Brunswick School Department invites you to a special free screening of of the national documentary Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety, featuring an interview with world-renowned athlete and mental health advocate Michael Phelps as well as teens and parents sharing deeply personal stories about the impact of anxiety on their own lives and tips and advice from prominent experts. The showing of the 55-minute film will be followed by an informative panel discussion including local experts. The film is appropriate for ages 10 and up (parents and students are encouraged to attend together). The screening will take place on Thursday, January 25th, at 6:30 p.m. at Brunswick High School’s Crooker Theater. A panel discussion and Q&A will follow from 7:30-8:00 p.m. To learn more, click here to see the Angst Event Flier and visit the website at https://angstmovie.com/about/

A Note on Transitioning to Junior High School

Junior high is an exciting time of change, growth, and discovery.  It is expected for students to be excited and nervous about:

• new teachers, new building, and new classes,
• having more independence and responsibility,
• a busy schedule, and
• new opportunities for clubs and sports

It will be important to start the year off in a positive way.  Some ideas for heading off in the right direction include:

•  Getting plenty of sleep and exercise, eating a healthy diet, and setting aside time to have fun with friends and family
• Talking to your school counselor or an adult you trust if you are feeling upset, stressed, lonely or confused
• Practicing with a locker combination at home before the first day of school- this is one of the biggest worries for students starting off
• Choosing a club or sport to get involved in (see Mrs. Roy or Mrs. Nein for the list of choices)

 Tips for academic success:

1. Stay organized- use your assignment notebook, keep your locker neat, and assign folders or binders for each class- your teachers will help you with this!
2. Use your time wisely- get ready for school thenight before (clothes, backpack, etc), set a regular homework time in a quiet space, and break up projects and assignments into smaller chunks. 
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

For parents:  Talking to your child during the junior high years can be tough at times, but it is an essential piece to keep the lines of communication open.  Here are some ideas for the summer and throughout their junior high experience-

• What are you most excited about?
• What are you most nervous about?
• Ask how you can help them.
• Listen closely and attentively to feelings or concerns they share.
• Highlight the positives- more independence, more opportunities, etc.
• Help your child make a schedule to balance activities, homework, and free time.
• Help them understand positive and negative peer pressure, and who to talk to when they have concerns. 

We look forward to taking this journey with you and your child! As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. 

Guidance office:  319-1932

Email: aroy@brunswick.k12.me.us

The popular new Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why has become a quite popular binge-worthy series for students.  The series shares a sensationalized view of teen suicide and does not portray appropriate or accurate support/treatment for teens in these situations.  The National Association of School Psychologists has put together an informative resource for parents and educators including cautions, guidance, and additional resources.

13 Reasons Why Guidance_FINAL (1)[1] copy

The class of 2021 will be the first class to graduate with a proficiency based diploma. To graduate, students will earn 21.5 credits and they will demonstrate proficiency in subject specific standards and the Maine Guiding Principles. Graduation requirements are outlined in the BHS course handbook, but if you would like to learn more about this, we will be holding a parent and guardian forum on Tuesday, May 2nd at Brunswick High School at 6:00pm. All 8th grade families are invited to attend.

BJHS is hosting a viewing of the movie Screenagers on Thursday, January 12^th at 6pm in Crooker Theater (Brunswick High School).  Click here to download the flyer.

More info at-   www.screenagersmovie.com

Parents AND students are encouraged to attend together!

Our community has so many wonderful opportunities during this holiday season. Check out a short list here- holiday-list-2016-new

We hope your year is off to a good start. It was wonderful for us to be able see so many familiar faces of students and parents at the open house. Thank you for coming by! This month we have been busy preparing and presenting our 6th grade guidance unit on goal setting and stress management. Our objective
is to support students in having a successful 6th grade year. Please check out our bulletin board near the 6th grade hallway the next time you are at the Junior High! In addition, we have gone into 7th grade health classes to teach suicide prevention. This is a valuable lesson for students to learn how they can help a friend in need
of some extra support. Please contact us any time with questions or concerns you may have.

Tips for Encouraging Great School Attendance

Regular attendance is one of the most influential factors in a child’s success in school. Children can’t learn if they are not present in school, so attendance is a must. By 6th grade missing 20% (or two months of school) is a critical warning sign of school drop-out. By 9th grade, missing 20% of school can be a better predictor of drop-out than 8th grade test scores.

Here are a few helpful tips:
 Tell your children the importance of attending school every
day.
 If possible, avoid scheduling appointments or family trips during
school hours.
 Make sure your child eats nutritious food, drinks water, exercises,
and gets plenty of rest.
 Try not to make excuses for your child when they are absent
or tardy to school.
 Be a positive role model.

Some days we all would rather stay cozy under the covers, but setting clear and consistent expectations around school attendance will set the stage for success in school and future careers.