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Hi! 
 
I am Toya Woods, Central Elementary's Counselor.  I am passionate about serving your child and enhancing their social emotional learning.   Along with the staff and parents, as stockholders in your young child's learning, we will endeavor to ensure that safety, integrity and learning excels.
 
I have 32 years in education and counseling, focusing on early childhood education as well as play therapy and administration.  I serve students in small group, individual and whole group counseling.  We focus on our district's core values of Relationships, Integrity, Personalization, Excellence, Initiative and Growth.  
 
My personal life consists of visiting grandkids, junking with my husband and trying out new recipes for my college kids.  I am a "rabid reader" meaning that I  try to only have one or three books that I am reading at one time.  Besides church and kids and books, I am an occasional gardener.
 
I am here for you and want most of all to serve you and your child.  Please let me know if you have any concerns or questions.  
 

 

 

 
Watch this short video on Perseverance and answer the following questions: 
 
1.  What did the Llama want? 
2.  How did he feel when he didn't get any fruit? 
3.  Why did the adult penguins bring him gifts? 
 
Should we give up when things get hard?  Sometimes we get discouraged and that is ok.  Take a deep breath, and try again! 

Harvard medical school just released a recommendation of yoga, meditation and controlled breathing as the best ways to deal with the anxiety from Coronavirus.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coping-with-coronavirus-anxiety-2020031219183

 

Students, Teachers, and Parents, ready to feel better, work smarter, and stay centered amidst the uncertainty? 

Join SKY Schools’ FREE live expert-led online sessions. 6 times a day. 5 days a week!  

In English: 9:30am11:30am3pm8:30pm EST

In Spanish: 11:00am & 5pm EST 

 *If you miss us live, the recordings Recording will be available online after the broadcast.  

 

Info & updates: skyrelaxation.eventbrite.com

 

SKY Schools has taught 110,000 students, educators and parents to manage their mind and emotions in more than 10 years of service. 

 
This is a link for internet safety presented by the Paluxy River Foundation.  We are encouraging our students to take extra precautions as they spend extended time online.  
 

Posts

Superpower Summit Today Only Sept 9 - Sept 10

 
Who's speaking today?
  • Dr. Laura Markham: Anxiety in the Home: A Guide For Kids & Parents
  • Emily Fletcher: Mindfulness and Meditation for Families
  • Vishen Lakhiani: Fostering Change During Times of Crisis
  • Gabby Bernstein: Finding Meaning During a Crisis
  • Akilah S. Richards: Unschooling: Self-Directed Learning at Home
  • Jessica Ortner: Tapping Away Anxiety
  • Dr. Ryan Niemiec: Character Strengths to Superpower Kids

Practicing Gratitude

We need to focus on the good. It is sometimes hard to do; so why don't we write down a few things that we are thankful for?

For the Birds

I love this clip because it can reflect what happens in social situations – where a friendly bird is not really reading the other bird’s facial expressions, body language and thoughts. Fantastic ‘eyeballs’ capturing a range of emotions.

Playmate

This clip is used to teach that other people are thinking about our actions. A boy starts to mistreat his toy robot when he gets a new friend – has a great range of emotions and feelings.

Mouse for Sale

This clip is about a mouse who looks different and is having a hard time being sold at a pet shop.

Read Alouds on Facebook with Julia Cook

Bookends with Julia 

Mondays and Fridays 9:00 am CST on Facebook Live 

facebook.com/juliacookonline 

3/20 Wilma Jean the Worry Machine

3/23 I'm a Booger, Treat Me With Respect

3/27 Personal Space Camp

3/30 My Way or the Highway

4/3 The Great Compromise

4/6 Bubble Gum Brain

4/10 Baditude 4

4/13 Soda Pop Head 

JULIA COOK 

8 Things to Do While Under Quarantine Psychology Today

8 Things to Do While Under Quarantine

Self-quarantine wasn't on your bucket list. But here are activities you can try.

Posted Mar 16, 2020

 
 
Source: L N/Unsplash

Here are a few things to consider. If you’re not in self-quarantine or isolation, you should seriously consider it. Transmission of the coronavirus is breathtakingly easy, and some medical experts say that the virus can survive on surfaces for up to three days. It needs to be left alone three days to start breaking down without disinfecting measures. This is why it’s important to not provide coronavirus “a ride” to its next vacation destination.

 

The models for what happened in China and what is happening right now in Italy and Spain are sobering. Social distancing of three or six feet is all well and good, but the issue of coming into contact with a family member or friend who has coronavirus but doesn’t know it (it can incubate up to nine days, experts say, and some younger people might not even be symptomatic but can still transmit it) should be taken very seriously. Plus, just because you are not over 60 doesn’t mean you should go out and potentially expose the elderly or other folks with compromised immune systems to coronavirus.  

 

Eight things to do while you are in quarantine or self-isolation:

Go outside and walk a lot.
Source: patrick hendry/Unsplash
  1. Phone a friend. There used to be a Bell telephone commercial jingle, “Reach out and touch someone.” (Hey, it was right after the swinging ‘70s). Instead of that, I’m recommending that you call, text, FaceTime, or Zoom someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. I texted a high school friend yesterday and the jokes picked up where they left off (he's the one responsible for toilet paper being in such short supply). Think of this as a great opportunity to reconnect. 
  2. Work out at home. Can’t go to the gym? Cycle, and do calf extensions on the steps, and pushups and planks like there’s no tomorrow. I already met my fitness goals for 2020, but I guess I’ll be able to maintain them now, too.
  3. Read five books that you’ve intended to but just didn’t have time. There’s enough time now. Just don’t break your reading glasses, unless you have a backup pair.
  4. Find substitute TV programming now that all sports are suspended until further notice. Catch up on three, four, or more great shows that your friends have highly recommended. I hear The Good Place is worth a look. I haven’t seen it, but it’s on my watch list. If you’re into sci-fi/supernatural shows? Watch The Expanse (Amazon), The Outsider (HBO), and I Am Not Okay With This (NetFlix). Trust me now, and thank me later. (Have you seen Fleabag? Go to my analysis here to see if you're up to it).
  5. Write a poem or a Great American Novel. Tap your muse. In addition to blog posts, I plan to complete a book proposal and finish my second novel, if two weeks go to six, eight, or more.
  6. Commune with nature. Walk around outside in the sun at a healthy distance from other humans (trails, forests, etc.). (I discussed the issue with a veterinarian, and there is not yet evidence that the next-door neighbour’s adorable pug can become infected with coronavirus). Exercise and naturally forming Vitamin D? What could be better?
  7. Cook. Make a great YouTube recipe reality and create a meal to be proud of. It's a good idea to stock up on pasta, rice, canned vegetables, and spices so that more recipes are within reach.
  8. Start a betting pool on how much of a baby boom there’ll be due to all of this time on our hands with nothing else to do. It may put the spike from the Blizzard of '78 to shame. Some of you may contribute to that boom. And why not? As long as neither of you tests positive (for anything), there are lots of good reasons to do it. Check out some of them here and here.
If self-quarantine doesn't appeal to you, some of these activities can hopefully make it more tolerable.

4 Simple Ways to be Kind to Yourself: 
        Tips for Kids
 
1.  Talk about the good things.  Ask each person in your family to say one good thing about their day.  "My lunch was yummy" or "I had fun playing at recess" are examples of good things you might say. 
 
2.  Lend a Helping Hand.  Helping others can be a great way to show kindness, and it can make you feel good too!  Help your little brother get dressed, clean your room, or help mom with dinner.  
 
3.  Be Kind to your body. 
Eating healthy foods, like fruits and veggies, and being active like riding bikes or playing in the back yard are ways to show our bodies kindness.  Getting lots of sleep is extra important too!
 
4.  Encourage yourself.  Go Me!!  It can be easy to think unkind things about ourselves when we make mistakes.  Instead, try saying, "I will do better next time!"
 
*Adapted from Dr. Stephanie Smith, psychologist