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May 18th, 2021

5/18/2021

Week of 5/17

This week I wanted to share a fun activity that you can do it at home and it will help you relax too!
1. Take an empty water bottle
2. Fill the water bottle with water
3. Add desired color of food coloring
4. Add glitter, sequins, or other decorations that are waterproof and float
5. Close the top and tap top shut
6. Shake it up and watch the glitter settle. Use as needed to calm down.

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May 10th, 2021

5/10/2021

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Week of 5/10

This week I wanted to share 2 breathing techniques that can help you calm down and manage any stress or anxiety you're feeling. It is important to learn techniques that can help you maintain good mental health and breathing exercises are a great tool.
Volcano Breaths
Pretend your hands and arms are like lava flowing from a volcano. Start with your hands in front of your heart, with palms touching. Keeping your hands together, reach straight up and breathe in. Separate your hands and move your arms down to your side and breathe out.
Belly Breath
With your mouth closed, breathe in for four seconds or you feel your whole belly fill with air, all the way down to her belly. I always say breathe in like you're smelling a flower. Hold in the air for four seconds. Slowly blow the air out until it’s all gone and your belly goes in. I say you should breathe like you're blowing out a candle.

Here's a video you can watch too:

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May 03rd, 2021

5/3/2021

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Week of 5/3

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! For the month of May, I will share a different mental health tip for you.

This week's tip is: Talk Openly About Your Feelings.

I know if can be hard to talk about your feelings, but once you do you will feel better. Also, once you talk about how you're feeling then you can work on whatever is bothering you. I think this quote from Mr. Rogers says it well:

" Anything that's human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary."

Hopefully there are people in your life you can talk to: friends, parents, siblings, teachers. Remember, I am also always here if you need someone to talk to.

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April 26th, 2021

4/26/2021

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Week of 4/26

This week I want to share an exercise you can use to help you feel less stressed and anxious. This is called a Progressive Muscle Relaxation and it's great because you can do it anywhere or anytime. It's done by tensing and relaxing your muscles. Here's what you do:

Tense your feet by curling your toes…like you’re digging your toes into the sand at the beach.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Tense your legs by pulling your toes up…like a puppet with its strings being pulled.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Tense your stomach…and imagine that a puppy was going to step on your stomach.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Tense your hands by making fists…like you’re trying to squeeze all the juice out of a lemon.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Tense your arms…like you’re showing off your muscles.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Tense your shoulders by pulling them up…and imagine that you’re a turtle going into its shell.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Tense your face by scrunching it up as much as you can.
1…2…3…4…Relax and take a deep breath in and out.

Repeat as needed

Here's a video you can also watch:

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April 19th, 2021

4/19/2021

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Week of 4/19

This week is Career Day! Hopefully everyone will enjoy their speakers and learning about some new careers. Some things to think about during career day:

1. What challenges did this person have to overcome to achieve their goals?
2. How did they overcome these challenges?
3. What is something new you learned about each career?
4. What support did the person have to achieve their goals? What support do you have to achieve your goals?
5. What next steps can you take to help pursue the career you're interested in?

There are many ways you can take steps now to learn more about different careers and to pursue the careers you're interested in:

-Talk to someone in the field you're interested in
-Read books about topics you're interested in or about people in the career field
-Find after school and summer opportunities to help you increase your knowledge and build skills to help pursue the career you're interested in
-Watch videos about the career or people in the field you're interested in. A good website to explore is www.roadtripnation.com

Here are some good videos if you need help getting started:
- Tracy Parrish (former teacher and senior marketing manager for the AT&T Foundry
- Gerard Baker, first Native American Superintendents of Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Ira Glass, host of This American Life
- Betty Cortina-Weiss, editorial director of Latina magazine
- Raul Ruiz, physician, congressman, and first Latino to earn three graduate degrees from Harvard University
- Paul Dateh, hip-hop violinist
- Chris Wink, cofounder of Blue Man Group

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April 12th, 2021

4/12/2021

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Week of 4/12

Sometimes it can be very challenging to be in the present moment. It can be hard to focus if we have racing thoughts or are feeling stressed. I also think this becomes hard to focus when the weather gets nicer and we near the end of the school. Whatever is making it hard for you to focus at the time, this exercise will help you refocus your attention on the present moment and help you be more successful. This exercise is great to use if you notice your emotions are starting to escalate too and you need to calm and refocus yourself too. This is a great activity because you can use it anytime or anywhere.
Find or describe:

5 objects you can see right now.
4 objects you can feel or touch right now.
3 things you can hear right now.
2 things you can smell right now.
1 thing you can taste right now.

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March 22nd, 2021

3/22/2021

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Week of March 22nd

Look at all the great work of our students during the March Madness program and how much they learned about different schools!

Keep learning about colleges by touring schools virtually at youvisit.com or exploring schools on Naviance.

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March 15th, 2021

3/15/2021

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Week of 3/15

March Madness is here! For many people this is a great time to watch their favorite basketball compete in the NCAA tournament, but at Henry we're also using March Madness as a time to discover new schools. This week, homerooms will be picking a school to learn more about including: mascot, schools colors, where the school is located, and how many students attend. A great way to explore the schools further is by visiting youvisit.com and taking a virtual college tour. Also, on Friday, everyone at Henry can show their school support by wearing their favorite school colors or shirts. I will share the homerooms posters here next week. And who knows, maybe your homeroom will choose the NCAA champions?

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March 08th, 2021

3/8/2021

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Week of 3/8

It may be March, but in some ways this week and last week feel like it's the first day of school again. This transition may be challenging or overwhelming for you. To help each some of this stress, it can be beneficial to journal or write about your feelings. Here are some questions that you can answer if you need help thinking about what to say:

How does it feel to see your classmates again?
What is the first thing you like to do with your friends at the start of a new school year?
What was your greatest success during remote learning?
What is the most important reason for people to go to school?
What was your first impression of your new classroom?
Do you feel ready to go back to school?
How do you feel when you get? Excited? Prepared? The same? Why?
Are there any things you dislike about school? What can you do to make them better?
What do you enjoy most at school?
Do you ever get nervous or anxious on the first day of school? How do these emotions make you feel?

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March 01st, 2021

3/1/2021

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Week of 3/1

Happy March everyone!

March is National Women's History Month and here are some ways that you can celebrate, while also building your self-confidence and self-esteem. Everyone can participate, not just girls!

1. Read a book or watch a movie, about strong girls that will teach you courage!
List includes: Sheila Rae, The Brave, The Hunger Games, Moana, and Brave.
http://www.girlswithideas.com/blog/2017/4/22/15-books-songs-movies-to-teach-girls-courage?rq=movie

2.Write yourself a love note. Show some self-love and tell yourself how great you are.

3. Listen to a Girl Power Playlist. This playlist is not just for girls, but will motivate and inspire anyone to do their best. Some songs to include: Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
Rise Up by Andra Day
Video by India Arie
Firework by Katy Perry
Brave by Sara Barielles
Fight Song by Rachel Platten
Try by Colbie Caillat

4. Write a thank you note to a woman who inspires you. There is seriously nothing more meaningful than telling someone that they've made an impact in your life. Writing it down in a note makes it so that they can keep the words you said forever. This will also make you feel good too!

For more ideas to celebrate Women's History Month click here:
http://www.girlswithideas.com/blog/2018/2/24/31-ways-to-celebrate-womens-history-month

And share any of your own ideas in the comments!

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May 18th, 2021

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Week of 5/10

May 03rd, 2021

Week of 5/3

April 26th, 2021

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April 19th, 2021

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April 12th, 2021

Week of 4/12

March 22nd, 2021

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March 15th, 2021

Week of 3/15

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Week of 3/1

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High School Information:
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