and get
support or pursue an interest without having to miss a class. Research
shows that block schedules have a positive impact on student achievement
and emotional health. Like the U9 structural change at BHS, the block
schedule proposal is a BHS teacher initiated one. A team of teachers is
currently working on a new proposal with BHS’s newest vice principal,
Harrison Blatt. The PTSA will pass on more information as it becomes
available.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

The consensus was that PTSA is in the best position to channel parent
energy to establish a pathway for emotional health resources and garner
support block scheduling. But the PTSA will need strength in numbers to
succeed. Add your support now.  https://forms.gle/dGPmqrUJeYiVbykn7

FOLLOW-UP JANUARY 18 MEETING

The January 18th meeting will further the discussion of solutions and steps
to move forwards that were identified at the November 2021 meeting. Look
for a future eTree announcement. Meetings take place via Zoom; meeting
information is on the PTSA website.
https://www.bhs.berkeleypta.org/meeting-resources

*Free Resource: Holistic Learning*

*Holistic Learning* is an integrative extracurricular education platform
for high school students developed by BHS alumni Eli Marx-Kahn, class of
2017, that he is offering *free* to all BHS students. *Holistic Learning*
provides a set of tools that can enhance students ability to ease the
stress and anxiety of high school as well as provide them with valuable
skills and knowledge. It offers an extensive library of videos covering
topics in the areas of meditation & wellness, learning strategies, college
& career guidance, and career seminars.

Eli will be discussing the cognitive neuroscience underlying Holistic
Learning at the January PTSA meeting. To get Holistic Learning now, contact
him now by phone (510) 326-1995 or email at wellness at holisticlearning.com
<wellness at holistic.learning.com>

*Free Resources: myStrength and* *Headspace Apps*

Two popular apps, *myStrength* or *Headspace, *are now available to BHS
students for *free.* These apps use proven techniques to help navigate
issues such as stress, depression and substance abuse, and they help to
create and build mindfulness and meditation practices. The City of Berkeley
is now providing these *two free mental health apps* to anyone 13-years-old
or older who lives, works or attends school in Berkeley

Sign up now for one or both apps. Click the link and scroll to bottom of
page

https://helpathandca.org/berkeley/

*December Staff Appreciation*

The PTSA showed some appreciation and love to all BHS staff on Monday
December 13th. We set up at the Donahue Gym lobby and distributed coffee
and bagels. It was wonderful to see BHS stop by for a morning treat, some
caffeine, and a smile.

*About the PTSA*

The PTSA is a way to get involved, get things done, and make a difference
at BHS. Watch this short video to learn more about the PTSA

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HYqHncSaqqbthEGu0fFu46DDF2mEHtaK/view?usp=sharing

The PTSA does not actively fundraise, instead we ask for member donations.
You can join and support the PTSA on our website
https://www.bhs.berkeleypta.org/join

*_____________________________*

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