Tag: Tacoma Public Schools
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This Could Not Have Been An Email: Social Emotional Learning Makes Meetings Meaningful
A common complaint heard after many work meetings is, “This could have been an email”. For Expanded Learning providers participating in Tacoma’s Whole Child partnership under COVID-19 conditions, virtual team meetings have been something they actually look forward to. After 3 years of providing programs on-site at 12 elementary schools across Tacoma, Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) had to shift to an online format under COVID-19 conditions. This meant that ELO providers wouldn’t see > Continue Reading
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Social Emotional Learning Helps Kids Navigate COVID-19 Disruptions
Sharing is usually something adults encourage kids to practice. That’s why Tess Guerrero understood how strange it sounded when she explained to a student that they couldn’t share their supplies because of safety measures due to COVID-19. “I don’t want to hear one more thing about this virus!” the student exclaimed. Tess said the student’s > Continue Reading
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Parents See the Difference Caring Adults Make for Their Students
Members of the Vision Step team at Edison Elementary School marched into the cafeteria as they wrapped up their after-school step dance session on a recent afternoon. As the girls waited for their rides to arrive, Codi Scharry and Danielle Bryant, parents of team members, handed out Rice Krispy treats to everyone. “I bring snacks > Continue Reading
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Every Adult Can Build Youth Resilience and Help Students Thrive
During the end-of-school hustle and bustle on a recent afternoon at Tacoma’s Reed Elementary School, a group of students gathered around Gary Lowery. He sat on the steps of a stage in the cafeteria strumming his guitar. After playing a couple tunes of his own, Gary passed the guitar around the circle and let each > Continue Reading
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Simple Strategies Help Students (and Adults) Move Through Challenging Emotions
An easy way to soothe stress is right at your fingertips. Using your forefinger, slowly draw a sideways figure 8 in the air. Breathe in as you move your finger to the right. Breathe out as your finger closes the loop. Repeat drawing the figure with the breaths as many times as it takes to > Continue Reading
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Warm Greetings, 3 Breaths, And A Constitution Help Students Thrive
When the bell rang on a recent Tuesday afternoon at Jennie Reed Elementary School, the halls were filled with students in neat, single-file lines. Each line moved in a different direction depending on where the students went after school. A handful of these lines converged on the cafeteria where students gathered for Jaguar Jump, Reed’s > Continue Reading
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20 Minutes Can Make All The Difference For Students In Expanded Learning
When school lets out at Tacoma’s Birney Elementary, Sergio Beltran can be found outside the cafeteria greeting students as they head into Expanded Learning at the All-Star Center. On a recent Thursday, Sergio noticed one student looked a little down as he entered the space. Sergio took a few minutes right away to talk one-on-one > Continue Reading
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Working Together, Tacoma Organizations Remove Barriers to Expanded Learning Opportunities
When the bell rings at the end of the day at Tacoma Public School’s DeLong Elementary, some students head home with their parents, some get on the bus, and some of them go to Dragon’s Club. Dragon’s Club is an after-school program that provides Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) like dance, art, and mentorship. Located in > Continue Reading
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Community Partnerships Expand Expanded Learning Opportunties for Tacoma Students
This Fall, elementary students at 22 Tacoma Public Schools will have on-site access to Expanded Learning Opportunities with the support of wide-reaching community partnerships and funding from national and local sources. These Expanded Learning Opportunities – like visual and performing arts, dance, robotics, STEM, mentorship, sports, and more – take place before and after school, > Continue Reading
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Local Organizations Go Beyond the Gala for Deeper Donor Engagement
When she arrived at her post as president and CEO of Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region in 2017, Lori Forte Harnick wanted to engage donors more deeply in the organization’s transformational work. She had a vision: “More people should be invited to our beautiful work opportunity center so they can see us in > Continue Reading