What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving? — Erma Bombeck

Dear Educator,

The holidays have come again. I love the holidays. I have wonderful memories from childhood and from raising my son. I love it all, from Halloween through New Years day.

I used to teach Home Economics, and holidays bring me back to that part of my life...baking cookies, making fudge. My mother-in-law gave me a recipe for Pumpkin Bread that is a family treasure. I worked on the Rose Parade floats one year. Memories...experiences...happy times.

But there are those who face holidays in times of loss and grief. It seems we, as a nation, have had more than our share of trauma in the past few years. This newsletter is devoted to those of you who have had a recent tragedy and are dreading the holidays. Read our feature article, "When Nothing Can Be Done."

Many signs of stress first appear in classwork. Join us for our upcoming workshop, "Crisis, Grief, and Loss...and How to Help Your Students Through It" to learn to read the subtle signs of dysfunction in the classroom.

I wish you happy memories, whether you are creating new ones or grieving those from earlier days. You'll be off work through much of December so the next edition of SCORE news will arrive in January...2007!

For kids!

Sharon Marshall Lockett, Director
SCORE... For College and Career
sharon@score-ed.com

When Nothing Can Be Done...

In times of loss, the holidays can hurt. Instinctively, we want to close our eyes and make them go away. Unfortunately, we can't; the holidays will happen with or without our permission.

Since you can't really forget, plan to remember. There are things you can do when nothing can be done. There are things you can choose not to do if they would be hurtful.

Remember:

• Something from your childhood.
• Something from your adult years.
• Something since your loss.

Do:

• Find a way to remember
• Be good to yourself.
• Spend time with family or friends.
• Spend some time alone.
• Create a new memory or tradition.
• Hold on to an old memory or tradition.
• Give to someone in need.
• Find a way to love your kids/grandkids.
• Laugh
• Cry.
• Ask, “What Would He/She Want Me To Do?
• Give Yourself Permission to Grieve
• Give Yourself Permission to Enjoy!

Don't:

• Don’t spend time with toxic people.
• Don’t forget the “reason for the season.”
• Don’t allow yourself to wallow in the synical.
• Don’t be “Super-Mom/Dad.”
• Don’t forget to dream.

Oh...and Remember:

• “This, too, shall pass.”

SCORE will be exhibiting at the Beyond School Hours Conference in Greensboro February 7–10. Drop by our booth, mention this e-mail, and we'll give you $25 in SCORE-Bucks!

Sharon will lead a workshop on Child Grief at the International Conference on Care and Kindness in Garden Grove March 15–17. Mention this newsletter, and we'll give you $25 in SCORE-Bucks!

SCORE's fall workshops are co-sponsored by Indian Education in Huntington Beach Union High School District. Please join us!

Crisis, Grief, and Loss...and How to Help Your Students Through It: November 29, 2006. Register Now!
Coast High School/Adult School, Huntington Beach, California

Grief is a fact of our students' lives (not to mention our own!).

When they are grieving, the way they learn changes. That means we need to reach them differently.

Attend this SCORE workshop to learn:

• How to read the subtle signs of a student in crisis
  (you already recognize their "not-so-subtle" messages!)
• What to do about it, both in and out of the classroom
  (you may gain validation and ammunition!)
• Where to go to find help
  (help for them is also help for you...your job will be so much easier!)
• How to change your teaching content and methodology to accommodate crises
  (and we teachers are always looking for a new strategy!)

Do you have a student in mind? They're invited! Listen to what students say:

I learned that grief will not go away, and when you go through depression do something.
I learned to be responsible and make good decisions.
This week I know not to take my anger out on someone else and not to argue so much.
I think you should go over this every year because it can help other people like it helped me.
I think that if it wasn’t for me, my friend would’ve joined his mother on the other side.
(Student participant one year after training)

We can come to you!

Tell us what you need at http://www.score-ed.com/contact.htm.

SCORE 101: Adoption Workshop: February 21–23, 2007

• Re-think the way you do business with a focus on “What Works” for reaching high-risk students.
• Discover SCORE’s proven strategies for creating systemic change.
• Develop a customized program to accelerate the achievement of high-risk youth.
• Receive curricular materials to assure successful implementation.
• Leave with an Action Plan tailored to your site.

SCORE has helped us to focus the many facets of our educational program to provide a more concerted effort toward higher student achievement.  Classroom teachers are enthusiastic!
I am glad I found another way to touch the life of a child and help them develop into a great individual.  All children can and will learn–no exceptions!
I can’t wait to go back to school and get started.  I’m leaving the workshop with a “do-able” plan and look forward to the upcoming technical assistance.

Use SCORE to plan your reform with your site restructuring team. We can come to you!

Tell us what you need at http://www.score-ed.com/contact.htm

Study Skills: March 13–14, 2007.

You will gain skills and resources to:

• Increase student retention
• Improve reading speed and comprehension
• Identify learning preferences
• Enhance student interest level
• Help students listen and ask effective questions
• Teach effective memory techniques
• Improve test scores

I left thinking I had a wonderful few days.  I got home and realized it had been a life-changing experience!
It’s very exciting to think about the students using these ideas not only for better grades, but for life experiences.
SCORE is a tool I can and will use.  Thank you.
SCORE is great.  I already see a difference in my students.
Well done in a productive balance.

Train your entire faculty! We can come to you.

Tell us what you need at http://www.score-ed.com/contact.htm

Crisis, Grief, and Loss...and How to Help Your Students Through It

At any given time, between 30% and 100% of our students can be somewhere in the grief process. When they are in crisis, their behavior and their capacity to learn changes. Our techniques for reaching them must change too.

This book provides crisis intervention techniques, referral procedures, a synopsis of research on the grief process, principles for helping students through crisis, and a bibliography for classroom teachers, counselors, tutors, and parents to use in the aftermath of crisis. Every teacher should have a copy.

Understanding Grief Reactions describes the grief process and how our students are affected

* Age-Typical Responses to Grief
* The Grief Cycle/Spiral
* Understanding Loss
* Shock/Denial
* Anger and Emotions
* Bargaining
* Depression
* Acceptance and Recovery
* Facing Our Own Grief

Principles for Helping offers practical guidelines for helping those students and colleagues who are in the process of grieving

* In Times of Crisis ...
* Listen
* Be There
* Reach Out
* Help Keep Them Focused
* Help Them Find Their Own Answers
* Crisis Suicide Intervention Guideline

Guidance Tools helps schools implement support structures which reinforce academics while recognizing the needs of those who are in grief

* Counseling to Reinforce the Curriculum
* Building on Student Strengths
* Monitoring
* Intervention/Prevention Counseling
* Mentoring
* Confidentiality
* Enhancing Student Self-Esteem

Guidelines and Curriculum offers help to the classroom teacher and those leading support groups for children stuck in grief

* Active Listening
* When You're Angry, You Both Can Win

SCORE Celebrates 25 Years of Improving Student Achievement!

SCORE is a comprehensive systemic change program, validated for effectiveness by the United States Department of Education. SCORE provides inservices, technical assistance, and field-tested materials, all proven to result in increased student achievement. To request specific information related to your site, visit: http://www.score-ed.com/contact.htm

• SCORE is not a "packaged program;" rather, school teams design a custom implementation that meets the SCORE success criteria and allows local ownership.
• SCORE is successful in helping language minority and Title I students achieve university eligibility by the time they graduate from high school.
• SCORE empowers students through a variety of strategies, enabling them to adapt learning to their strengths and their teacher's presentation style.
• SCORE's Study Skills curriculum is unequalled, and should be made available to all students. SCORE's primary focus is grades 6–10, but it has been adapted to meet the needs of both older and younger students.
• SCORE's Guidance Curriculum, available only through the SCORE 101 workshop, empowers schools to meet accreditation criteria and empowers students to take personal responsibility for their learning.

What do Others Say?

While school reform is a hot topic of conversation, many educators have not implemented practical programs that can help students live up to their full potential. I strongly recommend SCORE for your school. This is too good a program not to give it to everyone!

Maeva K. Hutter
Title 1 Coordinator
Willard Intermediate School

I can't say enough about how SCORE has positively impacted our Indian Education program. The SCORE program builds pride back into our students by helping them see good points, bring out their strengths, and talk about what they do well while they achieve success in school. Students have recently commented that they wish all their classes were taught like the SCORE class, "school wouldn't be boring." This is the most comprehensive model of student assistance that I have ever used. Yokoke, thank you to the SCORE staff for all of the support that we receive in helping our American Indian students realize their dreams.

Michael Folsom. M. S.
Counselor, Indian Education
Huntington Beach Union High School District

The SCORE staff, eager to support you in your quest to improve academic performance, is always as near as your mouse click, fax, or phone number:

Educational Innovations/SCORE
30100 Town Center Drive
Suite O, PMB 379
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
http://www.score-ed.com

949-363-6764 Voice/Fax

sharon@score-ed.com