Earth Week at Jefferson Elementary School

Earth Week Program

&

Tree Planting Ceremony

friends and family welcome!

• On Friday, April 26th, Jefferson Elementary School will host the 30th anniversary of West Allis being designated with Tree City USA status.
• A 1:30 pm program in the gym will be followed by a tree planting ceremony outside.
• Student inquiry work will be on display throughout the building following the ceremony.
Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase from the Boy Scouts

Depression and School Aged Children

It is hard to estimate the number of teens and children with depression as not all doctors agree on diagnostic criteria. The latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) makes few distinctions between depression symptoms in teens and children versus adults. Depression in children and teens is not rare though. One estimate is between 0.9% - 4.7% preschool-age to adolescent youths meet the criteria for depression.¹

Symptoms of Depression in Teens

Depression symptoms in teenagers can potentially lead to very serious consequences – suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents. The pressures of school, peers, bullies and changing bodies can all add to the challenges of dealing with teenage depression.

The DSM-IV-TR diagnoses depressive disorders in teens almost identically to adults. However, the diagnostic symptoms of depression in teens include the possibility of an irritable mood, rather than a depressed one. Depression symptoms in teens often co-occur with other mental health issues like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, substance abuse and behavioral problems. (take depression test for teenagers)

While most symptoms of depression in teens match that of adults, some depression symptoms are seen specifically in teenagers. These include:²

• Disruptive, behavioral problems, often in boys
• Preoccupation with body image and performance, often in girls
• Anxiety, often in girls
• Poor school performance
• School absenteeism
• Talk/threats of running away

Child Depression Symptoms

Similar to teens, the DSM-IV-TR makes little distinction between adult and child depression symptoms. Differences in diagnostic symptoms of depression in children include:

• Mood may be irritable rather than depressed
• Weight and appetite changes may include failure to gain expected weight

It's important to look at all surrounding mental health issues as they may include post-traumatic stress disorder or sleep disorders. Child-onset depression is also thought to be a common precursor to bipolar disorder, so symptoms of even brief mania or hypomania should be carefully evaluated. Information on treatment of depression in children here.

Taken from:  http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/children/recognizing-symptoms-of-depression-in-teens-and-children/

5 Reasons WHY it is Important to Write EVERY DAY!

1. Writing improves communication skills.
First and foremost, writing provides a vehicle for expression and communication. No matter the age or grade level of your students, diligent writing practice will boost both their skill and comfort level with revealing and relating their own thoughts and feelings.
2. Writing helps students review and remember recently learned material.
Isn't it always easier to remember a household task or a website to visit later if we write it down somewhere? A brief writing assignment at the end of class, focusing on the day's lesson and discussions, is a great way to reinforce the material, support long-term recall of the key lesson points and help build writing skills all at the same time.
3. Writing helps educators assess student learning.
Probably the most common use of writing in the contemporary classroom is for a given student to demonstrate that he or she knows and understands x or y concept. Whether the assignment is, for example, an intensive compare-and-contrast essay at the secondary level or writing and illustrating a haiku in the primary grades, writing assignments help teachers see what material students have mastered and where there may be gaps.
4. Writing encourages creativity and exploration.
Daily writing encourages a creative flow that can help students use their imaginations, explore possibilities, delve into problem solving, and engage in storytelling. In addition to "serious" writing assignments which are reviewed and graded, it is important to assign "free" or "creative" writing time, so that students can explore vocabulary, concepts, and writing styles that they wouldn't risk in a formal essay or heavily graded assignment.
5. Writing is essential for self-understanding.
Even a cursory search online will reveal a plethora of diary-like blogs, filled with entry after entry of highly personal content. In the same way that these blogs serve their authors, classroom writing can help students understand and make sense of their own experiences, locate contexts, and make (sometimes surprising) discoveries about their own thoughts and feelings.
Classroom teachers will find that reading through their students' writing assignments can give them great insight into each student's personality, style, and comprehension level of the material being presented. When a high value is placed on consistent writing in the classroom, it's a win-win all around.
So, write on!

taken from www.scilearn.com