A Newsletter for the families and friends of Westchester Country Day School

From the Head of SchoolEarlier this month we held our third C.A.R.E.S. Crews event of the year. As I hope

you know, this program partners Lower School classes with Middle and Upper grades to form “crews” who meet once each academic quarter to complete a service project, share a meal and fellowship, and build relationships across divisions. Each Lower School student is paired with a Middle or Upper School “buddy” who guides, cares for, and mentors the younger student over a period of several years. The year culminates in our “C.A.R.E.S. Crews Olympics,” an all-school field day during which students and their buddies enjoy a day of games and fun.

Our most recent event included, among other things, the launch of this year’s Change for Change coin drive. Each year, all of the Crews collect pocket change to donate to local, national, and international charities. This year, for the first time, we invited students from all three divisions to submit proposals for the organizations our 2013 drive will support. There were 43 nominations for the Change for Change Giving Campaign. The types of organizations range from local to national and even international. There were many organization submissions involving care of animals. Other submissions included helping out others who have experienced unfortunate situations, victims of natural disasters, funding for people with different health ailments, and providing for the poor or less fortunate.

This year’s campaign will support four organizations, and I thought you would be interested to read the proposals that were submitted for each. Guilford County Animal Shelter, submitted by Blake Lawson (4th Grade)

The money we raise should go to the Guilford County Animal Shelter. Some animals don’t have homes and need your help. Also some animals are abused. Picture in your mind the poor animals. Please open up your hearts and help the animals.

StartwithoneKenya.org, submitted by Mr. Burns’s 8th Grade Global Studies ClassStartwithoneKenya.org is a non-profit organization that strives to change education, provide clean, healthy water, and provide micro-finance to people living in Kenya. It is a local organization run by a Westchester alumnus, Bill Coble. Start with Kenya does mission trips to Kenya every year. Last year alone they changed nearly 19,000 lives. They changed these lives by building clinics, putting up mosquito nets, and building eco-sanitary latrines. Of the top three causes of death in the world, three are due to dirty water. Start With One has been distributing filters all around Kenya to prevent these diseases. They have also been helping and building more schools in Kenya. They have started school sponsorships, the shoes for children program, and the building program. There are seven billion people in the world. One billion of them are hungry. Everyone can be fed eventually, but we have to start with one.

The family of Monte Webb, submitted by Maddie Dyson (8th Grade)I would like to recommend to the C.A.R.E.S. Crews Planning committee the Monte Webb family.Monte and his family have been members of the Westchester community since 2004 when his son, T.J. came to kindergarten here. The Webb family moved to N.C. to be closer to their family as Monte’s wife was experiencing some major medical issues. The Webb family has been avid supporters of Westchester, with their time volunteering as well as attending many athletic and school-wide events. Monte was paralyzed four months ago in a tragic motorcycle accident which could have easily taken his life. He has been making a tremendous recovery since

April 2013 Newsletter

In This Issue...

Headlines

Upcoming Events

Meet Your Wildcats

Arts Update

Athletics Update

For the College Bound

Counselor’s Corner

Healthful Hints

WAPA Notes and News

November and has moved from critical care in the ICU of Baptist Hospital Winston-Salem to a rehabilitation center in Georgia. His family has been very busy traveling to Georgia to visit and support him while making major changes to their home here for his expected return. Monte served in the military, worked locally as a police officer and security guard, as well as served his church, family, and community. He will now be unable to work in this capacity as he is confined to a wheelchair with complete paralysis of his lower body. The Webb family is now a single income family, facing unbelievable medical bills as well as many unknowns. I would like to recommend their family for the change for a change giving campaign. I realize they are not an organization outside of our school community but feel the need to help them through this campaign in order to improve his way of life. I would like to purchase gift cards for meals, gas, or even clothing to assist Monte in his journey to recovery. Thank you for your consideration.

The Calcutta Fund, submitted by Jaya Bhardwaj (8th Grade)The Calcutta Fund’s main purpose is to increase birth weights and decrease infant and child mortality. There are various medicines given to the women and children who need it. The charity was founded by Joseph Anderson (from Winston-Salem), in 2006. My mom, Neelam Bhardwaj, is also very active in this charity.I am nominating the Calcutta Fund because I believe that it is so great what Mr. Anderson is doing. The fact that he’s an American is even more fantastic. He actually visited Calcutta and spent time with the kids in the slums. He genuinely cares about all these women and children. And you know what? He said that the kids were always smiling, considering the fact that they have nothing at all. So why can’t WCDS bring smiles to everyone’s face in Calcutta?

I hope that you see in these proposals and in the volume of submissions the deep heart for others that exists in our school family. The committee of faculty and staff members responsible for this effort, led by C.A.R.E.S. Crews Coordinator Blair Hawley, has done a wonderful job over the past three years of building a program that brings us together as a PK-12 school community to build relationships, teach mentoring skills, rally around important social causes, and so much more.

One particular moment recounted to me during our last C.A.R.E.S. Crew event involved one of our sixth-graders and his buddy, a member of Debbie Christiansen’s PK class. The four-year-old, as children this age are wont to do sometimes, kept running away from his buddy, so the older child found Debbie and asked her for her help. After having done her best to redirect her student, Debbie saw the sixth grader kneel down, look the younger child in the eye, and say, “You can’t run away like that; you scared me when you did. I’m your buddy, and I’m going to take care of you, okay?”

As I watched this month’s event unfold, I was struck again and again by the cross-divisional relationships that were being built; most student buddy pairs have been together for a couple of years now, and these relationships are beginning to take on a rich character that will only grow over time. My own first grade daughter serendipitously meets her seventh grade buddy most mornings on her short walk from the car to her classroom, and their greeting is always the same—a warm, loving hug.

I don’t think we can overestimate the long-term impact of this program on our students; these are, in my estimation, powerful and lasting relationships that are being formed on C.A.R.E.S. Crews days. As much as our younger students benefit from the care, concern, and mentoring of our Middle and Upper School students, our older kids are learning powerful lessons as well—about themselves, about leadership, about responsibility, and about community.

Our mission statement speaks to our deep commitment to community, to building “a nurturing, family environment where students, teachers, and parents support one another.” We can all be proud of the wonderful work that we do together on C.A.R.E.S. Crews days not just to build community here at WCDS, but to empower our students with the skills and passion to build relationships and communities in the lives they will lead as adults.

Bikers Wanted

Middle School teacher Jeb Burns is looking for bikers to join the Westchester Country Day School team at the 2013 Tour to Tanglewood bike ride scheduled for September 28 and 29. The annual ride is a fundraiser for the National MS Society. Families and friends of WCDS are welcome! Click here for more information and to join the team!

Headlines

Thank You Blue and White Gala Sponsors! Diamond Sponsors: Friends of Westchester Smart Choice Sapphire Sponsors: Carolina Anesthesiology IH Caffey Lee Bass Nunn, DDS Leslie and Iv Culp McDonald’s of High Point Somerset Bay

Gala Check List: □ Event tickets and raffle tickets purchased (click here!) □ His and hers outfits selected (hat and silks optional but encouraged!) □ Babysitter booked □ Transportation arranged (click here to sign up for free transportation!)

Two Juniors Selected for Governor’s School

Juniors Jessica Barker and Hunter Heinbach will attend Governor’s School East at Meredith College this summer - Jessica for Soprano 1 and Hunter for math.

The Governor’s School of North Carolina is a five-

week summer residential program for intellectually gifted high school students, integrating academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses. The curriculum focuses on the exploration of the most recent ideas and concepts in each discipline, and does not involve credit, tests, or grades.

Westchester Equestrians Make Nationals The Fox Runs Farms Interscholastic High School

team traveled to Chatham Hall March 9 and 10 and qualified for the zone finals among all the teams in their region. They were the winning team for Zone 3 and will be traveling to Nationals in Syracuse, N.Y., April 19 and 20.

Westchester team members include Mary Marshall Fariss, Captain, Elizabeth Folk, Laura Folk, Gracie Clinard, and Catherine York.

In addition, three Westchester students qualified individually in their divisions for regionals - Elizabeth Folk, Varsity Open Flat; Laura Folk, Varsity Intermediate Flat; and Gracie Clinard, Junior Varsity Beginner (Walk Trot Canter.)

The middle school team also qualified for regionals and participated at Chatham. Westchester student Erica Boyle was a blue ribbon winner in both the team competition and the individual competition. She will travel to Nationals as an individual qualifier.

Students Represent WCDS at Human Relations Day

Westchester students joined students from over a dozen area schools at the High Point Student Human Relations Day on March 19. During part of the day, students broke into groups led by local specialists on various topics, including “Life in a Hearing World,” led by Chandi Houpe and David Bird, instructors at the NC School for the Deaf; “The Power of Community Reformation,” led by Bernita Sims, Mayor of High Point; and “Women’s Equity,” led by Dr. Jennifer Brandt, High Point University’s Director of Women’s Studies. The purpose of our participation is to bring back to Westchester fresh ideas on strengthening relations in our school and larger community.

WCDS participants were Kimberly Watson, Savannah Lewis, Kristine Chukwuma, Daniel Ayodele, Lewis Miles, Arinze Chukwuma, Tracey Neza, Kaitlyn Shapiro, Emily Bunch, and Leila Abebe.

WCDS Faculty Get Colorful

Seven WCDS faculty and staff members (seen in the photo before the run) participated in the Color Run 5K fundraiser on March 16. The run raised funds to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Winston-Salem.

The Color Run™, also known as the Happiest 5K on the Planet, is a unique paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, individuality, and giving back to the community. The Color Run is a five-kilometer, untimed race in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. The fun continues at the finish line with a gigantic “Color Festival,” using more colored powder to create happiness and lasting memories, not to mention millions of vivid color combinations.

Envirothon Team Advances to States

Westchester Country Day School’s Envirothon team placed third in the annual Southern Piedmont Envirothon competition March 20 at the Catawba College Center for the Environment and will advance to the state competition at Cedarock Park in Burlington on April 19 and 20.

The team, “Freaks of Nature,” is made up of senior science club members (from left) Thomas Freund, Patrick Williford, Christian James, Will Thomas, and Olivia Greeson. They competed against eighteen other teams from throughout the region. Their team advisor is parent Gay James.

Two Odyssey Teams Advance to States

Two Westchester Country Day School Odyssey of the Mind teams will advance to the state competition after placing second in their divisions at the Regional competition in Mooresville on March 9. The state competition will be April 6 at East Carolina University.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level. Thousands of teams from throughout the United States and from about 25 other countries participate in the program.

WCDS sent seven teams to the regional competition and was the only non-public school at the event. Of the four Division 1 teams, two took second place, one took third, and another placed fourth. Two Division 1 teams won the spontaneous rounds for their problems, and another placed second for its spontaneous problem. Westchester’s Division 2 team placed fourth and had the third highest weight held by its balsa structure.

Above (back row, from left) coach Gwen Russell, Wade Livesay, coach Vicki Sloop; (front row, from left) Sophia Singer, Dory Keever, Madison Conner, Ryan Lim, Jack Merritt, and Alex French.Below (back row, from left) Blake Lawson, Jackson Todd, Mikey Schwartz, Forrest Grimes, Tess Mickey; (front row, from left) Jamie Atkinson and Emma Steward.

Travel Abroad Trip Change

There has been a change to our Peru trip! We will be traveling during spring break rather than the holiday break in 2014. With the change of dates, the trip will now be nine days rather than 11 and about $800 cheaper than it was originally. All Upper School students (including rising 9th graders) and their parents are invited to join us! We hope you will consider joining us for this fabulous opportunity! Please contact Heather Singer for more information!

EBOB Places Fourth

The WCDS Elementary Battle of the Books team earned fourth place at the recent regional competition at Greensboro Day School on Tuesday, March 12. WCDS students participated in a challenging four-hour competition testing their knowledge of 18 books against other independent school teams. Westchester students have been preparing since September for this event. Coaches Blair Hawley, Judy Tomlinson, Gwen Russell, and Vicki Sloop were very proud of the poise, sportsmanship, and knowledge of this year’s team. Participants were (front row, from left) Mikey Schwartz, Jack

Merritt, Carson Boyette, Madison Conner, Aydin Hall, Jamie Atkinson, Ryan Lim, Sofia Chodri (back row, from left) coach Judy Tomlinson, Mya Brown, Ellison Beaver, Jackson Todd, and coach Vicki Sloop.

Model UN Team in Chapel Hill

Westchester’s Model United Nations team participated in MUNCH 2013, the Model United Nations conference at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, March 22-24.

Students represented various nations from throughout the world while debating and passing resolutions designed to solve problems relating to the environment, currency manipulation, the crisis in Syria, and a host of other pressing international problems.

Our team won two awards at this event. Junior Dylan Menchetti (right), representing the United Kingdom, received an honorable mention for his performance on the World Trade Organization committee, and senior Walker Rose, portraying Heinrich Himmler on the German Joint Crisis Committee, won the award for Outstanding Delegate.

News from Middle SchoolApril showers bring May flowers, and the Middle

School students are being showered with experiences to help them bloom in the future!

In Mrs. Beale’s sixth grade science class, students mastered the intricacies of weather forecasting and developed their public speaking and presentation skills by entering a weather forecasting contest. Three Wildcats won a spot forecasting the news with Van Denton on the 5:00 p.m. news live: Anna Blackman, Kamran Chodri, and Rachel McClelland! Anna Blackman was the first of these courageous and skilled weather people. She presented the weather with charm and poise (see photo). There is a bright future in broadcasting for these Wildcats!

All Middle School students developed their skills of compassion and serving others in our last service learning endeavor of the year. Throughout the year, many of our students tutored at local elementary schools, including Hasty, Fairview, and Northwood; while others worked with immigrant students at Newcomer’s School in Greensboro (see photo). Last week, our creative, artistic students planted flowers at Open Door Ministries and delivered tissue paper flowers to several local nursing homes. Our Wildcats are prepared to share their time and talents graciously with people of all ages.

Our Middle School is planting seeds that will bloom for all to enjoy!

Westchester Night at East Coast Wings to Benefit Operation Smile

The Operation Smile Club is hosting a Westchester Night at East Coast Wings on April 16. The restaurant is donating 10% of all proceeds from Westchester diners back to the club that day. Just show your Cat Card to be sure your donation is counted.

Operation Smile is an international children’s medical charity that heals children’s smiles by providing safe, effective reconstructive surgery and related medical care for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Upcoming EventsSpring BreakApril 1 - 5

Spring Book FairTuesday, April 9 - Friday, April 12

Derby Hat PartyJoin us at Just Priceless, 1313 North Main Street in High Point, on Tuesday, April 9, at 6:00 p.m. for a Derby hat-making party to wear at the Auction! Bring a hat, and we will have supplies such as ribbons and silk flowers on hand. Click here for a preview of hat styles - experts will be on hand to help you with your design! Wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres provided. Cost is $15 per person. RSVP by Monday, April 8 to Susan Fagg.

Class Photos, Grades PK - 5 and SeniorsWednesday, April 10

Celebration of the ArtsSunday, April 14, 6:00 p.m., Rives Hall

College Prep 101Wednesday, April 17, 6:30 p.m., Library

Spring Concert, Grades 3 - 5Thursday, April 18, 6:30 p.m., Rives Hall

Spring Concert, Grades PK - 2Thursday, April 25, 6:30 p.m., Rives Hall

Spring Concert, Grades 6 - 12Monday, April 29, 7:00 p.m., RIves Hall

Blue and White Gala AuctionSaturday, May 4, 5:30 p.m., Finch Center

Meet Your Wildcats

Name: Adam Schwartz

Title: Director of Athletics/Varsity Soccer and Golf Coach

Family: Wife - Heather; Kids - Mikey (10), Ali (8), Coleman (4)

What was your favorite subject in school? Math

What book are you reading? Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court by Jay Bilas

Name of the last movie you watched: Skyfall

Favorite Restaurant: Blue Rock Pizza

Dream Vacation: Hawaii

Something most people don’t know about you: I have lived in Florida, California, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kentucky

Favorite thing about Westchester:I love the family atmosphere. People love to step up and help others out, and our faculty is dedicated and passionate. We also have the best school lunch staff and food in America!

Arts Update from Ann ParksCelebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music!

April is Arts Celebration month as we show off all we’ve accomplished with our annual Friends of the Fine Arts Gala: Celebration of the Arts. The date is Sunday, April 14 at 6:00 p.m. in Rives Hall. Reservations are a must for this seated dinner and show. Choral and instrumental music, dancing, drama, and the visual arts PreK-12 will be showcased. What an evening of artistic excellence!

From pirates to bugs, the Lower School will celebrate spring with their choral presentations. The concert for Grades 3-5 is Thursday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. with the Pre-Kindergarten - Second Grade Spring Concert Thursday, April 25, at 6:30. The last concert of the year is the Grades 6 - 12 Spring Concert April 29 at 7:00 p.m. There will be a mix of old and new popular music, from a funny take on Bach’s Minuet in G, to an Irving Berlin classic, and a Zac Brown Band piece included as well. In a slightly different venue, you can hear our Upper School Chamber Singers sing at the Greensboro Grasshoppers game on Thursday, May 23. Finally, you will be able to hear these same talented Chamber Singers, which includes nine seniors, perform at graduation—the biggest celebration of all!

And what would a celebration be without…sweets! Lots and lots of candy, golden chocolate bars, and magical machines will fill our stage as we present Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Kids. This entertaining K-8 show teaches important lessons through unforgettable characters. I’m not sure we can promise a chocolate river, but you’ll have to come and see just how sweet it is!

Don’t forget to celebrate another year of musical development at the End of Year Recital for our instrumental students, Thursday, May 16, in Rives Hall.

We do have a lot to celebrate this year: three new babies, two new teachers, and one very special anniversary - for 25 years, Debby Noyes has been the guiding force (director, costume designer, stage hand, and carpenter, to name just a few hats she’s worn) behind the excellent drama program at Westchester. I’m not sure if she even knows how many shows, but it must be over 50, and hundreds of students have developed under her direction. From all of us to you, Mrs. Noyes, we want to project a very heartfelt THANKS!!!

Chamber Singers at GrasshoppersChamber Singers will be singing at the Greensboro Grasshoppers game on

Thursday, May 23! We have a group rate of $7.25 for tickets in Section 102 (on the third base line). Click here if you would like to purchase tickets! Hurry! We need to give them a final count soon!

Sunday, April 14, 2013 6:00 p.m. - Check-in 6:30 p.m. - Dinner Rives Hall

t $15 - adult dinner featuring spring salad, homemade lasagna (vegetarian available), rolls, side item, Italian dessert, coffee, tea, water

t $10 - child dinner featuring veggies and dip, cheese ravioli, pizza dipper, rolls, Italian dessert, milk, tea, water

Featuring: AP Studio Art presentation•Art exhibits from all grade levels•Showcase of student talents•Performances from school productions•

“Taste of Italy” Dinner Selections:

Friends of the Fine Artscordially invites you to

Celebrate the Arts!

Click anywhere on the invitation to RSVP by March 29!

Athletics Update from Coach SchwartzAlthough the temperatures are still cool outside, the WCDS spring athletic season has gotten off to a hot

start. All of our spring teams have an opportunity to win championships, and the next few months should be extremely exciting.

The TAC Conference Championships will be held at the following venues:

Varsity Girls Soccer – American Hebrew Academy – 5/2, 5/3Varsity Baseball – Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill – 5/2, 5/3Varsity Boys Tennis – American Hebrew Academy– 5/2, 5/3Varsity Golf – Quarry Hills Golf Course, Burlington – 5/6Varsity Track – American Hebrew Academy – 5/9

The State Championships will be held at the following venues:

Varsity Girls Soccer – Final Four – Asheville Christian– 5/17, 5/18Varsity Baseball – Championship – Westchester Country Day School – 5/17, 5/18Varsity Golf – Talamore, Southern Pines – 5/13, 5/14Varsity Track – Cary Academy – 5/17, 5/18

If you are free to help volunteer for the State Championship baseball series at Westchester, please contact Adam Schwartz. This is an incredible opportunity for our athletes, and we want to make sure to leave a “Paw Print” on this great event!

The 2013 Athletic Recognition Ceremony will be held in Rives Auditorium on May 21 at 6:00 p.m., and our Spring Senior Night will be held on April 26 before the Varsity Baseball game at 7:00 p.m.

Please check the athletic calendar at www.westchestercds.org for an updated schedule of events, and come out to support your Cats!

College admissions is a topic that parents of students of all ages find themselves trying to understand as the process becomes more and more complex. College Prep 101 is a program designed to demystify the process and debunk some of the myths that surround the topic. On Wednesday, April 17, we will host Jared Rosenberg, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at UNC Chapel Hill, for an hour-long presentation of what college admissions looks like from the other side of the desk and how students can best prepare themselves for this very competitive process. Jared will share with us the specifics of what admissions committees look for

as they evaluate applicants and what parents and students can do as early as Middle School to prepare. We will also take a look at how Westchester addresses preparation for the process as we hear about our own college counseling program. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear from one of our state’s authorities on college admissions. Join us on Wednesday, April 17, from 6:30 until 7:30 pm in the library and hear for yourself how your student can position himself for success in the college admissions process.

Betty Flythe, College Placement Advisor

For the College Bound

What criteria do colleges use to evaluate a student in the admissions process?

How important is a student’s GPA? SAT score?

What can Middle School students do to prepare for the process?

Join us on Wednesday, April 17, in the Westchester library and hear the answers to these questions and more as we welcome to campus Jared Rosenberg, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at UNC Chapel Hill, for a program entitled College Prep 101. Spend an hour learning about trends in college admissions and how students can make themselves stand out in what continues to be a very competitive process. Mark your calendar now for Wednesday, April 17, from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m. in the Westchester library. It will be an hour well spent!

Counselor’s Corner:Just an update to parents of tenth graders – we

have completed the Career Assessments for all tenth graders. Please take a moment, if you haven’t already done so, to discuss their results with them. Many of them learned a great deal about how their personality plays a vital role in career choice, as well as their interests and abilities. It has been an exciting past few weeks! Any students who did not participate can still complete the assessments – they just need to stop by my office.

Last month I attended a Wellness Conference that was sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS) at the American Hebrew Academy. While I was at this day-long conference, I attended a session that was led by Tammy Finch, creator of SkillSense, on building resilience and coping in our teens. She shared such insight on this topic that I came back to campus and really started thinking about how resilience does impact our students. I thought it could be quite beneficial to all of us as parents to think about this topic. Here’s some of what I have learned…

How do we as parents build resilience and coping in our teens?

What is building resilience? It’s the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, or even significant sources of stress. This can help our children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. However, being resilient does not mean that children won’t experience difficulty or distress, it just means they will know how to deal with the difficulty and distress in a positive way.

As parents, we do have a responsibility for being the “keepers of the big picture” which may look something like this:

10 Tips for Building Resilience in Children and TeensMake connections - Teach your child how to 1. make friends, including the skill of empathy, or feeling another’s pain. Encourage your child to be a friend in order to get friends. Build a strong family network to support your child through his or her inevitable disappointments and hurts. At school, watch to make sure that one child is not being isolated. Connecting with people provides social support and strengthens resilience. Some find comfort in connecting with a higher power, whether through organized religion or privately, and you may wish to introduce your child to your own traditions of worship.Help your child by having him or her help 2. others - Children who may feel helpless can be empowered by helping others. Engage your child in age-appropriate volunteer work, or ask for assistance yourself with some task that he or she can master. At school, brainstorm with children about ways they can help others.Maintain a daily routine - Sticking to a routine 3. can be comforting to children, especially younger children who crave structure in their lives. Encourage your child to develop his or her own routines.Take a break - While it is important to stick to 4. routines, endlessly worrying can be counter-productive. Teach your child how to focus on something besides what’s worrying him. Be aware of what your child is exposed to that can be troubling, whether it be news, the Internet, or overheard conversations, and make sure your child takes a break from those things if they trouble him. Although schools are being held accountable for performance on standardized tests, build in unstructured time during the school day to allow children to be creative.Teach your child self-care - Make yourself a good 5. example, and teach your child the importance of making time to eat properly, exercise, and rest. Make sure your child has time to have fun, and make sure that your child hasn’t scheduled every moment of his or her life with no “down time” to relax. Caring for oneself and even having fun will help your child stay balanced and better deal with stressful times.Move toward your goals - Teach your child to 6. set reasonable goals and then to move toward them one step at a time. Moving toward that goal - even if it’s a tiny step - and receiving praise for doing so will focus your child on what he or she has accomplished, rather than on what hasn’t been accomplished and can help build the resilience to move forward in the face of challenges. At school, break down large assignments into small, achievable goals for younger children, and for older children, acknowledge accomplishments on the way to

Teen’s View: Parents’ View:

larger goals.Nurture a positive self-view - Help your child 7. remember ways that he or she has successfully handled hardships in the past and then help him understand that these past challenges help him build the strength to handle future challenges. Help your child learn to trust himself to solve problems and make appropriate decisions. Teach your child to see the humor in life and the ability to laugh at one’s self. At school, help children see how their individual accomplishments contribute to the well-being of the class as a whole.Keep things in perspective and maintain a 8. hopeful outlook - Even when your child is facing very painful events, help him look at the situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Although your child may be too young to consider a long-term look on his own, help him or her see that there is a future beyond the current situation and that the future can be good. An optimistic and positive outlook enables your child to see the good things in life and keep going even in the hardest times. In school, use history to show that life moves on after bad events.Look for opportunities for self-discovery - Tough 9. times are often the times when children learn the most about themselves. Help your child take a look at how whatever he is facing can teach him “what he is made of.” Accept that change is part of living - Change 10. often can be scary for children and teens. Help your child see that change is part of life and new goals can replace goals that have become unattainable. An example would be to point out how students have changed as they moved up in grade levels and discuss how that change has had an impact on the students.

Resilience in Middle Schoolers:Middle school can be an especially difficult time

for many students as they struggle to meet extra academic demands and avoid new social pitfalls. They look to teachers and friends as well as to parents to make them feel safe.

Reinforce empathy and help your child keep perspective. When your child is a victim of the shifting social alliances that form in middle school, help him or her understand that other children may be feeling just as lonely and confused, and help her see beyond the current situation - alliances that shift one way may shift back again the next week in middle school.

Talk with your child about your own feelings during times of extraordinary stress such as the death of a loved one. Your children probably are old enough to appreciate some gray areas in your own feelings, but you should leave no room for doubt when you talk about how you will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. If your family does not have a plan in place for

emergencies, make one and share it with your child so he knows that there are decisive actions he can take in an emergency.

Enlist your children’s help, whether it’s a chore or an opinion about a family activity. Include your children in any volunteer activity you do. Make sure your children know how their actions contribute to the entire family’s well-being. If your children know that they have roles to play and that they can help, they will feel more in control and more confident.

Resilience and High Schoolers:Although your teens may tower over you, they still

are very young and can keenly feel the fear and uncertainty of both the normal stresses of being a teen, as well as events in the world around them. Emotions may be volatile and close to the surface during the teen years, and finding the best way to connect to your teen can be difficult.

Talk with your teens whenever you can, even if it seems they don’t want to talk to you. Sometimes the best time to talk may be when you are in the car together; sometimes it may be when you are doing chores together, allowing your teens to focus on something else while they talk. When your teens have questions, answer them honestly but with reassurance. Ask them their opinion about what is happening and listen to their answers.

Make your home a safe place emotionally for your teens. In high school, taunting and bullying can intensify -- home should be a haven, especially as your teen encounters more freedoms and choices and looks to home to be a constant in his or her life. Your children may prefer to be with their friends rather than spend time with you, but be ready to provide lots of family time for them when they need it, and set aside family time that includes their friends.

When stressful things are happening in the world at large, encourage your teen to take “news breaks,” whether he or she is getting that news from the television, magazines or newspapers, or the Internet. Use the news as a catalyst for discussion. Teens may act like they feel immortal, but at bottom they still want to know that they will be all right, and honest discussions of your fears and expectations can help your upper schooler learn to express his own fears. If your teen struggles with words, encourage him or her to use journaling or art to express emotions.

Many teens are already feeling extreme highs and lows because of hormonal levels in their bodies; added stress or trauma can make these shifts seem more extreme. Be understanding but firm when teens respond to stress with angry or sullen behavior. Reassure them that you just expect them to do their best.

This information was taken from the American Psychological Association and from Tammy Finch, creator of SkillSense.

Healthful Hints from the School NurseI know that many of our Westchester students attend summer camps near and far. Most of these overnight

camps require a physical exam. In order to save you time and effort this fall, print out the Westchester Health Room Information and Sports Physical forms from WestNet/Forms and Lists. Have the doctor sign it when you visit his or her office to complete the summer camp forms. It’ll save you a trip in August!

Many of our students have been experiencing itchy and watery eyes, nasal congestion, runny nose, headaches, drowsiness, sneezes, and overall distress that accompanies spring allergy season.

Soon, much of our area will be blanketed with a bright yellow powder -- pollen from the overly abundant pine trees -- that sticks to cars, patio furniture, and even the hair of people who are outside long enough.

While many of us think the yellow film is what causes us to cough, sneeze, and sniffle, experts say it is more likely that the unseen pollen -- released from oak, hickory, birch, and willow trees during their reproductive cycle -- is the main culprit.

The sneezing, red, watery eyes, and cough may not be limited to early spring because in the late spring and early summer allergies are triggered by grass pollen including Timothy, Bermuda, orchard, red top, and blue grasses. The late summer and fall is usually the season for weed allergies. Weed triggers include sage brush, pigweed, tumbleweed, and thistle.

The burst of pollen that hit our area and much of the south this year is moderate but will increase as warmer days emerge. Pollen counts are available to the public (click here). This information allows parents with children affected by seasonal allergies to better adjust their outdoor activities on days with higher pollen counts and reduce related complaints such as sneezing, stuffy nose, and itchiness of the eyes and throat.

Here are some helpful instructions to reduce or prevent allergy symptoms:Postpone outdoor activities until later in the morning. Spring pollens are usually emitted between the • hours of 5 and 10 a.m. Know your local pollen count. • If possible, use air conditioning instead of having windows opened. • Stay indoors on hot, dry, and windy days. • Wash bedding weekly in hot water. • Allergic children and adults should shower and wash their hair every night before going to bed. • Keep outside play clothes in the laundry room and away from the bedroom.•

Beth Kennedy, RN, Director of Health Services

WAPA Notes and NewsSpring Book Fair

The Spring Book Fair begins Tuesday, April 9, and runs through Friday, April 12. Along with new and exciting books, we have a couple of surprises in store for you! There is even something special for our Middle Schoolers! The librarians and volunteers look forward to seeing you at the Book Fair in the library.

Box Tops Thank you for your support of Box Tops this school year! Please continue to send in your

clippings to your child’s teacher or alternatively send to the front office. If you have any questions, please contact Linda Forester.

WAPA Book Club:The WAPA Book Club will meet on April 10 at 8:00 a.m. in the Finch work room. We will be discussing Gone

Girl by Gillian Flynn. All are welcome!

Westchester Country Day is a college preparatory school that seeks to educate each child toward moral, academic, artistic, and athletic excellence in a nurturing, family environment where students, teachers, and parents support one another. By respecting the student and honoring learning, Westchester aims to cultivate informed citizens who are ready for a rapidly changing world and to graduate students who view the pursuit and wise use of knowledge as a lifelong joy.

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