• Welcome to Mrs. Durso's Web Page

    Hart's Hill Social Worker

    2022-2023

     

    Welcome back!  We are so excited to have the students return to school again this year, for in-person learning!

    Just a quick reminder as the children come back to school, it is important to continue having open dialogue with them about their feelings related to returning to school. Continue to listen, ask questions, provide support, and give positive messages. Establish back-to-school routines with a good sleep schedule, proper nutrition, physical exercise, and social connections are all ways to support optimum learning.

    In particular, children who struggle with change or transition, may experience some anxiety upon returning to school.  Listen to their feelings, validate how they feel, and help them make a plan to manage these feelings of anxiety or worry. This will teach them exactly how to work through difficult emotions and cope in life.  Remind them to use safe coping skills, such as mindful exercises, deep breathing, coloring, journaling, music, art, dance, etc.

    Limit your child’s access to the media. Be mindful of it being on continuously, and monitor your own reaction to situations, as children will naturally follow your lead.

    We are so excited about seeing the children, and are looking forward to a wonderful school year ! 

     

    This poem was written by a Utica College Student Intern, Emily Loeschner, back in April 2020.

    Our hope was to provide your child with some helpful tools to manage his/her feelings.

    Have them recite it...and try to memorize it! 

     

    COPE

    Emotions come and go

    Ups and downs happen

    We're all just humans.

     

     You need to cope

    To have hope

    That you can deal

    With how you feel.

     

     Breathe,

    Take your time

    These feelings don’t disappear

    By the flip of a dime.

     

     Take a walk

    To talk it out

    If you want to yell

    Go to a friend and tell!

     

     If you don’t want to show

    When you're feeling low

    Go have alone time

    That's not a crime.

     

     Breathe,

    Take your time

    These feelings don’t disappear

    By the flip of a dime.

     

     If you would like

    Hop on a bike

    Take a ride around the block 

    Let the clock go tik tok.

     

     If your day

    Didn’t go your way

    Go leap in your bed

    After being fed.

     

     Breathe,

    Take your time

    These feelings don’t disappear.

    By the flip of a dime.

     

     If your scared in this time

     Remember this chime!

     

     Be smart

    And stay 6ft. Apart!

    Make sure you wash

    Because oh gosh!

     

    If you touch too much,

    You may fear a germ

    That can make

    You squirm!

     

    If you decide to not

    Stay inside

    Wear a mask to

    Do the task!

     

    Don’t be scared

    Just be prepared!

     

     Breathe,

    Take your time

    These feelings don’t disappear

    By the flip of a dime. 

     (Emily Loeschner 4/4/2020)