May 13, 2020
Perea Elementary School, located in North Memphis, is a public charter school that opened in the fall of 2018. Led by Deadre Ussery, Perea takes a holistic approach to education to prepare students for success beyond the classroom. Perea prides itself on focusing their learning on three pillars of education: academic intelligence, social-emotional intelligence, and interpersonal intelligence.
While continuing education and learning during these uncertain times has been a trying experience for every school, it is encouraging to see the different approaches and strategies that schools are taking to help their students flourish and succeed while at home.
Perea has continued to engage their students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic through the use of their Mindful Moment. This is a tool they use while school meets regularly that they have restructured for online purposes. Read about what that looks like from Ms. Ussery here:
Under the guidance of our Dean of Social Emotional Learning, Mrs. LaBrenda Thomas, Perea Elementary Schools’ team of Instructional Assistants are making weekly phone calls to our students to fulfill our mission of preparing students academically, socially, and emotionally for success today and tomorrow. This intentional time is an opportunity for our students and staff to continue practicing the techniques modeled during our school-wide Morning Circle as well as strategies learned from lessons within the Settle Your Glitter curriculum. The script below outlines the key areas to be addressed: checking-in (to know how the student is currently feeling); character word (to encourage usage beyond school); and breathing techniques (to review how to calm self when dysregulated). The students are challenged to use these tools as they are completing their Learning Packets or using online resources.
Recently, we provided our students with an additional resource (playdoh, stress ball, or pinwheel) as a connection to our Calm Down Areas within each classroom. During the school closure, we want to maintain a strong, loving school to home connection with our students and families through the continual use of positive Social Emotional Learning experiences.
I am truly grateful to serve alongside such an amazing team of individuals who persevere daily for the greater good of our students, families, and the Klondike/Smokey City community.
Below is the phone call agenda and script for the Mindfulness Connection that teachers use to check in with their students each week.
