In response to recent parental concerns, Eckstein’s Counseling department and PTSA are providing an opportunity for our community to learn more about the serious issue of eating disorders that can impact our children.  You (and your child, if you wish) are invited to attend a special presentation on this topic in the Eckstein auditorium on April 21st at 7:00 pm by Virginia Low.

Virginia Low is the co-founder of Friends and Family Northwest, a support group for families who are living with a family member suffering from an eating disorder. This support group was started sixteen years ago.

Virginia is currently on the faculty at the University of Washington, College of Education and for many years Virginia was a K-12 teacher and administrator.

Virginia brings a deep understanding of eating disorders to her presentations and talks. She has presented at National Eating Disorders conferences and assisted in the PBS documentary “Perfect Illusions”. Virginia has a daughter who successfully recovered from an eating disorder that was diagnosed in the daughter’s senior year of high school. Her daughter’s recovery process was slow and painful, but the entire family learned from and benefitted from the recovery process.

Virginia’s gift to the greater Seattle community is her devotion to supporting families and educating families as they struggle with eating disorders and learn that both the family and the child can recover!

In this presentation, information will be provided to help parents:

· Identify an eating disorder

· Predisposing factors

· Precipitating factors

· How eating disorders create a disordered life

· What parents, peers, and educators may notice

· What to do if I suspect my child has disordered eating

· Seeking help; putting together a treatment plan and team

As we’re all aware, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are very serious matters.  Since we’re people who care about kids, we need to educate ourselves concerning the symptoms of these conditions and how to seek help when necessary.  Since we live in a society obsessed with being thin, young impressionable minds can be warped into doing irreversible damage to their developing bodies as they pursue some ideal, media promoted ‘look’.   Educating students to adopt a healthy lifestyle and a positive body-image is an on-going process throughout the insecure adolescent years.

To help parents support their children we want you to be aware of some outstanding local resources.    We are fortunate that the National Eating Disorder Association is based right here in Seattle.  They offer an array of educational and support services for people with eating disorders and those who are trying to help them.   Their website is http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/  .  One downloadable resource is the Parents Toolkit available as a pdf.file.  Check this out:

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/uploads/file/toolkits/NEDA-Toolkit-Parents_03-10-09.pdf

 Another resource is http://www.eatingdisorderssupport.com/ which is a treatment program based on Mercer Island.  It is our hope to offer evening presentation on this topic to interested parents by an expert in the field soon.  More to come….

As Counselors we believe…

-  in the uniqueness of children.

-  that they all have different talents and abilities and they approach the world in their own way.

-  our role is help them discover these talents while building confidence.

-  that each student is a valuable and worthwhile person.

The mission of the Eckstein Middle School Counseling Department is to provide a comprehensive program that addresses the academic, career, and social/personal development of all students. In partnership with parents, teachers, administrators, students, and the community, we strive to help students develop and demonstrate their talents and abilities to attain excellence. Through education, prevention, and intervention strategies, we encourage each student to reach their full potential and become successful members of society.

National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated from Feb. 1-5, 2010, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact that school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who “implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century,” according to Randy Dorn, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In a proclamation, Superintendent Dorn cited school counselors for being actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; for working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today’s world; for focusing on positive ways to enhance students’ social/personal, educational and career development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. Professional school counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master’s degree in guidance and counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program.

“Every day, school counselors work with school counseling programs that address the personal/social, academic and career needs of all students,” said Pat Nailor, Ed.D., ASCA 2009–2010 president. “Their ultimate goal is to enable all students to achieve success in school and to become responsible and productive members of our society.”

More than 25,000 school counselors nationwide will be participating in the week’s festivities. Many school counselors will be hosting special events and activities to call attention to the myriad benefits of a comprehensive school counseling program.

As part of its celebration for National School Counseling Week, Eckstein Middle School will be honoring its counselors. Any parent or other community member with specific questions or concerns about school counseling programs should contact their grade level counselor. More general information can also be found on ASCA’s Web site, www.schoolcounselor.org

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is a worldwide nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Va. Founded in 1952, ASCA supports school counselors’ efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so they not only achieve success in school but are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. The association provides professional development, publications and other resources, research and advocacy to more professional school counselors around the globe.

The Assistance League of Seattle® is offering summer scholarships to students enrolled in grades 6-11 in the Seattle public schools. The scholarships are for enrichment programs in areas such as music, art, science, mathematics, drama, leadership, debate, journalism, computer science and similar fields.  Excluded from consideration are sports programs, foreign study/exchange programs, religious studies and private lessons. All eligible programs must take place in the United States.  Maximum funding for students in grades 6 through 11 is $500.  For applications, contact your grade level counselor.  Deadline for receipt of Application Packet:  FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010

This is a great resource for those with computer access (computer can’t be too outdated).  Many students need this help and this service is clearly underutilized!

Free online homework help:

http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=audience_children_homework

• Go to spl.org, click on “children” under “audiences”, click on the “homework” box
• Tutors are highly proficient in their subjects areas (teachers, grad students etc)
• Service is available in English and Spanish
• Technology allows the tutor to view the student’s screen as either one “draws” with the mouse.  The tutor can send helpful documents and can read documents (essays, papers etc) posted by the student.  Communication is also through an instant messaging system
• Tutors will guide students, usually with similar examples but will not give answers or do their work for them
• A library card and PIN is needed to access
• King county library has the same service (2pm – 12pm, 7 days/week).  Need a king county card.
• The library systems provide this through a contract with tutors.com.  Linking directly with tutors.com costs $35/hr
• The service is free to library card holders
• In the training today, I said it was 4^th grade up but just checked.  It now starts with K
• Available 3 pm -11pm
• Subjects: Math, Science, English, Social Studies

If you have a library card I recommend going on and trying it.  It’s the best way to understand it in order to share the info.  Just tell the tutor you want to try it out.  If you don’t have a library card, it’s easy and all the info is on the SPL site.

There are also certain branches that offer live homework help and you will see the info under “homework”.

Language Instruction:

Wow!  Want to learn a new language?  I also just learned….there is free online language instruction through Seattle Public Library: 

• Languages: Spanish, German, Japanese, French, Italian, Russian, Greek, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, ESL Spanish (English for Spanish speakers, ESL Polish (English for Polish speakers), ESL Brazilian Portuguese (English for Brazilian Portuguese speakers)
• Need a library card and pin
• To get there:  spl home page, under “browse” choose “database and websites”, under “categories” choose languages, then under “Multilanguage links” choose “Mango Languages”, enter card number and PIN and choose your language.  Be sure to look at the other offerings under Multilanguage links.  For example a link to freetranslation.com and lots of helpful links for non-English speakers.

The first free Guiding Good Choices parenting workshops of the school year start next week and spaces are still available.  Please forward this information on to northeast Seattle parents/guardians of 4^th – 8^th grade students who may be interested. 

October 6, 13, 20, 27 & November 3

University Family YMCA

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

FREE DINNER & CHILDCARE INCLUDED!

To register, contact Lisa Steenson at the YMCA at 524-1400.

October 8, 15, 22, 29 & November 5

Eckstein Middle School

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

To register, contact Reema Ziadeh at Eckstein at 252-5010.

Funding for Guiding Good Choices runs out in June 2010 so take advantage of these evidence-based, substance abuse prevention workshops now!  If you have questions, please contact me.

Inga

Inga Manskopf, Community Coordinator

Prevention WINS/NE Seattle Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking

Visit our website: www.PreventionWorksInSeattle.org

Youth Programs

The following are a list of agency resources that Eckstein counselors want to make you aware of that offer parenting classes and support services. You will need to contact the individual agencies for specific offerings.

P

PARENTING SUPPORT / CLASSES  AND RESOURCES

IN THE ECKSTEIN AREA

Breakthrough Parent Institute

9500 Roosevelt Way NE,

Suite 205

Seattle, WA  98115

206-992-2831

Center for Human Services

17018 15th Ave. NE

Shoreline, WA  98155

206-362-7282

Changes – Parent Support Network (formerly Tough Love)

PO Box 33211

Seattle, WA  98133

1-888-468-2620

www.cpsn.org

Children’s Home Society of Washinton

3300 NE 65th Street

Seattle, WA  98115

206-695-3200 or 206-364-7930

www.chswpiro.org

Family Works Resource Center

1501 NE 45th Street

Seattle, WA  98103-6708

206-694-6727

North Seattle Family Center

3200 NE 125th Street

Seattle, WA  98125

206-364-7930

Guiding Good Choices – parenting classes

www.preventionworksinseattle.org

Northshore Youth and Family Services

10309 NE 18th Street

Bothell, WA  98011

425-485-6541

Parent Place

18820 Aurora Ave. N.

Suite 201

Shoreline, WA  98133-3900

206-542-3421

Puget Sound Adlerian Center

8349 38th Ave NE

Seattle, WA  98115

206-527-2566

Ryther Child Center

2400 NE 95th Street

Seattle, WA  98115

206-525-5050

SPECIAL ISSUES – GRIEF

Safe Crossings – Grief Support Services for Children and Teens in Schools

Providence Hospice of Seattle

206-749-7723

Beverly.goldsmith@providence.org

The Healing Center – A Grief Support Community

6409 1/2 Roosevelt Way NE

Seatttle, WA 98115

206-523-1206

www.healingcenterseattle.org

MISC. SOCIAL SERVICE SUPPORT

Seattle Milk Fund (for shoex and backpack vouchers)

1130 N. Northgate Way

Seattle, WA  98133

206-526-7944

www.seattlemilkfund.org

For all types of community services and referrals call:

2-1-1 Community Information Line (Crisis Clinic)

206-461-3200