Olympia CUSD 16

Video: bit.ly/OlyCBV5 Digital harassment happens when teens use texts, instant messages, emails, and social media posts to keep tabs on or threaten someone else. It usually involves two people in a close relationship. Here are four ways to help teens avoid digital harassment.

Q&A: How can I explain why teens shouldn't create fake profiles to tease their friends and/or peers? https://www.commonsensemedia.org/facebook-instagram-and-social/how-can-i-explain-why-teens-shouldnt-create-fake-profiles-to-tease . . Photo from Rober Monkada

Books that Teach Empathy: bit.ly/OlyCBB Teaching kids character strengths and life skills such as empathy is one of the most important jobs of being an adult. These great books for all ages help make it easier by celebrating friendship, difference, and the importance of caring for one another.

Families & Students, Due to the impending forecast that includes ice in the early morning and heavy snowfall tomorrow afternoon, Olympia students will be doing remote learning tomorrow, Thursday, February 17th. Elementary students will work on the materials that have been sent home by their teachers. Middle school and high school students should login to Google classroom tomorrow to complete their work and / or participate in meetings with their teachers. We realize there may be minor fluctuations in the weather but at this point it appears as if our morning commute and our afternoon commute would both be negatively impacted by weather. We will make an announcement tomorrow regarding Thursday after school activities / practices. As a reminder, students DO NOT have school on Friday, February 18th due to a Teacher Institute Day. Monday, February 21st is a school holiday as well. We will see students back in our buildings on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Family Tip 4: Encourage upstanding Let kids know that supporting someone who is being bullied can make a big difference. If they feel safe confronting the bully, they should. If not, a PM can help someone through a tough time. Speaking up against hate speech is important too!

What an honor to have James Nottingham, creator of the Learning Pit, visit Olympia and share strategies to engage in the learning process. Thank you, Mr. Nottingham, for all the ways you teach us about challenge, learning, and leadership!

Congratulations to Neil Alford on his All State Choir recognition and honor!

The Illinois State Scholars were recognized at the Board Meeting tonight and at a reception prior to the meeting. We are so proud of these students!

Congratulations OHS Speech!

Video: bit.ly/OlyCBV7 As humans, we thrive on social connections and group associations. But this tendency can also lead us to be suspicious of people outside our group. This fear -- xenophobia -- can be overcome by more exposure to people who are different from us. However, the internet can often make this more difficult. Help your kids recognize this challenge and find strategies for navigating content online.

Video: bit.ly/OlyCBV6 Cyberbullying is something most families hope they never have to deal with. But if your kids are texting, sharing photos, and posting comments, it’s important to talk to them about how to deal with online harassment. Learn 5 ways to stop cyberbullies.

Some Olympia staff are participating in a book study on Trauma Sensitive Instruction. They were blessed to have one of the authors, Tom Hierck, join their virtual meeting this week. Tom was recently named by Global Gurus as one of the top 10 thought leaders in education. Thank you Tom for joining us!

Olympia South 5th Graders had a great day at the Challenger Learning Center thanks to a generous grant from Growmark!

Family Tip 3: Role-play If kids feel like they might have trouble removing themselves from digital drama, experiment with some different ways they can make a graceful exit. Talk through words they can use, ways they can steer conversations in positive directions, etc.

What should I do if my kid is bullied online? Finding out that your kid has been cyberbullied is emotional for parents. You or your kid might want to retaliate, but it's best to help your kid defuse the situation, protect himself, and make rational efforts to put a stop to the bullying. Here are the immediate steps we recommend for parents... Read More https://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying/what-should-i-do-if-my-kid-is-bullied-online

Sixth graders took their learning outside of the four classroom walls today as they examined a variety of different shoes in an activity to analyze and write about characters. Learning is fun!

As kids grow, they'll naturally start to communicate more online. But some of what they see could make them feel hurt, sad, angry, or even fearful. Help your students build empathy for others and learn strategies to use when confronted with cyberbullying. https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/education/PowerOfWords_NewBumper.mp4

This week is National School Counseling Week. The 2022 theme, “School Counseling: Better Together,” sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), focuses on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. At OHS, we are blessed with an exceptional group of counselors: Allison Baker, Alex Castillo, and Lisa Steve. Thank you for your tremendous impact in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. We are thankful for you!

Family Tip 2: Check in about online life Just like you'd ask your kid about their sleep, exercise, and eating, stay on top of their online life. Who are they chatting with? How do people treat each other in the games and on the sites they're using?

Spanish 4 just wrapped up a unit about giving directions. They created their own maps and gave directions to each other to practice speaking and listening. To show off their skills, the students completed a speaking summative with a lot of cultural value. They used Google Maps to virtually explore a location in Mexico City paid attention to what they saw - people, houses, nearby stores, and plazas. Then, they described how to get to a nearby restaurant by giving the directions. Awesome work, Spartans!