What is happening in Revelstoke Schools?

Open Parachute

Teachers are using a new school well-being resource this year to teach mental health skills to help students thrive.  Click on this link to open the Information for Parents and Caregivers: Open Parachute Caregiver Information

PreVenture

A team of trained educators offer PreVenture, a personality-focused program that empowers youth with self-knowledge to make better choices and cope with life challenges and achieve goals. PreVenture continues to run in grade 8 again this year. Click on this link if you would like more information: PreVenture Caregiver Information

Food programs

• Breakfast Club: Grab & Go breakfast is available for everyone at all four schools every morning.
• Lunches: Bento box lunches are available for students who need one.
• Backpacks: Weekly backpacks with groceries and recipes continue to go home to any Revelstoke family who could use one.
• Contact your principal if you have any questions or would like more information about any of the programs.

Community Spaces

• Dr’s Clinic: Three local doctors rotate to run a weekly clinic on Thursdays at the high school.
• Stoke Youth Network: Funded by the Columbia Basin Trust, the Stoke Youth Network supports youth-driven initiatives and ideas in Revelstoke.  Ainslee’s office is right next to the clinic.
• Community counselling space: CYMH and Community Connections have access to one of the community offices if youth they are seeing would prefer to meet at school.

Parent and Caregiver Virtual Opportunities

The Voices of Siblings Webinar Now Available

It is common to get questions on how we can best support siblings in our families and respond to questions that they ask. In this webinar, we discuss the role of children and youth who have a sibling living with mental health challenges and some strategies for parents and caregivers to support them. Watch Now.

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Understanding Disordered Eating: How to Support Youth

February is Eating Disorder Awareness Month and  Embody is hosting a free event on Saturday, February 1st at 10:30.

Learn from our panel of youth with lived experiences and our moderator, Carmen Kaufmann, an eating disorder specialist. This free event is open to parents, caregivers, youth, professionals, family, and friends. Get your ticket today.

Through this event you will:

·  Understand the factors that influence disordered eating

·  Learn how to identify warning signs for disordered eating

·  Hear how youth cope with social media, fat shaming, diet culture and more

·  Learn how to support and start the conversation about disordered eating and body image

 

For more information, contact our Embody team directly at embody@familyservices.bc.ca, or go to embodybc.com.

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Establishing Safe, Caring, & Respectful Digital Communities

Recommended for Parents/Caregivers/Grandparents and youth aged 10 and up as a way to facilitate the conversation of safe and caring use of technology at home and in the community. (60 minute session)

This session covers all things digital, from how to be a good digital citizen, the criminal consequences of cyberbullying, and how to report and receive support in cases of sexting/sextortion.

Some of the most prominent concerns currently surrounding use of social media platforms, smartphones, and artificial intelligence will be discussed.

Families will learn:

Digital media habits, oversharing, and digital addiction
The permanence of online posts/activity
The significance of your digital tattoo in how others perceive you (e.g., sports teams, college admissions, and potential employers)
The importance of caring for peers both online and offline
Geo-locational settings and the dangers of social media and cell phone misuse
The social and legal consequences of cyberbullying behaviour as well as possession and distribution of intimate images (sexting and sextortion)
An anonymous student reporting tool that can help you and your friends stay safe both online and offline

Click here to register for a virtual session.

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Substance Use Prevention

The Ministry of Education and Child Care, in partnership with adolescent clinical psychologist Dr. Hayley Watson from Open Parachute, will host three, free virtual sessions for parents, guardians and caregivers that will focus on practical skills you can teach your child and youth (ages 0-19) to prevent substance use and mental health needs. These sessions will build on a previous presentation, which focused on practical conversation tools for speaking about substance use prevention with your children/youth. The previous session is not a pre-requisite for this session.

Key takeaways for participants during this session:

Learn the factors that lead to substance use and mental health needs from a trauma-informed lens
Focus on prevention rather than intervention/response
Applies to parents, guardians and caregivers of all age groups (youth aged 0-5, 6-10, and 11-18)
Learn ways that these skills can be applied to yourself and the rest of your family to support the mental health of parents, guardians and caregivers
Participants must register in advance.

Click on session dates below to register (note: all sessions are the same presentation)

February 20, 6:00-7:30 pm PST
February 25, 6:00-7:30 pm PST
February 26, 6:00-7:30 pm PST
Please share this information within your school community to reach parents, guardians, and caregivers of all ages.  See this attached poster for more information. Substance Use Prevention Webinar Poster