Peace High Herald TechTimes September 2018

Experience the Success

Peace River School Division 10

Issue 1

Principals Message

For parents we have started September with our first School Council meeting and will be having our

second meeting as a Joint School Council meeting on October 23 at 630 pm at Springfield

Elementary with parents from Springfield TA Norris and Peace High We would like to invite all

parents to these meetings as we are able to keep everyone informed about what is happening at the

school and get valuable feedback from parents about the things that we do This first Joint Parent

Council meeting we will be participating in a Blanket Exercise put on by our local community For

more information on this please contact the school

Communication is the key to success in Education and we want to make sure that everyone in our

school community feels informed and involved If there is any questions or concerns to start the

school year please contact the school and we can help you out

Mark Owens

Principal

P1

Orange Shirt Day at PH

This issue

Administration P1 - P5

InformationEvents P6 ndash P10

Athletics P11 - P12

On behalf of the staff at Peace River High School I would

like to welcome everyone back as well as welcome all of

the new students to Peace High for the 2017-2018 school

year We start the year off running with many programs

teams and activities getting started in the first weeks of

school There are many opportunities to get involved

from athletics like football volleyball golf and cross

country to leadership groups like the LOL (League of

Leadership) Interact and the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance)

Superintendentrsquos Message ndash

It is my pleasure to welcome students staff and parents to Peace River School Division for the 2018-2019 school year As always our focus is to ensure that students are provided with engaging learning experiences that cultivate deep learning inner reflection and of course find ways to make

learning enjoyable for students Specifically we will continue to implement the Response to Intervention process in all our schools flexible learning environments in our high schools wellness initiatives and technology integration We are committed to ensure students are provided with opportunities to work as a team to be mentors leaders and get involved in the community With the guidance of our dedicated staff students are provided with the support and conditions that allow them to experience their full potential in all they do Education truly is everyonersquos business and we are very grateful for the support of parents family community members organizations and businesses Together we provide students with a wide range of engaging learning opportunities and experiences We are very proud of the collaborative nature of our school communities as it models to our students that they are supported and what can happen when we work together On this note I invite you to review our latest lsquoreport cardrsquo from the government We have exceeded provincial averages in many areas and we share in this success with you Student safety is always our number one concern and on this important note I invite you to visit our website and review correspondence regarding how families will be contacted in the event of an emergency This information can be found by clicking HERE or under the lsquostudents and parentsrsquo portal under lsquoemergency communication for parents on our website Kindly review this information and should you have any questions please contact your school principal Like our communities our schools consist of a variety of backgrounds cultures and religions joined together as one and we are proud providers of high quality public education Thank you for choosing Peace River School Division we are happy to serve your family and we wish you a wonderful school year Paul Bennett PRSD Superintendent of Schools

Paul Bennett Superintendent of Schools Peace River School Division No 10

P2

Superintendentrsquos Message ndash

It is my pleasure to welcome students staff and parents to Peace River School Division for the 2018-2019 school year As always our focus is to ensure that students are provided with engaging learning experiences that cultivate deep learning inner reflection and of course find ways to make

learning enjoyable for students Specifically we will continue to implement the Response to Intervention process in all our schools flexible learning environments in our high schools wellness initiatives and technology integration We are committed to ensure students are provided with opportunities to work as a team to be mentors leaders and get involved in the community With the guidance of our dedicated staff students are provided with the support and conditions that allow them to experience their full potential in all they do Education truly is everyonersquos business and we are very grateful for the support of parents family community members organizations and businesses Together we provide students with a wide range of engaging learning opportunities and experiences We are very proud of the collaborative nature of our school communities as it models to our students that they are supported and what can happen when we work together On this note I invite you to review our latest lsquoreport cardrsquo from the government We have exceeded provincial averages in many areas and we share in this success with you Student safety is always our number one concern and on this important note I invite you to visit our website and review correspondence regarding how families will be contacted in the event of an emergency This information can be found by clicking HERE or under the lsquostudents and parentsrsquo portal under lsquoemergency communication for parents on our website Kindly review this information and should you have any questions please contact your school principal Like our communities our schools consist of a variety of backgrounds cultures and religions joined together as one and we are proud providers of high quality public education Thank you for choosing Peace River School Division we are happy to serve your family and we wish you a wonderful school year Paul Bennett PRSD Superintendent of Schools

Paul Bennett Superintendent of Schools Peace River School Division No 10

P2

PRSD safety protocols and communication

Schools are considered to be the safest places in our communities However in reality an emergency can happen anywhere at any time It is imperative that our families are informed of various safety protocols and how we will communicate if and when an emergency occurs

Evacuation

bull There is a possible danger INSIDE the school Examples can include fire chemical spill or gas leak

bull Students will be escorted by staff to a safe location away from the school

bull If required students will be transported to predetermined evacuation centres Students will be released using

student release procedures

bull No one will re-enter the school until the school is safe for re-entry

Shelter in Place bull There is an ENVIRONMENTAL emergency in close proximity to the school outside the school on school grounds

andor unrelated to the school Examples can include dangerous goods spill wildlife on the playground or tornado If the threat is immediate students and staff will be gathered in to safer spaces such as away from walls and large vented areas

bull Access to and from the school will depend on the environmental emergency

Hold and Secure bull There is an emergency situation in close proximity to the school OUTSIDE the school on school groundsand or

unrelated to the school

bull All exterior doors to the school are locked

bull The school operates as normal inside the school walls Any outdoor activities field trips are cancelled

bull As the incident is occurring outside access to and from the school is restricted and carefully monitored

Lock Down bull A lock-down protocol is initiated when there is an immediate threat of violence to the students and staff inside

the building

bull The main objective of a lock-down is to protect the maximum number of people by getting behind locked doors

bull In a lock-down situation students and staff will be locked in secure areas and the school will NOT operate as

normal No one will be allowed in or out of the school

Communication during an emergency

During an emergency we will make every effort to contact parents directly Depending on the emergency it may not be

possible to send out information until after the incident has ended Once it is safe to do so parents will be contacted

through direct phone calls electronic messages radio alerts and website and social media updates We strongly

encourage parents not to come to the school during an emergency unless directed to do so Although your natural

instincts in an emergency may be to go to the school to safeguard your child please understand that doing so could

impede the response to the situation During any emergency our first priority is the safety of our students and staff and

we work closely with emergency personnel and the appropriate agencies to keep our students and staff safe Parents

and guardians can assist with our emergency planning by ensuring your childrsquos emergency contact information is up to

date with the school and transportation office We also encourage families to follow the PRSD and local school facebook

pages where updates may be posted depending on the emergency

P3

PRHS will be taking a group of students to experience the cultural richness of Greece during Spring break in

2019 Come climb the Acropolis run on the track at Olympia eat olives in Delphi ride a mule in Santorini

This experience is open to any student at Peace High Come experience this cultural experience with us We

are starting fundraising for this tour now There is a limited window available for you to sign up so do so soon

For more information please contact Mr Bauman at (780) 625 7476 or email him at baumankprsdabca

Supporting Women in the Andes ndash ECUADOR TRIP 2020

For more information please contact Mrs Scott-Wilkes at (780)-624-4221 or email him at wilkesprsdabca

P4

Scholarships amp Student loans

A very comprehensive website for the majority of Scholarships given out in

our region (except for the businesses and groups that award scholarships

specifically to Peace River and area residents) can be found on the peace high

website homepage under Quick Links or just click HERE

The following are places families should investigate for funding of all kinds

ParentGuardian places of EmploymentEmployment Benefit Many larger corporations have

scholarships for employeersquos children Check with the Human Resource office or Union leadership

Memberships or relationships with Service clubs and Associations may provide financial support

(eg Legion Masons)

Aboriginal ancestry can provide financial funding Families should check with Band Offices Metis

Councils Most post-secondary institutions have an Aboriginal Liaison Officer Please check with

Ms Crumpton for more opportunities

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada wwwaadnc-aandcgcca and look under post-

secondary education

Metis students should go to wwwalbertametiscom for more information on financing your

education

Treaty students can check out httpwwwlearning-communitiescalearning-

opportunitiesoffering52

Local Governments ndash some local villages and MDrsquos award scholarships

Check out the following websites for sources on funding in Alberta

wwwalisgovabca and link to ldquoStudent Financerdquo (loans) OR ldquoscholarshipsrdquo provided

through the Heritage Trust Fund

Information for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship is found on this site Application

process is now done on-line

wwwstudentawardscom has a list of over 31 000 scholarships available Create your username

and search their database of scholarships

The federal government site wwwcanlearnca (link to saveplanplay) offers aid to parents and

students on all aspect of careers postsecondary and funding (national and international)

Check out Peace River School Divisionrsquos webpage for regional scholarships wwwprsdabca under

Parents and Students

P5

PRHS will be taking a group of students to experience the cultural richness of Greece during Spring break in

2019 Come climb the Acropolis run on the track at Olympia eat olives in Delphi ride a mule in Santorini

This experience is open to any student at Peace High Come experience this cultural experience with us We

are starting fundraising for this tour now There is a limited window available for you to sign up so do so soon

For more information please contact Mr Bauman at (780) 625 7476 or email him at baumankprsdabca

Supporting Women in the Andes ndash ECUADOR TRIP 2020

For more information please contact Mrs Scott-Wilkes at (780)-624-4221 or email him at wilkesprsdabca

P4

Scholarships amp Student loans

A very comprehensive website for the majority of Scholarships given out in

our region (except for the businesses and groups that award scholarships

specifically to Peace River and area residents) can be found on the peace high

website homepage under Quick Links or just click HERE

The following are places families should investigate for funding of all kinds

ParentGuardian places of EmploymentEmployment Benefit Many larger corporations have

scholarships for employeersquos children Check with the Human Resource office or Union leadership

Memberships or relationships with Service clubs and Associations may provide financial support

(eg Legion Masons)

Aboriginal ancestry can provide financial funding Families should check with Band Offices Metis

Councils Most post-secondary institutions have an Aboriginal Liaison Officer Please check with

Ms Crumpton for more opportunities

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada wwwaadnc-aandcgcca and look under post-

secondary education

Metis students should go to wwwalbertametiscom for more information on financing your

education

Treaty students can check out httpwwwlearning-communitiescalearning-

opportunitiesoffering52

Local Governments ndash some local villages and MDrsquos award scholarships

Check out the following websites for sources on funding in Alberta

wwwalisgovabca and link to ldquoStudent Financerdquo (loans) OR ldquoscholarshipsrdquo provided

through the Heritage Trust Fund

Information for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship is found on this site Application

process is now done on-line

wwwstudentawardscom has a list of over 31 000 scholarships available Create your username

and search their database of scholarships

The federal government site wwwcanlearnca (link to saveplanplay) offers aid to parents and

students on all aspect of careers postsecondary and funding (national and international)

Check out Peace River School Divisionrsquos webpage for regional scholarships wwwprsdabca under

Parents and Students

P5

Scholarships amp Student loans

A very comprehensive website for the majority of Scholarships given out in

our region (except for the businesses and groups that award scholarships

specifically to Peace River and area residents) can be found on the peace high

website homepage under Quick Links or just click HERE

The following are places families should investigate for funding of all kinds

ParentGuardian places of EmploymentEmployment Benefit Many larger corporations have

scholarships for employeersquos children Check with the Human Resource office or Union leadership

Memberships or relationships with Service clubs and Associations may provide financial support

(eg Legion Masons)

Aboriginal ancestry can provide financial funding Families should check with Band Offices Metis

Councils Most post-secondary institutions have an Aboriginal Liaison Officer Please check with

Ms Crumpton for more opportunities

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada wwwaadnc-aandcgcca and look under post-

secondary education

Metis students should go to wwwalbertametiscom for more information on financing your

education

Treaty students can check out httpwwwlearning-communitiescalearning-

opportunitiesoffering52

Local Governments ndash some local villages and MDrsquos award scholarships

Check out the following websites for sources on funding in Alberta

wwwalisgovabca and link to ldquoStudent Financerdquo (loans) OR ldquoscholarshipsrdquo provided

through the Heritage Trust Fund

Information for the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship is found on this site Application

process is now done on-line

wwwstudentawardscom has a list of over 31 000 scholarships available Create your username

and search their database of scholarships

The federal government site wwwcanlearnca (link to saveplanplay) offers aid to parents and

students on all aspect of careers postsecondary and funding (national and international)

Check out Peace River School Divisionrsquos webpage for regional scholarships wwwprsdabca under

Parents and Students

P5

Graduation 2019

We have already begun the beginning planning stages for PRHS Grad 2019

Students have signed up for the various committees and have put forward suggestions for MCs and Guest

speaker Students must attend their Monday morning mandatory Grade 12 Prep success blocks as this is

where Grad information will be communicated to the students and also when they will vote on things such as

themes songs and speakers

More details to come throughout the year

Watch our school website and Facebook pages for

information

P6

FNMI (First Nation Metis and Inuit)

News

Aboriginal Studies 30 students facilitated a

community Blanket Exercise the evening of

September 27th We had approximately thirty

community members from all walks of life join us in

this powerful and interactive learning experience

Participants looked at the five hundred year

relationship between Indigenous and non-

Indigenous people in this territory from an

Indigenous perspective

The following day our school took part in orange

shirt day activities to remember the impact of

residential schools Students really connected with

this history due to the bravery of one of our students who

shared her kokumrsquos story about surviving residential school

Sisters in Spirit is fast approaching and Aboriginal Studies 30

students are doing their best to help support this important

community event that raises awareness about those in our

community who have gone missing or been murdered

Students prepared all of the tobacco ties for this event

Finally we will be having a fall sweat lodge on Oct 11th and

12th Students interested in participating should approach

Ms Crumpton

P7

Meet Tianna Rebalkin This year Project PEACE has a new full time Success Coach

at Peace High Before her placement with Project PEACE Tianna was an EA at Peace

High for 35 years She graduated last year from the Addiction Service Worker

Certificate program at Northern Lakes College and is now working on her Social Work

Diploma Tianna is very excited to be joining Project PEACE and is looking forward to

a fantastic year with the Peace High students and staff

What is a Success Coach with Project PEACE

bull Success Coaches help teachers teach students skills for good mental health We spend most of our time working in each classroom with their teacher implementing various programs both Universal and small targeted groups This way everyone in the school will learn the same strategies and lots of problems that can arise at school are avoided Teachers spend the most time with the students Thatrsquos why itrsquos so important that teachers are our partners so they can remind kids to use the mental health skills they have learned

bull Success Coaches help kids feel safe and supported Sometimes students may be dealing with situations that are more unique to them and they could benefit with some extra support Children may spend some time in a smaller group with the success coach to promote good mental health On rare occasions a student may be dealing with situations that are completely unique and may spend time one-one with the success coach

bull Success Coaches help kids connect to adults Students do best when they have lots of adults supporting them Success Coaches help students to identify the adults they can turn to find additional adults who can support them and facilitate new connections Success Coaches also work with adults so they have great skills to support the students they know

bull Success Coaches help and encourage students families school staff community and businesses to work together and build skills so everyone can enjoy good mental health

P8

Project PEACE provides mental health promotion programming and capacity building to support mental

health and wellness for children families and the community

For more information please contact Tianna Rebalkin Project PEACE Success Coach at (780) 624-4221

or by email at rebalkintprsdabca

Pride Empowerment Acceptance Capacity Encouragement

Meet Tianna Rebalkin This year Project PEACE has a new full time Success Coach

at Peace High Before her placement with Project PEACE Tianna was an EA at Peace

High for 35 years She graduated last year from the Addiction Service Worker

Certificate program at Northern Lakes College and is now working on her Social Work

Diploma Tianna is very excited to be joining Project PEACE and is looking forward to

a fantastic year with the Peace High students and staff

What is a Success Coach with Project PEACE

bull Success Coaches help teachers teach students skills for good mental health We spend most of our time working in each classroom with their teacher implementing various programs both Universal and small targeted groups This way everyone in the school will learn the same strategies and lots of problems that can arise at school are avoided Teachers spend the most time with the students Thatrsquos why itrsquos so important that teachers are our partners so they can remind kids to use the mental health skills they have learned

bull Success Coaches help kids feel safe and supported Sometimes students may be dealing with situations that are more unique to them and they could benefit with some extra support Children may spend some time in a smaller group with the success coach to promote good mental health On rare occasions a student may be dealing with situations that are completely unique and may spend time one-one with the success coach

bull Success Coaches help kids connect to adults Students do best when they have lots of adults supporting them Success Coaches help students to identify the adults they can turn to find additional adults who can support them and facilitate new connections Success Coaches also work with adults so they have great skills to support the students they know

bull Success Coaches help and encourage students families school staff community and businesses to work together and build skills so everyone can enjoy good mental health

P8

Project PEACE provides mental health promotion programming and capacity building to support mental

health and wellness for children families and the community

For more information please contact Tianna Rebalkin Project PEACE Success Coach at (780) 624-4221

or by email at rebalkintprsdabca

Pride Empowerment Acceptance Capacity Encouragement

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year

This year the League of Leadership (LOLs) have over 15 students working together to better their school and

community while also contributing to betterment of conditions for children and youth throughout Canada and

the world

In September the group worked on setting action priorities for this year and on developing a Terms of

Reference to help them to work well together within agreed upon purposes responsibilities and roles Their

main goal is going to be fundraising for their annual trip to ASLC (Alberta Student Leadership Conference)

which is being held in Lethbridge this year

201819 promises to be a year of growth and action for the LOLs

The year started with the LOLs and Project PEACE working together on the 1st ldquoPositivity Post Itrdquo campaign of

the year for World Suicide Prevention Day that was on September 10th

P9

School Refusal and School based Anxiety in ChildrenYouth

As we roll along into the new school year we see students who exhibit school refusal Schools and parent can help students to manage the challenges that contribute to school refusal if they work together with understanding and consistency to support school attendance

There will be days when getting your child or teen out the door to school will be challenging Sometimes kids will have an off day or will want to avoid something at school so they may resist going to school or will try to leave school once there It may happen and if it is a once in a while sort of thing it shouldnrsquot cause you concern BUT

If it is a constant struggle getting your kids to go to school or getting them to stay at school you may have a child who is struggling with issues that result in a disorder calledhellipyou guessed ithellip school refusal

Symptoms

Children with school refusal may complain of physical symptoms shortly before it is time to leave for school or repeatedly ask to leave school often due to ldquofeeling unwellrdquo If the child is allowed to stay home or comes home from school early the symptoms quickly disappear only to reappear the next morning In some cases a child may refuse to leave the house

Common physical symptoms include headaches stomach-aches nausea or diarrhoea But some combination of tantrums inflexibility separation anxiety avoidance and defiance may show up too

Reasons

Starting school moving and other stressful life events may trigger the onset of school refusal Other reasons include the childrsquos fear that something will happen to a parent after heshe is in school fear that heshe wonrsquot do well in school fear of being the object of unwanted attentionfocus at school or fear of another student Sometimes students have learned a pattern of school avoidance and do not have the needed tools or supports to change the pattern Take the time to work with your school to discover what is contributing to school refusal so that steps can be taken to help your childyouth to manage well in the school setting

Often a symptom of a deeper problem anxiety-based school refusal affects two to five percent of school-age children It commonly takes place between the ages of five and six ten and eleven and at times of transition such as entering middle and high school It may reappear at points within high school at times when youth are dealing with higher levels of stress

Project Peace Mental Health Matters Every Child Counts

P10

Childrenyouth who suffer from school refusal tend to have average or above-average intelligence But they may develop serious educational or social challenges if their fears and anxiety keep them away from school and friends for any length of time

What Can Parents Do

There are things that parents can do if school refusal is a persistent problem

bull First having your child visit your familyrsquos doctor can help ensure that there isnrsquot actually something physical causing the childrsquos complaints and resistance to be at school

bull A visit to a mental health professional can help reveal the reasons behind the school refusal and can help determine what kind of actions will be best

bull Your family doctor or a school based Youth Support Worker Success Coach or Counsellor will be able to help you make any needed connections to mental health services in the area AND can help you with ideas and resources to help your child mange better in terms of getting to and staying at school

Meanwhile keep your child or youth in school Missing school typically reinforces anxiety rather than alleviating it The following tips will help you and your child develop coping strategies for school anxieties and other stressful situations

bull Expose children to school in small degrees increasing exposure slowly over time Eventually this will help them realize there is nothing to fear and that nothing bad will happen

bull Talk with your child about feelings and fears which helps reduce the fears

bull Emphasize the positive aspects of going to school like being with friends learning a favourite subject or being involved in school based activities

bull Arrange an informal meeting with your childrsquos teachers away from the classroom to discuss options to support the childyouth within the school setting Make sure that you work along with schools to stay consistent when helping a child to manage their school based anxiety

bull Meet with the school Success Coach for extra support and resources There are community supports and self-help tips and tools that you may find useful

bull Encourage hobbies and interests Having fun is relaxing and hobbies are good distractions that help build self-confidence

bull Help your child establish a support system A variety of people should be in your childrsquos lifemdashother children as well as family members or teachers who are willing to talk with your child should the occasion arise

bull As parents consider how you manage anxiety If you are not managing anxiety well your child will struggle more with self-regulation Look for supports for yourself if anxiety is impacting your day to day functioning

bull Look for resources and supports for your childyouth

See wwwanxietybccom for resources and support for children youth and adults

SOURCES wwwadaaorgliving-with-anxietychildrenschool-refusal and wwwanxietybeccom

School Refusal and School based Anxiety in ChildrenYouth

As we roll along into the new school year we see students who exhibit school refusal Schools and parent can help students to manage the challenges that contribute to school refusal if they work together with understanding and consistency to support school attendance

There will be days when getting your child or teen out the door to school will be challenging Sometimes kids will have an off day or will want to avoid something at school so they may resist going to school or will try to leave school once there It may happen and if it is a once in a while sort of thing it shouldnrsquot cause you concern BUT

If it is a constant struggle getting your kids to go to school or getting them to stay at school you may have a child who is struggling with issues that result in a disorder calledhellipyou guessed ithellip school refusal

Symptoms

Children with school refusal may complain of physical symptoms shortly before it is time to leave for school or repeatedly ask to leave school often due to ldquofeeling unwellrdquo If the child is allowed to stay home or comes home from school early the symptoms quickly disappear only to reappear the next morning In some cases a child may refuse to leave the house

Common physical symptoms include headaches stomach-aches nausea or diarrhoea But some combination of tantrums inflexibility separation anxiety avoidance and defiance may show up too

Reasons

Starting school moving and other stressful life events may trigger the onset of school refusal Other reasons include the childrsquos fear that something will happen to a parent after heshe is in school fear that heshe wonrsquot do well in school fear of being the object of unwanted attentionfocus at school or fear of another student Sometimes students have learned a pattern of school avoidance and do not have the needed tools or supports to change the pattern Take the time to work with your school to discover what is contributing to school refusal so that steps can be taken to help your childyouth to manage well in the school setting

Often a symptom of a deeper problem anxiety-based school refusal affects two to five percent of school-age children It commonly takes place between the ages of five and six ten and eleven and at times of transition such as entering middle and high school It may reappear at points within high school at times when youth are dealing with higher levels of stress

Project Peace Mental Health Matters Every Child Counts

P10

Childrenyouth who suffer from school refusal tend to have average or above-average intelligence But they may develop serious educational or social challenges if their fears and anxiety keep them away from school and friends for any length of time

What Can Parents Do

There are things that parents can do if school refusal is a persistent problem

bull First having your child visit your familyrsquos doctor can help ensure that there isnrsquot actually something physical causing the childrsquos complaints and resistance to be at school

bull A visit to a mental health professional can help reveal the reasons behind the school refusal and can help determine what kind of actions will be best

bull Your family doctor or a school based Youth Support Worker Success Coach or Counsellor will be able to help you make any needed connections to mental health services in the area AND can help you with ideas and resources to help your child mange better in terms of getting to and staying at school

Meanwhile keep your child or youth in school Missing school typically reinforces anxiety rather than alleviating it The following tips will help you and your child develop coping strategies for school anxieties and other stressful situations

bull Expose children to school in small degrees increasing exposure slowly over time Eventually this will help them realize there is nothing to fear and that nothing bad will happen

bull Talk with your child about feelings and fears which helps reduce the fears

bull Emphasize the positive aspects of going to school like being with friends learning a favourite subject or being involved in school based activities

bull Arrange an informal meeting with your childrsquos teachers away from the classroom to discuss options to support the childyouth within the school setting Make sure that you work along with schools to stay consistent when helping a child to manage their school based anxiety

bull Meet with the school Success Coach for extra support and resources There are community supports and self-help tips and tools that you may find useful

bull Encourage hobbies and interests Having fun is relaxing and hobbies are good distractions that help build self-confidence

bull Help your child establish a support system A variety of people should be in your childrsquos lifemdashother children as well as family members or teachers who are willing to talk with your child should the occasion arise

bull As parents consider how you manage anxiety If you are not managing anxiety well your child will struggle more with self-regulation Look for supports for yourself if anxiety is impacting your day to day functioning

bull Look for resources and supports for your childyouth

See wwwanxietybccom for resources and support for children youth and adults

SOURCES wwwadaaorgliving-with-anxietychildrenschool-refusal and wwwanxietybeccom

Childrenyouth who suffer from school refusal tend to have average or above-average intelligence But they may develop serious educational or social challenges if their fears and anxiety keep them away from school and friends for any length of time

What Can Parents Do

There are things that parents can do if school refusal is a persistent problem

bull First having your child visit your familyrsquos doctor can help ensure that there isnrsquot actually something physical causing the childrsquos complaints and resistance to be at school

bull A visit to a mental health professional can help reveal the reasons behind the school refusal and can help determine what kind of actions will be best

bull Your family doctor or a school based Youth Support Worker Success Coach or Counsellor will be able to help you make any needed connections to mental health services in the area AND can help you with ideas and resources to help your child mange better in terms of getting to and staying at school

Meanwhile keep your child or youth in school Missing school typically reinforces anxiety rather than alleviating it The following tips will help you and your child develop coping strategies for school anxieties and other stressful situations

bull Expose children to school in small degrees increasing exposure slowly over time Eventually this will help them realize there is nothing to fear and that nothing bad will happen

bull Talk with your child about feelings and fears which helps reduce the fears

bull Emphasize the positive aspects of going to school like being with friends learning a favourite subject or being involved in school based activities

bull Arrange an informal meeting with your childrsquos teachers away from the classroom to discuss options to support the childyouth within the school setting Make sure that you work along with schools to stay consistent when helping a child to manage their school based anxiety

bull Meet with the school Success Coach for extra support and resources There are community supports and self-help tips and tools that you may find useful

bull Encourage hobbies and interests Having fun is relaxing and hobbies are good distractions that help build self-confidence

bull Help your child establish a support system A variety of people should be in your childrsquos lifemdashother children as well as family members or teachers who are willing to talk with your child should the occasion arise

bull As parents consider how you manage anxiety If you are not managing anxiety well your child will struggle more with self-regulation Look for supports for yourself if anxiety is impacting your day to day functioning

bull Look for resources and supports for your childyouth

See wwwanxietybccom for resources and support for children youth and adults

SOURCES wwwadaaorgliving-with-anxietychildrenschool-refusal and wwwanxietybeccom

Athletics

Welcome back to another season of Nomad Athletics

Volleyball

The volleyball season has begun The Jr girls has their first tournament in

Grande Prairie on September 21-22 They had an exciting 3 set win on Friday

night that was the highlight of the weekend Their next tournament is at TA

Norris on September 28-29 Thank you to Ms Sophia Millar Mrs Charla

Gannon Miss Halle Krall and Mr James Pobuda for their help with the team

this year

The Sr Boys started their season with a sweep at the Peace High Quad meet on

September 15th They then headed to Grande Prairie for Super Red The boys had

strong matches and finished in 10th place Thank you to Mr Matthew Gelderman for

taking the helm of the Sr boys team this year

The Sr Girls also had a strong quad meet

only losing one set They also headed to

GP for the Super Red tournament The

girls played great all weekend with a

strong matches against the teams that

ultimately came first and second in the

tournament The girls are looking forward

to heading to Spruce Grove on

September 28-29th Thank you to Mr

James Pobuda Mr Maurice Mayer and

Miss Jen Favreau for coaching the Sr

girls team this year

All three volleyball teams are proud to represent Peace River High School on Orange Shirt Day

We will be wearing our orange shirts on September 28th and 29th in the spirit of reconciliation

and hope

P11

Cross-Country

The Cross-Country season has started The team has their first race on September 27th Thank you to Mrs Scott-Wilkes

for coaching and supporting these athletes this year

Football

The Pioneers football team has a slightly new look this year as they are playing 6-man football this year There is a strong

core of veteran players as well as some new to the Pioneers They are heading to Spruce Grove on September 28th for

their first game against Breton on September 29th Thank you to Mr Hayden Gust and Mr Mark Owens who are

coaching again this year

Please follow us on Twitter nomadathletics for updates on schedules and results

Cross-Country

The Cross-Country season has started The team has their first race on September 27th Thank you to Mrs Scott-Wilkes

for coaching and supporting these athletes this year

Football

The Pioneers football team has a slightly new look this year as they are playing 6-man football this year There is a strong

core of veteran players as well as some new to the Pioneers They are heading to Spruce Grove on September 28th for

their first game against Breton on September 29th Thank you to Mr Hayden Gust and Mr Mark Owens who are

coaching again this year

Please follow us on Twitter nomadathletics for updates on schedules and results

Our Vision Preparing Individual Citizens for Tomorrow

Our Mission Peace River High School Experience the Success

Peace River High School

10001 91 Avenue Peace River Alberta T8S 1Z5 Phone (780) 624 4221

httpwwwpeaceriverhighca