We are here to support you!
In case of school closure, the SSIS Counselling Department will continue to provide Career, Academic, and Social/Emotional support to members of the school community by the following provided services:
- Weekly engagement with students/families of students who are identified as needing additional support before the school closure. The aim of this is both preventative and early interventional.
- Provide parent and/or child counselling support (by appointment) which can be conducted via a video conferencing tool or over the phone.
- Utilization of web-based Pastoral Care Curriculum with additional posted instructional content.
- Fortnightly distribution of the Student Wellness Survey in order to receive self-reported feedback of how students feel they are doing.
- Digital distribution of Parental/ Child Wellbeing Surveys, which will provide an opportunity for parents to share what they observe in their child’s social, emotional, academic, and physical behavior. This can be extremely helpful for early identification and treatment of student distress.
- Posting periodic videos and helpful resources with encouraging parental strategies and recommendations on how to support children during the school closure.
- Continued collaboration with subject teachers in order to support students who may struggle (academically, socially, emotionally, physically) on account of the disruption.
- The Counselling Department will also make (social/emotional) support available to subject teachers should they require personal support.
Watch a video on Anger Management and How to calm yourself down for Preschoolers
Tips for Well-being – B.A.C.E.
A helpful tip of how both students and staff can maintain physical and emotional health during a time of school closure, is to follow the acronym B.A.C.E
- Body – Daily, do at least two things to care for yourself physically. This can include eating a healthy meal, getting enough sleep, exercising.
- Achieve – Daily, make a list of at least two things that you want to achieve, and remind yourself why you want to accomplish them.
- Connect – Daily, connect with at least two people for 20 mins a person. As much as possible, aim for face-to-face communication.
- Enjoyment – Daily, aim to do at least two things that you enjoy. These do not have to be big or take a lot of time. They only have to be enjoyable and personal.
- Other specific ideas for staying healthy during a school closure include the following:
- Set goals – reflect on your sense of purpose (large or small)
- Keep a routine
- Limit your exposure to things which negatively impact you (cause sadness, fear, or an acute stress response)
- Unplug and Engage – as much as possible, get away from screens for at least 3 hours a day, especially on weekends. However, don’t just unplug, engage! Engage with something (the environment, a book), even better; take the time to connect with someone else.
- Look for opportunities to grow during this disruption.
- Help – be aware of when and who you can go to for help.
University Counselling
In case of a mandated school closure, university counselling will continue to support students so that they are able to progress with university applications in a timely manner to meet relevant deadlines.
Child Protection
During times of distance learning, student safety may be increasingly at risk on account of extended periods of non-interpersonal peer interaction as well as possible increased levels of stress at home, on account of changing home /economic factors. To minimize risk, students will be taught about cyber safety; which may include the following: social media etiquette, recognizing and responding to on-line bulling, managing online addiction, helping a friend in trouble. Additionally, staff will be informed of indicators of child abuse, which they may look for during synchronous or asynchronous interactions.
Contact Us
Please do not hesitate to contact the school counsellors at counselling@ssis.asia. We will be happy to discuss strategies you can use, and help create an action plan to ensure that your child is happy and healthy both physically and mentally.