thankful thursday: part i
part one of three: mental health initiative
January is Thankuary!
We hope the new year is off to a good start for you.
And we hope you know how much we appreciate you! After all, without support from kind and compassionate community members like you, fulfilling our mission to empower every student would be impossible.
Normally, we send one newsletter each month. This month, in honor of "Thankuary," we'll use the three remaining Thursdays to highlight how your support is empowering students in Olympia's schools every single day.
Today's Thankful Thursday will focus on our Mental Health Initiative, which aims to provide students with various mental health and social-emotional learning supports in schools.
mental health grants
Reeves Middle School received a $2,000 grant last year, and a smaller grant this year, to support HOPE Bike Shop.
Grants providing students with relief
Since September, your support has provided nearly $21,000 in grants that will benefit the mental health of almost 6,100 students -- including those in every middle and high school and half of Olympia's elementary schools.
These grants will provide a variety of much-needed relief during the school day.
This year, Social-Emotional Learning/Mental Health grants are making possible: a yoga and mindfulness class at Washington Middle School; a conflict-management workshop at Avanti High School; and an alternative lunch space at Capital High School. In elementary schools, your support is making a reality: a recovery space at Pioneer Elementary; and regulation zones at McLane Elementary. And this is just a small sample of the projects that were awarded funding.
We ask every grant recipient to report back to the Foundation on their projects. We look forward to sharing the stories (and photos) with you later in the year about how your support is empowering students inside and outside of the classroom.
In the meantime, if you'd like to learn more about one of the projects your support made possible last school year, take a few minutes to watch this video about HOPE Bike Shop, and how it is empowering students at Reeves Middle School.
student anxiety
Parents and students benefit from anxiety workshops
While your support will always benefit students, this year you are also helping parents and other caregivers -- so they have more tools in their toolbox to help their kids.
Thanks to you, this school year the Foundation is able to present an eight-part parent education series at no-cost to all families and students in Olympia's schools. And it's thrilling to report that it has been wildly successful so far.
Beginning in October, local parent educator Emily McMason presented workshops on anxiety at Olympia High School, Garfield Elementary and Washington Middle School. Close to 120 families turned out to learn how they can better support their students.
We know that it can be challenging to attend in-person events and we are working on a solution to make the content of future presentations accessible in an alternative format. Stay tuned for more details!
And check out the story below to learn about the presentations that will be held in January, February in March.
winter parent education series
Winter parenting tools presentations announced
Your support has made possible three additional parent education presentations from Emily McMason:
Jan. 18: Big Kids / Big Feelings: How to navigate your teen's emotional experience and build connection through middle and high school years. (Presentation covers content most appropriate for middle and high school students.)
7 to 8:30 p.m.
Capital High School library
Students are welcome to attend with their families
ALL families welcome: You do not need to have a student enrolled at Capital to attend.
Feb. 8: The ABCs of Emotional Intelligence: How to help our kids figure out their feelings while keeping our cool. (Presentation covers content most appropriate for K-5 students.)
6 to 7:30 p.m.
McKenny Elementary gym
Free on-site child care provided (for kids who can use the toilet on their own)
ALL families welcome: You do not need to have a student enrolled at McKenny to attend.
March 14: The ABCs of Emotional Intelligence: How to help our kids figure out their feelings while keeping our cool. (Presentation covers content most appropriate for K-5 students.)
6 to 7:30 p.m.
L.P. Brown Elementary library
Free on-site child care provided (for kids who can use the toilet on their own)
ALL families welcome: You do not need to have a student enrolled at McKenny to attend.
And your support will allow us to present two more of these valuable presentations this year. If you'd like to share feedback about a topic that would be helpful for your family, please use the feedback form at the bottom of this page on our website.